Spice – How to treat your saffron right

While this isn't a substitute, you can get better deals on saffron and make it go further.

First of all, do not buy it at a normal grocery store. It tends to be very expensive there. Instead go to a farmer's market (not one that happens every Thurs evening at the local church, but rather the big store). I'd imagine most major cities will have one or more. Atlanta has at least 4. Saffron is much, much cheaper at the farmer's market.

Second, thoroughly grind the saffron before using it. This will help the saffron more completely flavor a dish, requiring a smaller amount of saffron to get the flavor.

A quick Google suggested Tumeric, but I can't really imagine that working, nor did a lot of the comments on the internets.

How yellow were you expecting it? How much saffron did your recipe call for?

Generally, when a recipe calls for a "pinch" of saffron that can be anywhere from 15-20 stems (expensive, I know).

Saffron can take time to impart it's yellow coloring, and the depth of that yellow can vary based on the quality, age, or phase of the moon (not really). Some things you can try include:

• Soaking the saffron in hot water/stock for 20 minutes to an hour prior to adding.
• Grinding the saffron with a mortar/pestle
• Using more or a higher quality

Another thing to keep in mind is that a lot of images aren't purely saffron induced coloring. Often turmeric is used for an additional punch, or even food coloring. Here is an example of an accurate image of a saffron risotto.

Finally, your primary reason for using saffron should be for it's remarkable and unique flavor. The yellow is just a bonus. If you want more than what your batch can give you, well... cheat. :)