Saffron is the stigma of a flowering plant in the crocus family. Saffron, the world's most expensive spice, is costly because more than 225,000 stigmas must be handpicked to produce one pound. In its pure form, saffron is a mass of compressed, threadlike, dark orange strands that has a spicy, pungent and bitter flavor with a sharp and penetrating odor. This spice is used in cuisines from all around the world to provide dishes with color and flavor.
