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saffron crocus

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Karen Mountford

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Mar 10, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/10/99
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Does anyone have any info on the history of the use and cultivation of
saffron crocus in the UK?

Karen (Coastal Suffolk)
Remove "greenweed" to e-mail

Jill Bell

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Mar 10, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/10/99
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In message <36E68F...@Talk21.Greenweed.com>
Karen Mountford <Karen.M...@Talk21.Greenweed.com> wrote:

Source: RHS Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses.


Requires 150,000 flowers and 400 hours work to produce 1kg of dried saffron!
C. sativus is a sterile triploid not known in the wild. Propagate by
offsets

Widely grown in Europe and the Middle East since the early crusades (11th
century). Centres for cultivation included Valencia, Nuremberg and Saffron
Walden.

Do you think Saffron Walden has a web site?

As well as a spice and medicinal herb saffron was once used as a
dye for hair, nails and fine textiles.

Uses: in cooking as flavouring and colourant for cakes, sauces, rice dishes
also as a flavouring and colourant in liquers.

medicinal:- internally, in Chinese medicine for "stagnant liver energy", as
in depression and menstrual disorders. Reduces high blood pressure.
--
Jill
(ji...@bellsbarn.freeserve.co.uk)

Ray Warner

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Mar 10, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/10/99
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In article <36E68F...@Talk21.Greenweed.com>,
Karen.M...@Talk21.Greenweed.com (Karen Mountford) wrote:

> Does anyone have any info on the history of the use and cultivation of
> saffron crocus in the UK?
>
> Karen (Coastal Suffolk)
> Remove "greenweed" to e-mail

The Saffron Crocus
(C. sativus).
"..the name Saffron...derives from the Arabic word Sahafaran, indicating
an Oriental origin.. It is of course useful for its stigmas which are
highly developed and terrifically aromatic. They are employed in yellow
dyes, in cookery for seasoning various dishes and in some liqueurs...."
P. J. Redoubte (1769-1840).

Richard Beard

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Mar 11, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/11/99
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> The Saffron Crocus
>(C. sativus).
>"..the name Saffron...derives from the Arabic word Sahafaran, indicating
>an Oriental origin.. It is of course useful for its stigmas which are
>highly developed and terrifically aromatic. They are employed in yellow
>dyes, in cookery for seasoning various dishes and in some liqueurs...."
>P. J. Redoubte (1769-1840).


..............and squirrels love them! Believe me!

Richard

Karen Mountford

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Mar 12, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/12/99
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Terrific :-( My colleague did a search and did find a web site for
Saffron Walden which was apparently very helpful. It acted as a centre
for the trade of the stuff apparently to the extent that the gutters ran
yellow when it rained?

Good grief. Thanks for the help everyone.

Flowerbulb.com

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Mar 13, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/13/99
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On Wed, 10 Mar 1999 15:28:14 +0000, Karen Mountford
<Karen.M...@Talk21.Greenweed.com> wrote:

>Does anyone have any info on the history of the use and cultivation of
>saffron crocus in the UK?
>

>Karen (Coastal Suffolk)
>Remove "greenweed" to e-mail

You can try to e-mail the Royal General Bulbgrowers Association at
ka...@bulbgrowing.nl They have the largest Flowerbulb library on earth
and may have something you are looking for.

Regards, A.A. Verkleij, http://www.flowerbulb.com

J Warham

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Mar 28, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/28/99
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Karen Mountford <Karen.M...@Talk21.Greenweed.com> wrote:

> Does anyone have any info on the history of the use and cultivation of
> saffron crocus in the UK?
>
> Karen (Coastal Suffolk)
> Remove "greenweed" to e-mail

Formerly cultivated as a crop in this country, this is now no longer
done on a commercial scale. Used to be sold at the market at Saffron St.
in London, (just past Mt. Pleasant.) I'd suggest referal to the RHS
encylcopedia of Herbs! (Big purpley pinkish coloured book!)
//
JW

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