The best saffron in Europe comes from the Italian region of Abruzzo. We tag along on harvest day and show why the region is world-famous for its quality — and how much manual labor goes into producing this "red gold."

Abruzzo

In Abruzzo, Italy, the saffron harvest takes place each fall, transforming the otherwise barren landscape into fields of purple crocuses. The harvest is conducted in the early morning to preserve the delicate saffron threads, which are carefully extracted by hand from each flower.

Saffron cultivation on the Nivelli plateau dates back to the 13th century and continues to bring modest prosperity to local communities. The labor-intensive process, requiring up to 200,000 flowers for just one kilogram of saffron, explains the spice's high value and rarity.

Italy: saffron harvest in Abruzzo

In the Abruzzo mountains, the otherwise barren landscape blooms for a few weeks in the fall. It's time for the saffron harvest, best done in the early hours, before sunrise, to guarantee the quality of the crop. We have to pick it early in the morning when the flowers are still closed. We're actually a little late. The flowers are already starting to open. The sun's rays will spoil them. The purple crocuses conceal saffron threads, which must not be damaged. This is a good morning. We already have a full basket. Saffron has been grown here on the Nivelli plateau near L'Occhiola since the 13th century, bringing modest prosperity to the mountain dwellers. Everyone here knows the classic recipes, like saffron risotto. It's a delicate spice, with a very intense aroma. The saffron is folded into the rice at the very end, giving the risotto an unmistakable flavor. But before the feast, there's the work. The flowers have to be carefully opened by hand to extract the three threads of red gold. We remove the petals down here, making sure that all three threads stay together. It takes up to 200,000 flowers to yield one kilogram of saffron. To dry and preserve the spice, kitchen workers carefully spread the threads on a sieve, which in turn is placed over hot coals for about half an hour. As it dries, the saffron loses much of its weight. If you've ever wondered why saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, come to Abruzzo. Once you witness everything involved, you'll truly value the rarity of this crimson gold. Abruzzo

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