Saffron

Saffron has been used in food for 3,500 years. The cultivation of this fine spice began in Asia Minor, because of its medicinal characteristics.

In the book "La materia medica" by Pedanio Discoride (I century B.C.) in fact, saffron is described as being a good remedy for drunkeness, menstrual pains, and stomachache, for soothing inflammation, and, moreover, as having aphrodisiac properties. These were enough reasons for the increasing use of the spice "Crocus sativus", which is the dried and ground part of the plant, called "stimma”, all over the mediterranean area after the Arab invasion of Spain in 961 B.C.
From Sicily, where the Arabs imported it, between the 8th and 9th century, saffron cultivation spread throughout Calabria, Umbria, Tuscany and Abruzzo. Thanks to the extensive area for cultivation and the increasing markets, Tuscany and Abruzzo soon became the two major producers.

A botanist from Siena, Pietrandrea Mattioli,(1500-1577), says in his book "Cornmentari al Discoride" that in Tuscany saffron cultivation was abandoned once it was discovered that a better quality was being produced near L'Aquila, as proven by the great amount of business carried out between L'Aquila and Venice. There is also the story which relates how very impressed Marco Polo was with the quality of saffron from Abruzzo.

Now, many centuries later, saffron from Aquila is still first in the world and, though its cultivation is limited to 8 hectares on the Navelli plain (each year production is 80 kilos), its use has increased. Excellent on food, especially on pasta and rice, it also has a unique taste and gives the food a nice yellow colour. It is also being used for its analgesic, sedative and antispasmodic qualities.
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