‘Saffron tourism’ takes hold in Italy, harvest underway – Lifestyle

(ANSA) – ROME, NOV 5 – Saffron tourism is the holiday of choice for a growing number of people fascinated by the small purple autumn crocus that grows in Abruzzo, Lazio, Tuscany and Sardinia. The trick is to catch the flower just before it opens in order to preserve the three to five orange-red stigmas that must be dried to obtain the precious spice that adds taste to many dishes including saffron risotto and ice cream. On the market, the dried product costs around 30 euro per gram; if it is of quality one gram can be used to make at least 20 portions of risotto, while low-quality saffron will deliver between three and four portions at most. The harvest…