This Is The Most Expensive Spice In The World

These days, it's hard not to take spices for granted, since we simply grab them off of grocery store shelves. But one of them takes top billing when it comes to price — saffron, which can cost roughly between $10 and $20 per gram. That's a lot of cash for such a tiny volume of material. Saffron is the harvested stigma (aka the part of a flower where pollen collects) of the crocus sativus plant, and just three of the little filament-like structures can be plucked from each flower. 

That means that each plant yields very little usable product, and production is extremely labor intensive. Not only are those little threads tiny, but they're also susceptible to damage from the sun. As such, harvesting must be completed prior to sunrise, after which the threads are allowed to dry. What makes this product even rarer is that the flower only blooms for an astoundingly short period (about two to three weeks), which means there's a finite amount of time before the crop is no good. And all of that must be taken into consideration when it comes to pricing.

Saffron also only comes from certain regions, and it can't be grown just anywhere. Crops are mostly produced in India, Greece, Morocco, and Afghanistan, but Iran certainly grows the most. 

Because saffron is so expensive, it's an appealing target for those looking to make a profit from counterfeit product. In order to see if your saffron might be of the not-so-honest variety, you can confirm this by doing a few things. Start with a quick visual inspection. While saffron threads can vary in color, they're almost entirely red, with just a touch of yellow on the ends. Too much yellow or any white coloration may indicate that you have a counterfeit version.

Then, a smell test can help you even further. Regular saffron smells floral and honeyed, while counterfeit products can smell like tobacco or metal. But the easiest test involves spice blooming, where you take a tiny bit of saffron, and place it in hot water. If the water turns red and the threads lose their color, that's a big red flag. True saffron tinges the water golden yellow over a period of minutes, but the threads stay red.

Fortunately, a little bit of saffron goes a long way, which is why it's more accessible than the price might suggest. You'll find it in Persian recipes, where it stains rice an attractive golden yellow, giving it a nearly earthy, slightly bitter flavor (I liken it almost to green tea). It's also used in rice in Spain for its famous paella, in Moroccan tagines, Indian biryanis, and more. It can also be featured in sweet scenarios as well, such as in Syrian milk pudding. There's nothing quite like it in terms of taste, which is part of why it's so prized.

So now, if you're eating something that has saffron in it, you'll know exactly what it is and where it comes from. It's expensive for a reason, which is all the more reason to appreciate it when you get the chance to enjoy it. And you know a spice has to mean something to people when they even name their children after saffron.