Saffron in the context of Spice

Division, in horticulture and gardening, is a method of asexual plant propagation, where the plant (usually an herbaceous perennial) is broken up into two or more parts. Each part has an intact root and crown. The technique is of ancient origin, and has long been used to propagate bulbs such as garlic and saffron. Another type of division is through a plant tissue culture. In this method the meristem (a type of plant tissue) is divided.

Risotto (/rɪˈzɒtoʊ/ riz-OT-oh, Italian: [riˈzɔtto, -ˈsɔt-]; from riso, 'rice') is an Italian rice dish cooked with broth until it reaches a creamy consistency. The broth can be derived from meat, fish or vegetables. Many types of risotto contain butter, onion, white wine, and Parmesan cheese. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy. Saffron was originally used for flavour and its signature yellow colour.

Risotto in Italy is often a first course (primo), served before a second course (secondo), but risotto alla milanese is often served with ossobuco alla milanese as a one-course meal.

San Gimignano (Italian pronunciation: [san dʒimiɲˈɲaːno]; named after St. Geminianus) is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as the Town of Five Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls, form "an unforgettable skyline". Within the walls, the well-preserved buildings include notable examples of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, with outstanding examples of secular buildings as well as churches. The Palazzo Comunale, the Collegiata and Church of Sant' Agostino contain frescos, including cycles dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. The "Historic Centre of San Gimignano" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town also is known for saffron, the dry aged and saffron infused Golden Ham, pecorino cheese and its white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, produced from the ancient variety of Vernaccia grape grown on the sandstone hillsides of the area.

Dharma Dhwaj (lit. flag of dharma) is the saffron (bhagwa) religious flag installed atop the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. The flag-hoisting marked the ritual completion of the temple’s construction during the formal Dhwajarohan ceremony held on 25 November 2025. The Dharma Dhwaj bears sacred symbols — the radiant Sun, the sacred syllable “Om”, and the Kovidara tree — signifying spiritual heritage, Lord Rama’s lineage, and traditional Hindu symbolism. The saffron flag — measuring 22 feet × 11 feet — was hoisted on a 42-foot flagpole rising from the temple spire, as part of the renovation and finalization process of the temple complex.

Gonabad (Persian: گناباد) is a city in the Central District of Gonabad County, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.

The city is best known as the home of the Gonabadi Dervishes and also for its qanats, (known also as kariz). It is one of the most important producers of saffron in Iran. Other agricultural products include: Grape, Pistachio and pomegranate. The shrine the Ni'matullāhī Gonabadi dervish order is located in Beydokht, a village in the Gonabad county.

Sadhu (Sanskrit: साधु, IAST: sādhu (male), sādhvī or sādhvīne (female), also spelled saddhu) is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life. They are sometimes alternatively referred to as yogi, sannyasi or vairagi.

Sādhu means one who follows a path of sadhana (spiritual discipline). Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. A sādhu's life is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa (liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth), the fourth and final aśrama (stage of life), through meditation and contemplation of Brahman. Sādhus often wear simple clothing, such as saffron-coloured clothing in Hinduism and white or nothing in Jainism, symbolising their sannyāsa (renunciation of worldly possessions). A female mendicant in Hinduism and Jainism is often called a sadhvi, or in some texts as aryika.

Cosmetics ingredients come from a variety of sources but, unlike the ingredients of food, are often not considered by most consumers. Cosmetics often use vibrant colors that are derived from a wide variety of sources, ranging from crushed insects to rust.

Cosmetics in a variety of forms date back to early civilizations, with the need to improve ones personal appearance being an important factor in attracting a mate. Over the years the ingredients have changed dramatically as we discovered how to manufacture our own scents and cosmetic formulas. The realization of the dangers of many common ingredients also greatly affected the growing industry. Ancient Egyptian aristocracy made use of minerals to provide colour and definition to their facial features. During the era of the Greek Empire it was common to use face paints, while cosmetics in ancient Rome contained starch, olive oil, beeswax, saffron, rose water, and lead.

An entremet or entremets (/ˈɒntrəmeɪ/; French: [ɑ̃tʁəmɛ]; from Old French, literally meaning "between servings") in Medieval French cuisine referred to dishes served between the courses of the meal, often illusion foods and edible scenic displays. The term additionally referred to performances and entertainments presented between the courses. After the mid-17th century, the term referred to certain types of savory and sweet culinary preparations, and to the stage of the meal in “Classical Service” when they were served. Since the early 20th century, the term has more commonly referred only to the sweet preparations of the entremets stage of the meal.

In the Late Middle Ages and the early modern period, an entremet marked the end of a course of the meal and could be a culinary preparation like frumenty (a type of wheat porridge) that was brightly colored and flavored with exotic and expensive spices, or elaborate models of castles complete with wine fountains, musicians, and food modeled into allegorical scenes. By the end of the Middle Ages, entremets had also evolved into dinner entertainment in the form of inedible ornaments or acted performances, often full of the symbolism of power and regality. In English, such displays were more commonly known as a subtlety (also sotelty or soteltie); they did not typically include acted entertainment, but did include culinary jokes like live blackbirds flying out of a pie, a scene immortalized in the folk song "Sing a Song of Sixpence".

Birjand (Persian: بیرجند; [biːɾˈdʒæːnd] ) is a city in the Central District of Birjand County, South Khorasan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. The city is known for its saffron, barberry, jujube, and handmade carpet exports.

Crocus sativus, commonly known as saffron crocus or autumn crocus, is a species of flowering plant in the iris family Iridaceae. A cormous autumn-flowering cultivated perennial, unknown in the wild, it is best known for the culinary use of its floral stigmas as the spice saffron. Human cultivation of saffron crocus and the trade and use of saffron have endured for more than 3,500 years and span different cultures, continents, and civilizations.

Picrocrocin is a monoterpene glycoside precursor of safranal. It is found in the spice saffron, which comes from the crocus flower. Picrocrocin has a bitter taste, and is the chemical most responsible for the taste of saffron.

During the drying process, picrocrocin liberates the aglycone (HTCC, C₁₀H₁₆O₂) due to the action of the enzyme glucosidase. The aglycone is then transformed to safranal by dehydration. Picrocrocin is a degradation product of the carotenoid zeaxanthin.

Safranal is an organic compound isolated from saffron, the spice consisting of the stigmas of crocus flowers (Crocus sativus). It is the constituent primarily responsible for the aroma of saffron.

It is believed that safranal is a degradation product of the carotenoid zeaxanthin via the intermediate picrocrocin.

Crocin is a carotenoid chemical compound that is found in the flowers of crocus and gardenia. Crocin is the chemical primarily responsible for the color of saffron.

Chemically, crocin is the diester formed from the disaccharide gentiobiose and the branched-chain dicarboxylic acid crocetin. When isolated as a pure chemical compound, it has a deep red color and forms crystals with a melting point of 186 °C. When dissolved in water, it forms an orange solution.

Asparagales (asparagoid lilies) are a diverse order of flowering plants in the monocots. Under the APG IV system of flowering plant classification, Asparagales are the largest order of monocots with 14 families, 1,122 genera, and about 36,000 species, with members as varied as asparaguses, orchids, yuccas, irises, onions, garlics, leeks, and other alliums, daffodils, snowdrops, amaryllis, agaves, butcher's broom, agapanthuses, Solomon's seal, hyacinths, bluebells, spider plants, grasstrees, aloes, freesias, gladioli, crocuses, and saffrons.

Most species of Asparagales are herbaceous perennials, although some are climbers and some are trees or shrubs. The order also contains many geophytes (bulbs, corms, and various kinds of tuber). The leaves of almost all species form a tight rosette, either at the base of the plant or at the end of the stem, but occasionally along the stem. The flowers are not particularly distinctive, being 'lily type', with six tepals and up to six stamens. One of the defining characteristics (synapomorphies) of the order is the presence of phytomelanin, a black pigment present in the seed coat, creating a dark crust. Phytomelanin is found in most families of the Asparagales (although not in Orchidaceae, thought to be the sister-group of the rest of the order).

Rouille (French pronunciation: [ʁuj] ; Provençal: rolha, lit. 'rust') is a sauce that consists of egg yolk and olive oil with breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper. It is served as a garnish with fish and fish soup, notably bouillabaisse. Rouille is most often used in the cuisine of Provence.

Mithqāl (Arabic: مثقال, romanized: miṯqāl) is a unit of mass equal to 4.25 grams (0.137 ozt) which is mostly used for measuring precious metals, such as gold, and other commodities, like saffron.

The name was also applied as an alternative term for the gold dinar, a coin that was used throughout much of the Islamic world from the 8th century onward and survived in parts of Africa until the 19th century. The name of Mozambique's currency since 1980, the metical, is derived from mithqāl.

Campo de Calatrava is a comarca in the province of Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Ciudad Real, the provincial capital, belongs to the Campo de Calatrava.

A Denominación de Origen for olive oil takes its name from the comarca. There are olive groves in sixteen of the municipios, mainly containing a cultivar called cornicabra. Vineyards and crops of barley are also common to the area.Saffron is another crop cultivated in the area.

Sutarfeni (સુતરફેણી) is a Gujarati and Rajasthani sweet, made with shredded, all-purpose flour roasted in ghee (clarified butter), blended with melted sugar, and topped with finely chopped pistachios and almonds.The product is typically flavoured with powdered cardamom and/or rose petals. It may be white in color, scented with floral essences such as rose water or screwpine, or it may be colored and flavored with saffron. Sufarteni was nicknamed as "Loblachi" by an Indian man whom was streamed on the platform, TikTok.

Sheermal (Persian/Urdu: شیرمال, Hindi: शीरमल,:, also spelled shirmal, is a saffron-flavored traditional flatbread eaten in Iran and the Indian subcontinent. The word sheermal is derived from the Persian words شیر (translit. sheer, Sanskrit Kshir) meaning milk, and مالیدن (translit. malidan) meaning to rub or to knead. In a literal translation, sheermal means milk-rubbed. It was introduced to North India by the Mughal emperors during the medieval period. It became a delicacy of Lucknow, Hyderabad and Aurangabad. It is also part of the Awadhi cuisine and is enjoyed in Bhopal and Pakistan.