08.10.2018
Saffron Afternoon with Julia Child
Discover coupe saffron: why it is rare and costly, how to use and store it, plus Julia Child's saffron-opening moment.
- Coupe saffron is the highest grade: only the pure red stigmas remain, giving the strongest color and flavor.
- A pound of saffron takes about 75,000 flowers and heavy hand labor, which explains the high price.
- Store saffron airtight, cool, and dark; release its aroma by gently crushing threads and infusing them in warm liquid before use.
Julia Child has garnished the Spice House with her presence a few times. My personal highlight was a visit to our shop in Milwaukee. It was quite fun showing her around our store, chatting about spices and food. The photo shown above was taken during a cooking class at Ecole de Cuisine, a Milwaukee area culinary school. Julia and I are opening a very rare one pound tin of the highest grade of Spanish saffron, which is known as coupe saffron.
Saffron is the stigma of a fall blooming crocus flower, and each flower produces exactly three threads! They must be hand-picked when in bloom, the threads are then dried and packaged. To be designated Coupe grade, all the yellow saffron threads are selected out. Thus leaving only the purest red saffron threads, which produce the most color and flavor. Approximately 75,000 flowers are picked to fill this one pound tin. A pound of saffron is typically worth several thousand dollars!
My Dad was always in awe of what an amazing endeavor it was to import such an exotic and rare ingredient, and he sought to pay it proper reverence. To that end, he would save the unopened tins for very auspicious occasions. When he learned Julia Child was coming to town, and saw that she was making Bouillabaisse, which of course required saffron, he devised a plan. My Dad was a man of many plans, most of which were assigned to his children! He decided I should take one of these unopened tins, colorfully wrapped in bright yellow cellophane, and give her the honor of opening it during the class.
“You mean, you expect me to pop up from my chair in the middle of her class, thrust the saffron tin under the nose of one of the most famous people in the culinary world, and get her to spontaneously open it? Come on Dad!”
There was no talking him out of it, but fortunately Tom and I had taught a few classes of our own there and knew the school owner, Jill Prescott. I called her in advance, and Jill very graciously introduced me and my saffron sidekick to Julia. I told Julia that when you open a saffron box of this size it should fill the entire room with its aroma.
“Well let’s hope so my dear,” she quipped.
And it did, I mean it really did. We then got to chat about saffron and how special it was and why. She used two really large pinches of saffron in that recipe, and it was amazing. Bouillabaisse has many different ingredients and is a bit of work to make, but like most things that are worthwhile, the time you put into it rewards you with delicious end results. You can try making Julia Child’s famous recipe here. Using a pound of saffron is optional of course!
The completion of any Spice House saffron ceremony was having the opener autograph the box lid. We’ve compiled quite a collection of these over the years, but hers remains one of my favorites.
“Bon Appétit,” signed Julia Child.
Article by Patty Erd, Owner
Frequently Asked Questions
What is coupe saffron?
Coupe saffron is a premium grade where all yellow parts are removed so only the pure red stigmas remain. That concentration of red threads gives stronger color and a cleaner, more intense flavor.
Why is saffron so expensive?
Each crocus flower produces only three stigmas and they must be handpicked. It takes about 75,000 flowers to yield one pound of threads. That huge labor and the rarity of the harvest drive the price.
How should I store saffron?
Keep saffron in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place. Whole threads retain aroma longer than powder. Unopened tins can be reserved for special occasions to preserve peak aroma.
How much saffron should I use in recipes?
Start with a few threads per serving. For large dishes like bouillabaisse you can use a couple of generous pinches. High-grade coupe saffron is potent so taste and adjust before adding more.
How do I extract the most color and flavor from saffron?
Lightly crush the threads and steep them in warm water, broth, or milk for 10 to 20 minutes. Add that infused liquid to your recipe to evenly distribute color and aroma.
How can I tell if saffron is real and high quality?
Look for deep red threads with trumpet-shaped ends and no yellow bits. Good saffron smells floral and slightly honeyed. Be cautious with powders from unknown sellers since they are easier to adulterate.
Can I substitute saffron with other ingredients?
You can use turmeric or annatto to mimic color but they do not reproduce saffron's unique flavor and aroma. Safflower offers color but little taste. Use substitutes only when flavor is not critical.
How many crocus flowers are needed to make a pound of saffron?
About 75,000 crocus flowers are picked to produce one pound of saffron threads.
What is coupe saffron?
Coupe saffron is a premium grade where all yellow parts are removed so only the pure red stigmas remain. That concentration of red threads gives stronger color and a cleaner, more intense flavor.
Why is saffron so expensive?
Each crocus flower produces only three stigmas and they must be handpicked. It takes about 75,000 flowers to yield one pound of threads. That huge labor and the rarity of the harvest drive the price.
How should I store saffron?
Keep saffron in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place. Whole threads retain aroma longer than powder. Unopened tins can be reserved for special occasions to preserve peak aroma.
How much saffron should I use in recipes?
Start with a few threads per serving. For large dishes like bouillabaisse you can use a couple of generous pinches. High-grade coupe saffron is potent so taste and adjust before adding more.
How do I extract the most color and flavor from saffron?
Lightly crush the threads and steep them in warm water, broth, or milk for 10 to 20 minutes. Add that infused liquid to your recipe to evenly distribute color and aroma.
How can I tell if saffron is real and high quality?
Look for deep red threads with trumpet-shaped ends and no yellow bits. Good saffron smells floral and slightly honeyed. Be cautious with powders from unknown sellers since they are easier to adulterate.
Can I substitute saffron with other ingredients?
You can use turmeric or annatto to mimic color but they do not reproduce saffron's unique flavor and aroma. Safflower offers color but little taste. Use substitutes only when flavor is not critical.
How many crocus flowers are needed to make a pound of saffron?
About 75,000 crocus flowers are picked to produce one pound of saffron threads.
I was a Julia fan from the the first show I watched. She made croissants and I was hooked-at age 12. I always love cooking, growing up in a huge crowd of my Greek, Italian and a few(by marriage) Lebanese family. These days, I have been in the company of my German-Irish mother in law-90 years old from Hugo OK. No longer able to cook herself she is always curious what I will cook and still game to try new things. Not easy to explain kibbe and Nutella on the same day.