Saffron of l'Aquila facts for kids

L'Aquila Saffron is a special spice from the Abruzzo region in Italy. It's grown in areas like the Navelli plateau and the Subequana Valley. This saffron is famous for its amazing flavor and bright color. It's a key part of Abruzzo's traditional cooking.

About L'Aquila Saffron

How Saffron Came to Italy

Saffron arrived in Italy from Spain in the 13th century. A friar from the Dominican Order, who was part of the Santucci family from Navelli, brought it over. There's also a fun story that says Pontius Pilate introduced saffron. Legends and old finds suggest he might have lived in villas in the area.

The Navelli Plain is a great place to grow saffron. Its special karst soil helps water drain away quickly. This is important because saffron plants don't like standing water.

Protecting L'Aquila Saffron

L'Aquila Saffron was officially recognized as a 'Protected Designation of Origin' (DOP) on February 4, 2005. This means it's a unique product from a specific area. A group called the Consortium for the Protection of Zafferano dell'Aquila was also created on May 13, 2005. They work to protect and promote this special saffron.

Growing L'Aquila Saffron

Preparing the Soil

In spring, farmers get the soil ready. They plow it about 30 centimeters deep. At the same time, they add about 30 tons of manure per hectare to make the soil rich. After this, no other fertilizers are used while the plant grows. The surface is then smoothed and leveled. Farmers make two or four grooves, about 20 centimeters apart, to plant the saffron bulbs.

Planting the Bulbs

After the soil is prepared, saffron bulbs are planted in August. Farmers plant about 10 tons of bulbs per hectare. This means around 600,000 bulbs are planted! The soil is not watered by farmers. The bulbs are placed close together in rows, about 10 centimeters deep.

Plant Growth and Flowers

The first thin leaves sprout when the first rains come in September. They can grow up to 40 centimeters long. The flowers have six pinkish-purple petals. Inside, they have three bright red parts called stigmas, which are the female part. They also have three yellow parts called anthers, which are the male part. The red stigmas are what we use as saffron.

Harvesting and Processing

Farmers pick the flowers around the second half of October. They gather them before the sun comes up, while the flowers are still closed. Once the flowers are brought inside, the red stigmas are carefully removed. These stigmas are then placed on a sieve. They are toasted over the hot embers of almond or oak wood.

After toasting, the stigmas lose a lot of weight. They become about one-sixth of their original weight and have only 5-10% moisture left. To make saffron powder, these dried stigmas are ground up. It takes about 200,000 flowers to produce just one kilogram of saffron.

Saffron in the Kitchen

Culinary Uses

In Abruzzo cooking, saffron is often used in fish dishes. Two examples are scapece alla vastese and saffron mussels. It adds a beautiful color and unique flavor. In the region, saffron is also used to make a special saffron liqueur that has the DOP protection.

Saffron in Culture

Stamps and Saffron

The Italian Republic once issued a special stamp featuring L'Aquila Saffron. It was colorful and had a value of €0.60.

Saffron in Movies

L'Aquila Saffron is even mentioned in the animated film Ratatouille (film) from 2007 by Pixar. In one scene, the movie talks about "L'Aquila saffron." In the original English, French, and Italian versions, the product is called "excellent."