Did you know …
- In October, during the harvest time and since 1963, the Festival of the Saffron´s Rose is celebrated every year in Consuegra (Toledo). This Festival is declared of nacional tourist interest.
- More than 250.000 flowers are needed to get 1 kilogram of saffron.
- Even nowadays, some people still use traditional Spanish weights and square measures instead of metric system. Some of them are as follow:
- 1 CELEMIN = 555 m2
- 1 ALMUD = 3.333,33 m2
- 1 FANEGA = 6.666,66 m2
- 1 HECTAREA = 10.000 m2 = 18 CELEMINES
- 1 FANEGA = 12 CELEMINES
Weights:
- 1 POUND = 460 grs.
- 1 OUNCE = 28,75 grs.
Medidas de capacidad para áridos:
- 1 FANEGA = 33 – 35 kgs.
- 1 Pound from la Mancha Region (460 gr.) is not the same as 1 Pound in Aragón Region (355 grs.)
- In Aragón Region there are two different kinds of Pounds, Long Pound (367 grs.) and Short Pound (355 grs.)
- En Aragón existen dos clases de LIBRA, La Libra Larga (367 grs.) y la Libra Corta 355 grs.)
- 1 Spanish Ounce (28.75 grs.) is not the same as 1 American Ounce (28.35 grs.)
- From 80 pounds of saffron flowers, you get 80 ounces of natural saffron, and once toasted become in 16 Ounces of saffron ready to consumption.
- Cultivation surfaces are generally familiar plantation of small size. No more than to persons are needed for harvesting.
- “La monda” of saffron (process where the stigmas are taken aout from the rest of the flower) is carried out in particular houses where all the members of the family and their neighbours get together and spend the whole day remembering old stories and anecdotes. Generally, this process is made by women provided with more dexterity on their hands and fingers than men.
- Not so long ago, every single family used to have a small surface planted of saffron. The benefits obtained were spent in outstanding expenses such as weddings or even a flat purchasing.
- In countries of the Persian Gulf, people use to offer to their guests a cup of tea with saffron and cardamom as a gesture of wellcoming and reception.
- Women in India, receive a touch of saffron on their brow before getting into the temples.
- In Sweden, on Saint´s Lucia day (December the 13th), children offer to their familiars and friend a cake called “Saffron Cake”, made with raisins and saffron.
