(Κρόκος Κοζάνης, Kozani saffron)
Krokos kozanis is a spice taken from the bulb stigmas of the saffron plant, part of the Iridaceae family. It is produced within the various municipal areas of Kozani, in the region of West Macedonia in the northern part of Greece.
The exclusive rights for the collection, distribution and packing of Greek Saffron is held by the Cooperative de Safran. Annual production depends upon weather conditions and ranges from 6 to 12 tons of pure red saffron per year. It takes 150,000 flowers to produce 1 kilogram of dried crocus stigmas and about 50,000 stigmas to obtain 100 grams of red saffron which makes saffron the most expensive spice in the world.
The locals are planting saffron every summer and then manually gather them when they start maturing around the middle of October. The stigmas have a shiny red-orange color, a strong flavor and an intense scent. It seems that crocus was cultivated in Greece ever since the Minoan period, but the production in the Kozani area dates back to the 17th century. Read more
It should be kept in glass containers, keeping it away from light sources and humidity. With its unique taste, it can enrich a variety of meals, rice dishes, meat or fish courses. It is also perfect served with cheese. Saffron is used to flavor and give color to sweets and ice creams, as well.
In Greece, it is also used to flavor coffee or tsipouro. Greek saffron is among the best saffron in the world, quality-wise and, therefore, a very sought after product in Europe and beyond.
Best Krokos Kozanis
