The Art of Olive Oil Production at LA Organic

From ancient groves to modern architecture: Take a tour of LA Organic, dedicated to the production of award-winning organic olive oils and co-founded by Philippe Starck.

José, Wally, Duke and Jo enjoyed learning about olive oil production at LA Organic — and tasting the goods afterward.

When I reflect on our time in the South of Spain, particularly our culinary adventures spent with our friends Jo and José, aceite de oliva, aka olive oil, immediately springs to mind — it’s essentially the foundation of Andalusian cooking.

“It takes about five years for an olive tree to mature. They typically yield between 33 to 44 pounds of olives, resulting in 2 to 5 liters of oil each year.”

Each morning starts with a humble piece of toasted bread, drizzled with olive oil and topped with grated tomato, to accompany a morning cup of coffee. Jo and José always had fresh molletes, a traditional ciabatta-like bread that they picked up from a local shop near their flat in Málaga. 

Not to mention boquerones, a shareable and delicious appetizer of tender anchovy filets marinated in vinegar and olive oil that we consumed with gusto — something my younger self would have ignorantly declined.

A view of Philippe Starck’s avant-garde La Almazara, a mill museum that was partially built when we visited

A Starck Contrast

During our visit to Ronda, after visiting the church of Santa María la Mayor, Jo and José arranged for the four of us to take a guided tour of LA Organic (pronounced like the Californian city). The artisanal producer in the Andalusian countryside is located about two miles (three kilometers) outside of the charming town of Ronda, and was originally established in the 1990s as La Amarilla. It has since developed into an impressive full-scale business.

This collaboration involves Spanish investment banker Pedro Gómez de Baeza, whose family owns LA Amarilla, French designer Philippe Starck, and renowned oenophile Michel Rolland. Gómez de Baeza and Starck met in Madrid during the opening of Beatriz, a former theater converted into a restaurant. The interior was reimagined by the designer, and the pair became fast friends.

The sunny yellow entrance to the Greenhouse at LA Organic features an oversized single green olive and leaf, the same design used on their packaging, which was created by Starck in 2009.

LA Organic: What’s in a Name?

The “LA” in its name refers to La Amarilla, one of the centuries-old fincas (farms) within the sprawling complex, where more than 200 years ago, a small sisterhood of nuns lived, harvested and produced olive oil from the fruit of its ancient grove, some 800 years old — a tradition that the Gómez de Baeza family continues to this day.

Part of the interior the Greenhouse will have you seeing red — an homage to the local passion for bullfighting.

LA Organic Tour

After pulling into the red dirt parking lot and stepping out of the car, we exchanged curious glances, and a smile spread across my face. In the distance, among the neat rows of gnarled, knotted olive tree trunks, stood a crane and a large cuboid building, with an expressive eye peeking out from its terracotta-colored façade — the avant-garde future mill and museum of LA Organic, designed by Starck. It’s officially called La Almazara (The Mill), but nicknamed “El Toro” due to the huge horn planned to be added to its exterior.

The four of us took the red dirt path leading from the parking lot to a bright yellow building emblazoned with a massive green olive, the same one that appears on its packaging. I would later learn that this building is known as the Greenhouse, but to my eyes it looked more like a barn. 

The back of the long, narrow Greenhouse has an outdoor patio.

Inside, we were provided with wireless headsets to help us hear our guide during the walking tour. We also watched a short video that recounted the origins of “liquid gold” in the Mediterranean and outlined the educational vision of LA Organic.

Once the video ended, our group followed our guide Úrsula outside. She began by telling us that the estates of LA Organic encompass 64 acres (26 hectares) and, in addition to the aforementioned ancient olive grove of La Amarilla, has over 6,000 different varieties of olive trees. 

There are art installations by Starck in the groves.

Duke and Wally loved the giant mirror on the grounds.

As we followed Úrsula through the groves, she explained that it takes approximately five years for an olive tree to mature. During this time, each tree typically yields between 33 to 44 pounds (15 to 20 kilograms) of olives, resulting in 67 to 269 fluid ounces (2 to 5 liters) of oil per year.

A rustic guardaviña, a stone building used for storing tools and providing shelter during the heat of the day, as well as protection from rain, stands among the olive groves.

Olive Oil Production at LA Organic 

We learned about the painstaking process of producing their exceptional organic olive oil. Úrsula explained that on harvest day, which would be happening in November, workers use 22-foot-long (7-meter) wooden sticks, known as a vareo, to beat the branches. Nets are spread beneath the trees to catch and prevent the falling fruit from landing on the ground, which would taint the harvest. 

This majestic, olive tree is the oldest on the property — ringing in at 800 or so years!

The olives are then collected from the nets, transported to the Almazaras de la Subbética, a mill just under an hour away, and pressed shortly thereafter to preserve the integrity of the flavor. This results in an olive oil with the lowest possible acidity, without any chemical additives or fertilizers. 

One of the varieties at LA Organic, the hojiblanca olive tree is typical of central Andalusia and is characterized by the white tone on the underside of its leaves. 

Like a Virgin

Seven organic varieties grown here are used for production, including the soft and fruity arbequina, grassy hojiblanca, briny manzanilla, peppery pajarera, slightly bitter picual (named for its pointy shape), herbaceous picudo and verdial. Rolland applies his wine skills to masterfully blend these varieties, depending on the desired intensity of the oil.

Like coffee and wine, weather, terrain and soil conditions play a crucial role in determining both the quantity and quality of olives at LA Organic, with the most fruitful groves cultivated in the fertile hills. 

Úrsula explains how drought has been a big problem of late, with decreased yields driving up the price of olive oil across Spain. (P.S. Using an umbrella is a good idea, with much of the tour exposed in the blazing heat.)

Dealing With Drought

Olive oil production in Spain dropped by about one-third in 2023 due to a prolonged drought caused by a string of heatwaves and nearly three years of reduced rainfall. 

As the world’s leading producer of olives and olive oil, Spain supplies approximately 40% of the global output, with around 75% coming from the Andalusian region. Jo and José told us that, with the price of this cooking staple increasing, locals had resorted to stealing oil from restaurants.

Úrsula explains how olives are processed at LA Organic using the cold press extraction method. 

More Than a Splash in the Pan

The tour culminated where it began, at the Greenhouse, with a tasting of their oils. LA Organic specializes in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), which means that all their oils undergo a single pressing, using the cold-press extraction method. 

This process involves crushing the olives into a pulp while keeping the temperature no higher than 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 27 degrees Celsius (the “cold” part of the process), followed by centrifugation to separate the oil from the pulp. Lower-quality oils — those that aren’t extra virgin — are often crushed multiple times and at higher temperatures to extract more oil from the fruit.

How to Taste Olive Oil

The tasting session featured four different kinds of olive oil, which we sampled both with and without bread. Our instructions were to pour a small amount of oil into our tasting cups and swirl it gently to release its aroma. We lifted the cups to our nose and took a deep inhalation, noting the differences in smell between the mild arbequina and picudo, intense yet smooth picual, hojiblanca and arbequina blend, as well as the grassy 100% hojiblanca oil. 

Our tasting spread

When tasting olive oil, take a small sip and allow it to coat your mouth. Pay attention to the flavors and aromas present. It’s common to experience a peppery sensation in the throat, as well as notes of grassiness and bitterness, which are indicative of high-quality oil. 

Inside the Greenhouse, where you can taste the oils, order drinks and nibblies, and buy some bottles to take home.

We bought a couple of bottles of the milder LA Organic Suave and a bottle of organic balsamic with sherry vinegar to take back to Chicago with us. (We’re ashamed to say that the bottle of olive oil we purchased as a gift ended up being used in our kitchen.)

A corten steel structure featuring a square cutout frames a stunning view of the Grazalema Sierra mountains.

The Deets

I highly recommend a tour of LA Organic as a way to learn about the cultivation and production of Andalusia’s most important export. 

The walking tour and tasting cost $21 (20€) per person and lasted approximately 45 minutes, with an additional 45 minutes spent sampling their oils. 

Our guide, Úrsula, spoke both English and Spanish fluently. She was friendly, enthusiastic and patient, taking the time to share her knowledge and answer all of our questions. We left feeling inspired by their commitment to sustainability and were impressed by the quality of LA Organic’s olive oils. –Duke

LA Organic 

Carretera Ardales Ronda A 367
Kilometro 39,5
29400 Ronda, Málaga
Spain

 

Rick Bayless Garden Tour: A Flavorful Experience

Join the renowned Topolobampo and Frontera Grill chef in his Bucktown garden on an unforgettable Chicago culinary tour. And be sure to try the begonias. 

When celebrity chef Rick Bayless opens up his urban garden for tours, snatch up tickets — they go fast.

One of the many things that I love about Chicago is that you can be a tourist in your own city. There’s so much to see and explore. So when I received an email announcing the opportunity to take a tour of Chef Rick Bayless’ urban production garden, I immediately texted my husband, Wally, to gauge his interest. Thankfully he was as excited as I was, and we were able to secure a late August visit through the Tock app. 

The Bayless home’s front door

We arrived about 15 minutes early and joined the other guests waiting outside the Bayless residence in a quiet street in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. It’s situated adjacent to the 606, an elevated park that used to be a rail line.

Because we had a little extra time, Wally and I went up onto the 606 and stood on our tiptoes to get an aerial view of Rick’s garden. 

You can catch a peek of Bayless’ garden from the 606 elevated park.

After the previous tour group left, we entered through the side gate and gathered around the outdoor kitchen. The late afternoon sunlight cast a warm glow over the patio as Wally and I eagerly awaited the start of the tour. We were served classic shaken margaritas and I must admit that I was somewhat awestruck as Rick himself appeared, warmly welcoming us and sharing the fascinating history of his home.

The “welcome” margaritas were too pretty not to photograph. 

Polly’s Polka Lounge

He began by telling us that he and his wife, Deann, had been looking for a property in the city where they could live and cultivate a production garden for their restaurants, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo. After three years of searching, they were discouraged and had nearly given up. So when their real estate agent excitedly called and said, “I found your place!” Rick admitted to us that he was initially skeptical, adding that they waited three days before scheduling an appointment to see it.

At the time of the Baylesses’ viewing, a cheap plastic Old Style beer sign with the name Polly’s Polka Lounge still hung outside of the two-story brick building. Built in 1895, it was originally a tavern that served the community of Eastern European immigrants who had settled in Bucktown. “First of all you have to understand what a tavern was in 1895,” Rick said. “We think of a tavern as synonymous with a bar today, but it wasn’t back then.”

It served as a social hub, where residents could gather and connect with others who shared the same language and traditions. In an era when many families lived in small efficiency apartments with limited space to cook, taverns like this one played a crucial role in providing meals. These establishments were equipped with a full kitchen and served up the familiar, comforting dishes of their homeland. 

“The garden adheres to organic and biodynamic principles, meaning that no pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers are ever used.”

Rick recounted how he walked into the main room of the former tavern and thought, “This is where I want to live.” He was captivated by the open floor plan, 14-foot-high tin-plate-covered ceiling and terrazzo floor, which bore a beautiful patina from decades of beer dripping onto the floor where the bar once stood. 

Many of the flowers in the garden are edible.

Fun fact: When Rick asked the owners where the bar was now, he was told that it was sold to a buyer in Ireland, who had it dismantled, shipped across the Atlantic and reconstructed. He mused about the curious journey of a bar made in Chicago by Eastern Europeans now residing in a pub somewhere in Ireland. 

When Rick saw the outdoor area, which is the size of three city lots, he fell even more deeply in love with the property, and he and Deann immediately put in an offer. 

A boulder behind the adjoining property had a face drawn on it by the Baylesses' granddaughter — which Wally, of course, couldn’t resist sitting on.

Wally and Duke think the garden tour is worth the price of admission. And if you’re lucky, you’ll have Rick himself as your guide!

They’ve now lived there for nearly three decades, and as Rick tells it, it was kismet. “This is just amazing because I have always been in the hospitality business,” he said. “My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were all in the restaurant business, and I grew up in it and then got into it myself.” 

In addition to the former tavern where Rick and Deann reside, there’s also a three-flat next door, where their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter live.

Bayless tells us about the behind-the-scenes drama of the pibil episode of his show.

The Pitfalls of Pit Cooking in Chicago

Before we left the grilling area, Rick pointed out an earthen rock-lined pit. This traditional pre-Hispanic cooking method involves adding firewood to heat the rocks to a temperature between 800° and 900°F. Historically, people would dig a pit, line it with rocks, build a fire, add meat wrapped in aromatic leaves and bury it to prevent oxygen from getting in. The protein cooks underground over a period of six to eight hours, using the residual heat of the rocks. Rick explained that on the Yucatán Peninsula, this method is used for making cochinita pibil, while in Southern and Central Mexico, it’s used for barbacoa. 

Rick recounted how he wanted to feature this method on his PBS cooking show, Mexico: One Plate at a Time. He got his television crew excited, and they started digging at 8:00 in the morning. However, he had overlooked one crucial detail: the shallow roots of the maple trees growing in that part of the yard. He proceeded to tell us that what appears to be him single-handedly digging the hole was actually a labor-intensive effort involving three men wielding pickaxes for nearly six hours to tackle the stubborn roots. 

“When you watch any kind of television, especially reality television, don’t believe it,” Rick added. “There’s a lot going on behind the scenes that you don’t see.”

Bayless’ local restaurants include Topolobampo, Frontera Grill and Xoco.

Garden Party With Rick Bayless

We followed our host to the heart of the garden, which features a grapevine-covered pergola that yields between 250 to 300 pounds of sweet, juicy Concord grapes annually (the same variety used in Welch’s Grape Juice). Once harvested, the thick-skinned grapes are laboriously processed through a food mill, cooked down and sweetened with sugar. The resulting pulp is used in sorbets and pies at Frontera and Topolobampo. 

The Concord grapes adorning the pergola are used in sorbets and pies.

Adjacent to the pergola is a plot dedicated to growing hoja santa, which translates to “holy leaf” in Spanish. The large heart-shaped leaves are extensively used in Mexican cuisine as a wrapper for tamales, poultry, meat and seafood, which are then steamed or baked. Its flavor is reminiscent of black licorice and root beer, and in Texas, where it grows wild, it’s known as the sarsaparilla plant.

Rick gave us an overview of the main production garden, which holds a combination of raised beds, traditional beds and containers. A few of the raised beds produce salad greens, continuously replanted throughout the season, along with aromatic herbs such as basil, lavender, lemon verbena, marjoram, spearmint and thyme. These provide the restaurants with an array of seasonal, locally sourced produce. 

Many of the fruit, veggies, herbs and flowers are used in dishes at Bayless’ restaurants.

The garden adheres to organic and biodynamic principles, meaning that no pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers are ever used, and it emphasizes the holistic relationship between plants, animals and soil. Additionally, there are two resident chickens, Grace and Frankie, and a small pond that’s not filled with koi but with goldfish from PetSmart, as well as an apiary buzzing with honeybees. 

Colorful zinnias

These cacti are resilient enough to survive harsh Midwestern winters. Bayless planted a single paddle years ago that has since grown to this size.

Raspberries add a burst of color and flavor, not to mention Mexican sunflowers, nopal cactus and butternut squash, grown for both their blossoms and fruit. These thrive alongside hanging baskets of Begonia boliviensis, whose edible red flowers pack a delightful sour citrus punch. 

Wally couldn’t believe how tasty the begonias were. It was like something Willy Wonka would create. (He went back for seconds.)

Rick urged us to sample anything from his garden, which we did, and by far, our favorite ended up being the surprisingly tart begonia blossoms. 

Fun fact: According to Rick, the cilantro we’re familiar with today originated in Southeast Asia and was introduced to Mexico by Spanish conquistadors in the 1800s. However, this doesn’t mean there wasn’t a cilantro-like herb already in existence south of the border. In the garden, you’ll discover an indigenous aromatic, the grass-like pipicha, native to Southern Mexico, with a flavor akin to cilantro.

After exploring the gardens, we used the bathroom and snuck a peek of the kitchen, where Mexico: One Plate at a Time is filmed. It’s filled with well-loved pots and pans, plant-covered windowsills and cabinets lined with souvenirs from Rick’s travels.

I found Rick to be a sincere and passionate teacher. It was a privilege to visit and experience his excitement about his garden as he spoke with us — if only for a magical hour and a half. –Duke

We were served guacamole and ceviche — which Bayless wittily clarified wasn’t made using the goldfish in the garden pond.

Rick Bayless Garden Tour

The highlights

• Guided tour of the garden (we’ve heard his gardener, a charismatic young man, often leads these, but we were lucky enough to have had Rick Bayless himself as our host)

• Welcome cocktail and light Mexican bites (we had guacamole and ceviche)

• Learn about the history of the home and garden and its role in Rick’s restaurants.

• See the diverse array of fruit, vegetables and herbs grown in the garden.

• Gain insights into Rick’s sustainable gardening practices.

• Eat as much flora as you want!

The kitchen in Bayless’ home is the one featured on his cooking show.

The details

Cost: $75 per person

Duration: Approximately 90 minutes

Availability: Select dates throughout the year

Location: Rick Bayless’ private residence in Bucktown in Chicago

Visit Tock to book a tour — if they’re available. 

Note:

• Tours sell out quickly, so snatch up a spot as soon as possible.

• The tour isn’t wheelchair accessible.

• Children under the age of 12 aren’t permitted.

Masala y Maíz: One of the Best Restaurants in Mexico City

A delectable mix of South Asian, East African and Mexican cuisines are served up with natural wines at a chic spot in CDMX’s hottest hood.

One section of the kitchen is visible right when you enter the restaurant.

There are places that can be epitomized by the creative energy behind them or the emotions they stir. Masala y Maíz is one of those places. Even before Wally and I ate there, I highly suspected it was going to be a place we’d love. I first read about the restaurant in the Monocle Travel Guide to Mexico City and found myself swiping through their feed on Instagram not long after. 

Masala y Maíz ended up serving the best meal we had during our trip to Mexico City.

Masala y Maíz: Where South Asian and East African Cuisine Meet Mexico

Norma Listman and Saqib Keval are the husband-and-wife team behind Masala y Maíz. While the restaurant has now established itself, opening was no small feat. 

In September 2017, the couple set up shop in San Miguel Chapultepec, but an earthquake epicentered in nearby Puebla had other plans. A 7.5-magnitude quake shook Mexico City and postponed the opening. Six months later, the restaurant was shut down after Listman and Keval refused to pay a mórbida, a bribe to support corrupt government officials. Undeterred, the resourceful duo spent months drifting from one venue to another as a pop-up, while obtaining the necessary licenses and paperwork before being allowed to reopen. 

“A bit of a revolution is happening at Masala y Maíz.

The owners, Listman and Keval, want to dismantle the culture of abuse and sexism that exists in the food industry. ”

The “masala” part of the name refers to the variety of South Asian spice blends and relates to Keval, the American-born son of East African immigrants who trace their ancestry to Kutch, India. 

The simple interior at Masala y Maíz lets the culinary creations be the stars of the show.

Listman was born in Texcoco, Mexico, and her interest in cooking started when she was young, growing up surrounded by food and home cooks. This is where “maíz” comes in. Spanish for corn, maíz is one of the building blocks of Mexican cuisine and a source of constant culinary inspiration for Listman — it’s a key component in many of her dishes. 

Send in the clowns! A view from our table at Masala y Maíz in Colonia Juárez

The pair met in San Francisco while honing their skills in the Bay Area and share a passion for their respective ancestors’ culinary legacy — specifically the histories, traditions and interconnections between South Asia, East Africa and Mexico. Just don’t call it “fusion” — for some reason, they hate that word.

Listman and Keval take cues from the mestizaje, the diaspora and gradual mixing of cultural groups in Mexican history due to colonization. This mélange is part of what makes Masala y Maíz so special. 

The restaurant is located in the Colonia Juárez neighborhood of Mexico City, which a local at a coffeeshop described to us as “the new Roma.”

Duke pausing in from of fun street art while wandering the Juárez neighborhood before our meal

After we had arrived for our lunch reservation (note that they’re only open from noon to 6 p.m.), we struck up a conversation with our server, Ariel, who asked whose birthday it was and where we were visiting from. (I had pre-booked a reservation and was able to let them know there was indeed a special occasion: my birthday.) When we told Ariel we live in Chicago, he told us that he was familiar with the city, having gone to college there and survived the brutal winter. Wally and I laughed in understanding — we often need to escape the months-long bitingly cold weather. 

Wally and Duke cheers to a fab meal at Masala y Maíz.

On to the Main Course(s)

First up were the encruditos, which perfectly highlight Listman and Keval’s culinary philosophy: These thick rounds of pickled corn and cassava chips are served with a wedge of chili-dusted lime whose brightness complemented the dish. 

The pickled corn and cassava chips

This was followed by the samosas de suadero. Two were filled with mouthwatering slow-cooked brisket, the other potato, and dressed generously with cilantro. Wally and I can never say no to savory little golden pockets, and these were served with a chutney verde, which added a welcome kick. 

Be sure to share the samosas de suadero — two are filled with potato, two with brisket.

Next, was the infladita chaat, served on a banana leaf. The flaky puffed chaat was almost too pretty to smash. But that’s exactly what we did, following Ariel’s direction. Made with masa, it was garnished with fennel fronds and mint. The pocket was packed with bold pops of flavor and texture: carrots, jicama, pepitas, beets and minced pickled green mango. 

BEFORE: The infladita chaat looking pretty

AFTER: Our server told us to smash it — so we did!

Then came the camarones pa’pelar: seared chile-rubbed peel-and-eat jumbo shrimp sitting atop a contrasting bed of cool, thinly sliced beets. These were accompanied by a maroon-colored dipping sauce that yielded a complex and unusual flavor, which I can only describe as something Alice might have eaten in Wonderland. Vanilla and ghee are your first taste, which gives way to a spicy finish of smoky dried morita chiles. 

Chile-rubbed jumbo shrimp and beets

Next up: matoke mixiote, banana-stuffed clams steamed in parchment-like maguey leaf membrane and simmered in a flavorful broth of turmeric, coconut milk and tomato masala served with freshly baked paratha, a type of Indian flatbread. 

Matoke mixiote, banana-stuffed steamed clams

Wally ordered a Parasol, a subtly flavored sparkling water — but didn’t like it and ended up stealing my housemade tepache, a spiced beverage made from the fermented peel and rind of pineapples, sweetened with piloncillo, unrefined pure cane sugar. 

The restaurant also offers a selection of natural wines by some of Mexico’s finest vintners. We ended our meal with a celebratory glass of Radical, a funky organic red. Ariel shared the interesting story of its vintner, Silvana Pijoan. Her vineyard is located in Valle de Guadalupe, Baja, California. Pijoan was a trained professional dancer, but in 2017 decided to pursue her winemaking passion. 

Be sure to try some natural wines during your meal — they’re all the rage.

Masala y Maíz’s interior is intimate and refined and features barrel-vaulted ceilings. I was obsessed with the display of cookbooks lined up neatly on a shelf and the candy-colored glazed terracotta plates and cazuelas our food was served in.

The owners of Masala y Maíz want to break free of the sexism and poor treatment of workers that infuses the restaurant industry.

Shaking Up the System

A bit of a revolution is happening at Masala y Maíz. Listman and Keval are fostering a vibrant community, dismantling the brutal culture of abuse and sexism that exists in the food industry. I have nothing but admiration for their mantra, “A construir la comunidad en la que queremos vivir” — to build the community we want to live in. This core belief ensures that all parts of their restaurant meet fair and equitable work conditions. From the local farmers they source from to the team employed at the restaurant, everyone involved is treated fairly, with the dignity and respect they deserve. 

The remains of our delicious meal at Masala y Maíz. We’ll be back for more next time we visit CDMX!

Wally and I are always drawn to chefs who offer surprises for the palette. Masala y Maíz checked every box: delicious food full of unexpected, utterly unique flavors, great service, a pleasing atmosphere and a business philosophy we can get behind. –Duke

Masala y Maíz is open from noon to 6 p.m. — in large part so its staff doesn’t have to work late hours.

Masala y Maíz

Calle Marsella 72
Juárez
Cuauhtémoc
06600 Juárez
CDMX
Mexico

 

8 Wild Facts About Saffron

Why are people mad about saffron? The fragile tendrils of the Crocus sativus flower yield the most expensive spice in the world. 

Three small strands that jut out of the crocus flower are what we use as the spice saffron.

The most precious and costly spice in our cupboard — and most likely yours — is saffron, which comes from Crocus sativus, the saffron crocus. Its name is derived from the Arabic za’faran, which has its roots in the word for yellow. Today, Iran is the world’s top producer, though the plant is also a cash crop of Spain, Greece, Morocco and the Kashmir region of India. 

Saffron might not be worth its weight in gold — but it’s the most expensive spice in the world.

1. It’s said that a pound of saffron is worth more than a pound of gold, but this turns out to be a myth. 

Despite this, saffron is still the most expensive and labor-intensive spice in the world. Fortunately, a little goes a long way. It only takes a pinch to infuse its aromatic, earthy flavor and brilliant color. Saffron is integral to far-ranging dishes, from Spanish paella to Indian biryani, from Persian pilau to the yeasted saffron buns of Cornwall, England. Its widespread usage was often introduced by conquerors: the Moors in Spain and the ancient Persians in India. 

The crocus is sterile and needs to be planted each year, and then harvested by hand.

Interestingly, saffron is a sterile plant that is difficult to reproduce without human intervention. New plants are grown by digging up and replanting the corm (the bulb-like part of the stem). Its high price makes sense: There’s no way to harvest the delicate crimson filaments of the Crocus sativus mechanically. The strands, known botanically as stigmas, must be carefully removed from the heart of the small violet blooms by hand, and there are only three per flower. To put this into perspective, approximately 350 tiny threads of saffron make up a single gram. So, it takes about 75,000 flowers for 1 pound of saffron: Its retail value is estimated at around $5,000 a pound. A pound of gold as of this writing is worth over $27,000.

Buddhist monks, like these in Cambodia, don’t waste saffron on dyeing their robes; they use other natural dyes, including tumeric.

2. The robes of Buddhist monks aren’t actually dyed with saffron.

When I think of my first trip to Southeast Asia, I can picture the vivid saffron-colored robes worn by the Buddhist monks of Cambodia. According to monastic discipline, the robes must be made from cloth that is naturally dyed using indigenous plants, barks or spices, though saffron is too expensive to be used widely. Instead, that distinctive yellowish-orange color most often comes from the knobby turmeric root.

Perhaps the association with saffron and the dye used for monks’ robes comes from a transliteration of the botanical name for turmeric, curcumin, which originates from the Arabic kurkum, meaning saffron. 

I can attest to the dyeing power of turmeric, from the intense amber stains it left on my hands and the chute of my juicer.

What exactly is Donovan’s “Mellow Yellow” about? Who’s this Saffron he’s mad about?

3. The song “Mellow Yellow” by Donovan was actually about a female sex toy.

The first time I recall hearing the word saffron was riding in a car with my dad while he was listening to an oldies station. The song was “Mellow Yellow,” written and recorded by the Scottish singer Donovan. It begins, “I’m just mad about Saffron. Saffron’s mad about me.” I wasn’t sure if it was saffron the spice or a woman with that name that made him mellow. But when the song was released in 1967, a rumor emerged that it was about smoking bananadine cigarettes, the scraped and dried white pith of a banana peel, which were believed to have hallucinogenic properties. The myth has since been debunked, as Wally can attest from a high school “experiment,” when he tried smoking dried banana peels, to no effect.

Donovan admitted that “Mellow Yellow” was about a vibrator.

Donovan later admitted in an interview in NME that the idea for the song came from an ad for a yellow vibrator that he saw in the back pages of a magazine. You can catch the reference in the lyrics “Electrical banana is gonna be a sudden craze.” 

Could this have been the sex toy that inspired the lyrics “electrical banana”?

As for the phrase “mellow yellow,” it first appeared a half-century earlier in James Joyce’s Ulysses in a description of the protagonist’s unfaithful wife Molly Bloom’s buttocks. 

Not surprisingly, the name Saffron gained popularity after the release of Donovan’s song. Quite rightly.

Cleopatra had undeniable sex appeal and claimed two Roman leaders as her lovers. Was it because of her saffron and mare’s milk baths?

4. Cleopatra and Alexander the Great used saffron as a health and beauty hack.

Cleopatra, the legendary seducer of not one but two powerful men of Ancient Rome, bathed in saffron-infused mare’s milk as an all-natural bronzer and aphrodisiac to enhance her allure. The lactic acid contained in milk is believed to gently exfoliate dead skin cells, while saffron gave her skin a healthy glow and acted as a perfume. In fact, saffron baths were a luxurious trend amongst the elite of Rome. And the Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great enjoyed soaking in saffron-colored water, convinced it would heal his battle wounds. 

An illuminated manuscript that depicts women shopping at a spice merchant’s stall

5. People in the Middle Ages were willing to die for saffron.

The marketplaces of Medieval Europe were filled with the exotic spices and spoils of returning crusaders. Saffron was so popular in 14th century Europe that the theft of a single ship en route to Basel, Switzerland, carrying 800 pounds of the spice led to the 14-week Saffron War that lasted until the shipment was returned. 

Perhaps these two were caught selling counterfeit saffron — and were burned at the stake!

Its purity was of such importance that the Safranschou code was enacted to deter fraud. Because of saffron’s high price tag, cheap substitutes were often passed off as authentic saffron. Merchants caught selling adulterated forms of the spice faced the possibility of imprisonment, public burning or being buried alive. 

Be careful getting too transfixed by dancing nymphs — you might end up being turned into a flower!

6. Saffron features prominently in a couple of Greek myths. 

In the most common version of the story, a handsome Arcadian youth named Krokos was passing through the Athenian woods, when he spied the nymph Smilax dancing with her friends. He was bewitched and began to visit the forest regularly to seek her out. For a time, Smilax allowed him to find her but couldn’t decide if she should let herself be courted by a mortal. The gods were not amused, though, and lost patience with the couple. They struck Krokos with their wrath, transforming him into a small purple flower that bears his name, the crocus. Its bright red stigmas glow with his fiery, unrequited love. Smilax was simultaneously turned into a thorny briar vine. Why such a choice? Because the vine would strangle the flower, the would-be lovers were prevented from ever meeting again.

The bisexual Greek god Hermes had a male lover who was killed by a discus — so he turned him into a crocus.

In an alternate version of the tale, the Greek trickster god Hermes was smitten with a young Spartan named Krokos, or Crocus. One day, while playing a game of discus, Hermes accidentally struck the young man on the head, killing him instantly. Distraught by what had happened, Hermes turned his lover into a purple flower, which became known as the crocus. And the three drops of blood upon his head became the red stigmata used for the spice saffron.  

The coat of arms for the town of Saffron Walden in England — note the three crocus flowers at the center

7. Saffron found its way to Britain from the Crusades.

Britain’s often damp and chilly weather seems far from the perfect climate for producing saffron, which thrives in arid terrain. However, it was grown commercially in the fields of Norfolk and Suffolk from the 15th to 18th centuries. It was most likely brought to England from the Holy Land during the Crusades, either by the Knights of St. John or, as popular lore goes, by a pilgrim who risked his life by concealing a saffron corm in the hollow of his walking staff. 

The spice was cultivated in large quantities in the village of Chipping Walden and brought prosperity to the small town — so much so that it changed its name to Saffron Walden. The lasting impact can be seen on the town’s official coat of arms: three crocus flowers surrounded by two castle towers and its walls, a heraldic pun — as in, “Saffron Walled-in.” 

A lot of saffron in Spain finds its way into paella.

8. Each country has its own standard for grading and classifying saffron, based upon aroma, color and flavor.

Not all saffron is created equal. There are different strengths or grades determined by how much of the yellow stamen is still attached to the stigma. In Spain, for example, there are four varieties: coupe, la mancha, río and sierra. Coupe is pure red stigmas only and has the highest amount of crocin, the property responsible for the distinct aroma of saffron. For Iranian traders, the highest grade is sargol, which means “top of the flower” in Farsi and consists of the strongest grade with only the tips of the dried red stigmas. –Duke

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