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| Thursday, September 18, 2008 |
| Mighty Zeus |
My husband is the world’s most easy going guy. Only a few things irritate him. Unfortunately, I’m often one of them. After lugging a 20 lb carton of cute little bottles of home-made wine I just had to have around in the heat for a few hours on our first day, his vacation got off on the wrong foot.
He began rushing past each little doorway and store front we passed, muttering “shopping is not what we’re here for.” “It’s not shopping, it’s sharing cultural values” I tried explaining day 2, and 3. Finally I sent off a silent request to Zeus, since he seemed to be everywhere. He sent me back divine inspiration. “Say it’s for Sensei!”
On day four I grabbed his arm and said “Look! Imagine the recipes they can create at Sensei!” And just like that, we strolled into a marketplace, and wandered through the stalls. We found a little stand selling Saffron. Greek Red Saffron. My husband actually smiled as I bought a case of it and handed it to him. They call it the “Golden Spice of Greece. Crocus sativus L.Stigmata.”
The spice I bought is grown and packaged by a cooperative in Greece. Their representative explained that saffron is considered “the world’s most expensive spice.” She told us “Greek red saffron is very rich in crocin, which is the source of the beautiful color, picrocrocin, which gives the ‘distinctive’ flavor, and the essential oil safronal, which gives Saffron its’ characteristic aroma.
An amazing history lesson followed, reminding us that spices were the prize Columbus, Magellan, and others were searching for when they set out to find new routes to the West Indies, (without G.P.S.), discovering the “New World” accidentally along the way. Saffron was used for medicinal purposes as early as 2600 B.C.E., in China, and by 1500 B.C.E. the Egyptians and Greeks record using Saffron. Coincidentally, Homer described Zeus’ use of Saffron, so I think that’s why he guided me to the market. Research today suggests this spice may offer protection against cancer, memory loss, heart disease and inflammation.
The history is fascinating, the medical and scientific potential are awesome. But let’s not forget that Saffron is still prized to flavor food. It has a delicate flavor and aroma that enhances rice, vegetables, seafood, chicken, fruit, coffee, and even champagne. I already have a fantasy meal in mind. It involves all my Sensei friends dressed in Togas…sharing a mortar and pestle, grinding the little strands into a delicacy. In my vision Josee brings Saffron tinted champagne, Renee a saffron flavored fish, Lauren invents a rice and vegetable offering, and Tim a desert no-one has ever thought of before!
I’ve invited everyone for dinner this week-end. I hope they know to bring the food. Togas are optional.
Stay tuned for recipes.
- Nancy
Labels: Nancy, Spices
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posted by The Sensei Team @ Thursday, September 18, 2008   |
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