Norfolk Saffron FAQs
Here’s a selection of questions we’re often asked at Farmers’ Markets, and their answers.
HOW YOU GROW SAFFRON?
Saffron is the product of the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus. Our harvest begins in late September - early October, when the first few flower buds emerge through the soil. If the weather is kind, over the next 6 weeks or so, new flowers will develop daily. The numbers reach a peak and then drop off again as winter approaches. Harvesting normally finishes in mid-late November.
Every morning during harvest, we go outside at 7am and "gather" that day's buds. This can take till lunchtime. The buds are vulnerable to bad weather and one year we lost about 10% of our crop on a single stormy day. You have to be philosophical about such things! We then take the buds indoors and, sitting round our table, we carefully "pick" the red stigmas out and discard the flowers (we compost them). For every hour spent outside gathering, there will be two hours' work inside picking. Next, the wet stigmas must be dried. All of this must happen the same day to help ensure the quality is as high as possible, and sometimes I don't get finished till 2am. The next morning we start all over again!
After harvest, the saffron leaves are well developed and they keep growing throughout the winter. My job then is to keep them free of weeds, hares and muntjacs. Come May, the leaves begin to die back and the plants enter their summer dormancy period. This is when we lift, divide and replant the oldest corms onto fresh ground, and do lots and lots of hoeing. In September, little cracks in the soil show that the buds are ready to grow and then we prepare for harvest again.
ISN'T SAFFRON THE STAMEN FROM SAFFRON CROCUSES?
No, it’s the red stigma and style branches (one of the female parts of the flower). Stamens (the yellow male part which produces the pollen) can be present in some types of saffron, but are never in Norfolk Saffron.
DOES SAFFRON COME FROM THE AUTUMN CROCUS?
Absolutely not! This point is crucial because the autumn crocus (also known as meadow saffron or naked ladies, Colchicum autumnale) is highly poisonous and people have died after eating it. Only the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) produces saffron. Never try and make DIY saffron unless you're certain you have Crocus sativus plants.
ISN'T SAFFRON AS EXPENSIVE AS GOLD?
It’s undeniable that saffron comes at a price, because of the huge amounts of hand-labour that are required to grow and harvest it. This is why we work hard to make Norfolk Saffron as strong as possible, so that only a tiny amount of it is required to flavour and colour your food - much less than with other brands.
HOW DOES NORFOLK SAFFRON COMPARE WITH SPANISH SAFFRON?
There are many different grades and qualities of Spanish saffron. Much is no longer even grown in Spain, but just re-packaged there! We gained a Great Taste Award for Norfolk Saffron in 2012, and independent laboratory testing shows that every year our saffron conforms to ISO 3632 category I, the top international grade for saffron quality (and far exceeds the minimum requirements for the category). This makes Norfolk Saffron roughly equivalent to Spanish Coupé grade - the grade above Mancha. Norfolk Saffron’s superior strength is also borne out by our own and our customers’ experiences and feedback.
WHAT IS ISO 3632?
This is the International Standards Organisation standard for saffron quality, also followed by the British Standards Institute (BSI). There are many different clauses in ISO 3632, but three of the most important ones are laboratory measurement of the amounts of crocin (responsible for colour), picrocrocin (responsible for flavour) and safranal (responsible for aroma) in a sample of the saffron. The crocin measurement is known as the "colouring strength" of the saffron. The higher the levels of these three substances, the better quality and stronger the saffron.
Quality is graded category I, II, or III (there was also a lower grade, IV, but this is no longer used). Category I is the top grade. The system is widely used in the major saffron-producing counties of the world, though you won't find the category nor colouring strength displayed on low quality, cheap saffron.
The grading of saffron is important because it weeds out fake saffron from the marketplace and it highlights the fact that saffron is not all the same (to use a wine analogy: are you buying plonk, or is it a fine vintage?). Buying cheap ungraded, or low grade, saffron is a false economy because you will need so much more of it that any price per gram difference becomes meaningless.
WHAT DOES SAFFRON TASTE LIKE?
For some customers, it's a revelation to learn that as well as a wonderful golden colour, saffron gives food a divine flavour too. Norfolk Saffron’s flavour is honeyed and floral, yet with a slight bitterness. Top quality saffron is so much more than just a yellow food colouring.
WHAT CAN I USE SAFFRON FOR?
Norfolk Saffron is perfect for sweet and savoury dishes. Aside from simple saffron rice, there are several other classic saffron recipes e.g. Cornish Saffron Cake, Paella, Bouillabaisse and Risotto alla Milanese. There are many other delicious recipes in our Saffron Book. Finally saffron can also be used as a dyestuff and as an artists' pigment.
HOW DO I USE SAFFRON?
Full instructions are here. Never just throw the threads into your recipe without following our simple preparations steps as it will waste your saffron and you won't get the best out if it.
HOW MUCH SAFFRON DO I NEED?
Some recipes specify ridiculously high quantities of saffron and we can only assume these recipes have been developed using very low grade saffron, or the quantities have been guessed at because the recipe writer's kitchen scales can't make accurate small measurements. The good news is that because Norfolk Saffron is extra strong, you don’t need very much at all. Some online recipes we’ve tested with Norfolk Saffron only needed one tenth of the specified amount. Check our information on how much to use. In general, recipes that specify numbers of threads are the best ones to follow.
CAN I USE TOO MUCH SAFFRON?
Follow our guidelines as a starting point. Too much saffron is a waste of spice, gives food an artificial-looking colour and an unpleasant, overpowering "medicinal" flavour. [Like many other spices, massive overdoses of saffron can be bad for you. It's been highlighted to us by a member of the public that certain internet sources say eating 20g of saffron all at once is toxic. Put into perspective, that's 66 and two-thirds of our standard size jars in one go! Normal usage of saffron is absolutely fine.]
DO YOU SELL POWDERED SAFFRON?
We sell only the whole threads, for two reasons. First, you can see it's real saffron. Second, the colour, flavour and aroma last much better in whole saffron than after it's been powdered. It only takes a few seconds to grind saffron yourself.
IS SAFFRON GOOD FOR YOU?
Historically it was believed that saffron could be used to treat many ailments afflicting people and also livestock! Modern medical research reveals that when carefully prepared in small doses, saffron has beneficial effects on eye health, cardiac health and depression, as well as possessing anti-cancer properties. Please note I'm not a medical doctor (my doctorate is in agricultural botany), so cannot advise on doses. For this you would need to consult a qualified professional.
HOW LONG DOES SAFFRON LAST?
Saffron is typically given a Best Before date several years after harvest. We feel the industry norm is too long, so we use a Best Before date two years after the harvest date. We would encourage you to use your Norfolk Saffron within this time, so you can experience the flavour and aroma at its best.
HOW SHOULD SAFFRON BE STORED?
In a tightly-closed container, out of direct sunlight (ideally in a cupboard) and away from strong odours.
I'VE ALREADY GOT A BOX OF OLD SAFFRON IN MY CUPBOARD, SO WHY WOULD I WANT TO REPLACE IT?
As it ages, the flavour and aroma of saffron deteriorate and disappear, though the colour lasts a bit longer. Using old saffron will be disappointing and probably give no flavour to your food. The take-home message here is: use it up before it gets old.
WHY IS NORFOLK SAFFRON MORE EXPENSIVE THAN SUPERMARKET SAFFRON?
The UK market is largely supplied by saffron imports - mostly of ungraded saffron - from countries with very low labour charges (i.e. low hourly rates - only a fraction of those here in the UK). Since saffron can only be hand-picked, labour charges account for most of saffron's price. A further point is the wide range of quality between different brands, and the ISO 3632 category of the saffron, when comparing prices. If it's unlabelled it probably isn't category I! Category III saffron could be less than half the strength of category I. When you buy Norfolk Saffron you are buying a world-class category I saffron, produced with commitment to looking after the environment, and with many other features absent from the mass-market product.
I BOUGHT A LARGE BAG OF SAFFRON VERY CHEAPLY WHILST ON HOLIDAY. WHY DOESN'T IT COLOUR MY FOOD?
Sadly, we often get asked this question! There seems to be a significant problem with a completely unrelated plant, safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), being passed off as saffron to tourists in some countries. Dried safflower florets contain none of the same colour, flavour, or aroma substances as saffron. Saffron adulteration has been a problem for millennia – if it seems very cheap, it almost certainly isn’t real saffron.
SAFFRON I HAVE BOUGHT ABROAD IS YELLOW (OR ORANGE) BUT YOURS IS RED. DOES YOURS COLOUR FOOD RED?
"Saffron" that is uniformly yellow or orange is almost certainly fake (probably turmeric or safflower). Real saffron threads are a rich deep red at their tips (the part we pick for you) and they do colour food yellow.
HOW MANY ACRES OF SAFFRON DO YOU GROW?
We’re currently growing about the same amount as an average grower in the Tudor period, and we're expanding our area each year. Quality not quantity is our aim though.
IS NORFOLK SAFFRON ORGANIC?
We've never sought certification by one of the UK's organic inspection organisations (it's so expensive!), so we cannot legally describe Norfolk Saffron as organic. However, we follow the principles of organic growing: we don’t use fungicides, herbicides/weedkillers or pesticides on the saffron plants, and we look after the soil. Our land has not been used for mainstream agriculture since 1999. This is longer than the "organic conversion" period specified by the inspection bodies.
DO YOU GIVE TALKS ON SAFFRON?
Yes. Please contact us to discuss.
CAN I GROW SAFFRON AT HOME?
Yes, if you are in the southern half of the UK. Saffron originated in Crete, so winters in Northern England and in Scotland are probably too cold for it to succeed outside. You must make sure any plants you buy are Crocus sativus (the only source of saffron) and not another crocus, nor the highly poisonous autumn crocus Colchicum autumnale.
DO YOU SELL SAFFRON CORMS (AKA BULBS)?
No. At present we are using the natural annual increase of our saffron corms to expand our growing area.
DO YOU GROW ANY OTHER CROPS?
Since 2013 we have been planting small areas of 'conservation crops' to benefit wildlife. Sally is also working on trials of other specialist crops.
CAN I VISIT NORFOLK SAFFRON HQ (AND BUY SAFFRON FROM YOU)?
We regret that we are not able to routinely host visitors at our smallholding, but we do have regular open days at our on-site Saffron Museum where you can find out about this fascinating crop and buy our products. We can arrange special open days for groups. At other times, you can collect pre-paid orders (excluding our alcoholic drinks) STRICTLY BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT if you are local. Please email in advance of placing your order to arrange this.
© 2011-18 Norfolk Saffron
HOW YOU GROW SAFFRON?
Saffron is the product of the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus. Our harvest begins in late September - early October, when the first few flower buds emerge through the soil. If the weather is kind, over the next 6 weeks or so, new flowers will develop daily. The numbers reach a peak and then drop off again as winter approaches. Harvesting normally finishes in mid-late November.
Every morning during harvest, we go outside at 7am and "gather" that day's buds. This can take till lunchtime. The buds are vulnerable to bad weather and one year we lost about 10% of our crop on a single stormy day. You have to be philosophical about such things! We then take the buds indoors and, sitting round our table, we carefully "pick" the red stigmas out and discard the flowers (we compost them). For every hour spent outside gathering, there will be two hours' work inside picking. Next, the wet stigmas must be dried. All of this must happen the same day to help ensure the quality is as high as possible, and sometimes I don't get finished till 2am. The next morning we start all over again!
After harvest, the saffron leaves are well developed and they keep growing throughout the winter. My job then is to keep them free of weeds, hares and muntjacs. Come May, the leaves begin to die back and the plants enter their summer dormancy period. This is when we lift, divide and replant the oldest corms onto fresh ground, and do lots and lots of hoeing. In September, little cracks in the soil show that the buds are ready to grow and then we prepare for harvest again.
ISN'T SAFFRON THE STAMEN FROM SAFFRON CROCUSES?
No, it’s the red stigma and style branches (one of the female parts of the flower). Stamens (the yellow male part which produces the pollen) can be present in some types of saffron, but are never in Norfolk Saffron.
DOES SAFFRON COME FROM THE AUTUMN CROCUS?
Absolutely not! This point is crucial because the autumn crocus (also known as meadow saffron or naked ladies, Colchicum autumnale) is highly poisonous and people have died after eating it. Only the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) produces saffron. Never try and make DIY saffron unless you're certain you have Crocus sativus plants.
ISN'T SAFFRON AS EXPENSIVE AS GOLD?
It’s undeniable that saffron comes at a price, because of the huge amounts of hand-labour that are required to grow and harvest it. This is why we work hard to make Norfolk Saffron as strong as possible, so that only a tiny amount of it is required to flavour and colour your food - much less than with other brands.
HOW DOES NORFOLK SAFFRON COMPARE WITH SPANISH SAFFRON?
There are many different grades and qualities of Spanish saffron. Much is no longer even grown in Spain, but just re-packaged there! We gained a Great Taste Award for Norfolk Saffron in 2012, and independent laboratory testing shows that every year our saffron conforms to ISO 3632 category I, the top international grade for saffron quality (and far exceeds the minimum requirements for the category). This makes Norfolk Saffron roughly equivalent to Spanish Coupé grade - the grade above Mancha. Norfolk Saffron’s superior strength is also borne out by our own and our customers’ experiences and feedback.
WHAT IS ISO 3632?
This is the International Standards Organisation standard for saffron quality, also followed by the British Standards Institute (BSI). There are many different clauses in ISO 3632, but three of the most important ones are laboratory measurement of the amounts of crocin (responsible for colour), picrocrocin (responsible for flavour) and safranal (responsible for aroma) in a sample of the saffron. The crocin measurement is known as the "colouring strength" of the saffron. The higher the levels of these three substances, the better quality and stronger the saffron.
Quality is graded category I, II, or III (there was also a lower grade, IV, but this is no longer used). Category I is the top grade. The system is widely used in the major saffron-producing counties of the world, though you won't find the category nor colouring strength displayed on low quality, cheap saffron.
The grading of saffron is important because it weeds out fake saffron from the marketplace and it highlights the fact that saffron is not all the same (to use a wine analogy: are you buying plonk, or is it a fine vintage?). Buying cheap ungraded, or low grade, saffron is a false economy because you will need so much more of it that any price per gram difference becomes meaningless.
WHAT DOES SAFFRON TASTE LIKE?
For some customers, it's a revelation to learn that as well as a wonderful golden colour, saffron gives food a divine flavour too. Norfolk Saffron’s flavour is honeyed and floral, yet with a slight bitterness. Top quality saffron is so much more than just a yellow food colouring.
WHAT CAN I USE SAFFRON FOR?
Norfolk Saffron is perfect for sweet and savoury dishes. Aside from simple saffron rice, there are several other classic saffron recipes e.g. Cornish Saffron Cake, Paella, Bouillabaisse and Risotto alla Milanese. There are many other delicious recipes in our Saffron Book. Finally saffron can also be used as a dyestuff and as an artists' pigment.
HOW DO I USE SAFFRON?
Full instructions are here. Never just throw the threads into your recipe without following our simple preparations steps as it will waste your saffron and you won't get the best out if it.
HOW MUCH SAFFRON DO I NEED?
Some recipes specify ridiculously high quantities of saffron and we can only assume these recipes have been developed using very low grade saffron, or the quantities have been guessed at because the recipe writer's kitchen scales can't make accurate small measurements. The good news is that because Norfolk Saffron is extra strong, you don’t need very much at all. Some online recipes we’ve tested with Norfolk Saffron only needed one tenth of the specified amount. Check our information on how much to use. In general, recipes that specify numbers of threads are the best ones to follow.
CAN I USE TOO MUCH SAFFRON?
Follow our guidelines as a starting point. Too much saffron is a waste of spice, gives food an artificial-looking colour and an unpleasant, overpowering "medicinal" flavour. [Like many other spices, massive overdoses of saffron can be bad for you. It's been highlighted to us by a member of the public that certain internet sources say eating 20g of saffron all at once is toxic. Put into perspective, that's 66 and two-thirds of our standard size jars in one go! Normal usage of saffron is absolutely fine.]
DO YOU SELL POWDERED SAFFRON?
We sell only the whole threads, for two reasons. First, you can see it's real saffron. Second, the colour, flavour and aroma last much better in whole saffron than after it's been powdered. It only takes a few seconds to grind saffron yourself.
IS SAFFRON GOOD FOR YOU?
Historically it was believed that saffron could be used to treat many ailments afflicting people and also livestock! Modern medical research reveals that when carefully prepared in small doses, saffron has beneficial effects on eye health, cardiac health and depression, as well as possessing anti-cancer properties. Please note I'm not a medical doctor (my doctorate is in agricultural botany), so cannot advise on doses. For this you would need to consult a qualified professional.
HOW LONG DOES SAFFRON LAST?
Saffron is typically given a Best Before date several years after harvest. We feel the industry norm is too long, so we use a Best Before date two years after the harvest date. We would encourage you to use your Norfolk Saffron within this time, so you can experience the flavour and aroma at its best.
HOW SHOULD SAFFRON BE STORED?
In a tightly-closed container, out of direct sunlight (ideally in a cupboard) and away from strong odours.
I'VE ALREADY GOT A BOX OF OLD SAFFRON IN MY CUPBOARD, SO WHY WOULD I WANT TO REPLACE IT?
As it ages, the flavour and aroma of saffron deteriorate and disappear, though the colour lasts a bit longer. Using old saffron will be disappointing and probably give no flavour to your food. The take-home message here is: use it up before it gets old.
WHY IS NORFOLK SAFFRON MORE EXPENSIVE THAN SUPERMARKET SAFFRON?
The UK market is largely supplied by saffron imports - mostly of ungraded saffron - from countries with very low labour charges (i.e. low hourly rates - only a fraction of those here in the UK). Since saffron can only be hand-picked, labour charges account for most of saffron's price. A further point is the wide range of quality between different brands, and the ISO 3632 category of the saffron, when comparing prices. If it's unlabelled it probably isn't category I! Category III saffron could be less than half the strength of category I. When you buy Norfolk Saffron you are buying a world-class category I saffron, produced with commitment to looking after the environment, and with many other features absent from the mass-market product.
I BOUGHT A LARGE BAG OF SAFFRON VERY CHEAPLY WHILST ON HOLIDAY. WHY DOESN'T IT COLOUR MY FOOD?
Sadly, we often get asked this question! There seems to be a significant problem with a completely unrelated plant, safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), being passed off as saffron to tourists in some countries. Dried safflower florets contain none of the same colour, flavour, or aroma substances as saffron. Saffron adulteration has been a problem for millennia – if it seems very cheap, it almost certainly isn’t real saffron.
SAFFRON I HAVE BOUGHT ABROAD IS YELLOW (OR ORANGE) BUT YOURS IS RED. DOES YOURS COLOUR FOOD RED?
"Saffron" that is uniformly yellow or orange is almost certainly fake (probably turmeric or safflower). Real saffron threads are a rich deep red at their tips (the part we pick for you) and they do colour food yellow.
HOW MANY ACRES OF SAFFRON DO YOU GROW?
We’re currently growing about the same amount as an average grower in the Tudor period, and we're expanding our area each year. Quality not quantity is our aim though.
IS NORFOLK SAFFRON ORGANIC?
We've never sought certification by one of the UK's organic inspection organisations (it's so expensive!), so we cannot legally describe Norfolk Saffron as organic. However, we follow the principles of organic growing: we don’t use fungicides, herbicides/weedkillers or pesticides on the saffron plants, and we look after the soil. Our land has not been used for mainstream agriculture since 1999. This is longer than the "organic conversion" period specified by the inspection bodies.
DO YOU GIVE TALKS ON SAFFRON?
Yes. Please contact us to discuss.
CAN I GROW SAFFRON AT HOME?
Yes, if you are in the southern half of the UK. Saffron originated in Crete, so winters in Northern England and in Scotland are probably too cold for it to succeed outside. You must make sure any plants you buy are Crocus sativus (the only source of saffron) and not another crocus, nor the highly poisonous autumn crocus Colchicum autumnale.
DO YOU SELL SAFFRON CORMS (AKA BULBS)?
No. At present we are using the natural annual increase of our saffron corms to expand our growing area.
DO YOU GROW ANY OTHER CROPS?
Since 2013 we have been planting small areas of 'conservation crops' to benefit wildlife. Sally is also working on trials of other specialist crops.
CAN I VISIT NORFOLK SAFFRON HQ (AND BUY SAFFRON FROM YOU)?
We regret that we are not able to routinely host visitors at our smallholding, but we do have regular open days at our on-site Saffron Museum where you can find out about this fascinating crop and buy our products. We can arrange special open days for groups. At other times, you can collect pre-paid orders (excluding our alcoholic drinks) STRICTLY BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT if you are local. Please email in advance of placing your order to arrange this.
© 2011-18 Norfolk Saffron