[Sca-cooks] Novice Saffron User

[Alex Clark]

At 04:56 PM 11/14/2003 -0700, Stefan wrote:
>Henry of Maldon commented:
> >>>
>   - Use it sparingly. It's as potent as it is expensive.
><snip>
>
>Malaches of Pork (interpreted from the Forme of Cury, with pastry dough
>adapted from various later period English sources)
>
><snip>
>
>     Filling:
>     about 40-50 threads saffron
>
>     1 lb. pork, cooked, cooled, and diced or chopped
>  <<<
>
>Are you sure about the quantity of saffron? That seems like an awlfully 
>large amount for just one pound of meat. Maybe that was supposed to be "4 
>or 5 threads of saffron"?

Yes. I posted this recipe interpretation because it is one of the 
saffroniest things that I cook.

To put the numbers in perspective, 40-50 threads is about 0.1 g, in a 
recipe that also calls for at least about a gram (1/2 tsp.) of other 
spice.  I buy my saffron at about $3 per gram, which means that this amount 
costs about $0.30 in a recipe with at least about $5 of ingredients. So 
even this saffron-heavy recipe is not all that extravagant.

Henry of Maldon/Alex Clark