I had nearly given up on these saffron crocus bulbs that our friend Susan from Days on the Claise gave us a couple of years ago when one of them suddenly bloomed. The photo’s a little hazy – like the weather at the moment. I don’t think I’ll worry about harvesting it though. You have to delicately remove the three red stigmas, dry them in a 50°C oven for 20 minutes then “age” them for 18 months.
Je n’attendais plus rien de ces bulbes de crocus à safran que notre amie Susan de Days on the Claise nous a offertes il y a deux ans lorsque tout d’un coup l’une d’elle a fleuri. La photo est un peu floue – comme le temps en ce moment. Finalement, je ne pense pas que je vais faire une récolte. Il faut délicatement enlever les trois stigmates rouges, les sécher au four à 50°C pendant 20 minutes puis les “vieillir” pendant 18 mois.
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4 replies on “Our First Saffron Harvest – Notre première récolte de safran”
No need to dry in the oven. Just put them on some paper towel and put it on the mantelpiece overnight. The warmth and dry air from the fire will do the job nicely. I only got one flower this year too. It will no doubt be the dry weather. I harvested my single flower — three strands is enough to subtly colour and flavour a rice dish, for example. And it keeps forever, so even at one flower a year after three or four years you’ve got a useful amount.
Lovely to see.
@Susan – Oh good, I’ll gather them tomorrow then!
@William – Very pretty, aren’t they?
Good luck with the harvest. Susan’s comment is an eye opener.