GR-C
Western Macedonia
Δυτική Μακεδονία
2 objects
Ο ΤΟΠΟΣ
The place
A landlocked upland region on the northern mainland. Around Kozani, at about 40.30 N, 21.79 E, the autumn crocus is grown for Krokos Kozanis, an EU Protected Designation of Origin saffron.
Since 1971 a single producers’ cooperative of about 1,000 members has held exclusive rights to harvest, sort, pack and sell the crop, so every genuine pack passes through it. The flowers are picked in autumn, and the red stigmas are separated by hand and dried. It takes about 150,000 flowers to make one kilogram.
Saffron is among the most adulterated spices. Common fillers are safflower, dyed corn silk and dyed threads, and in warm water their dye leaches out fast. That warm-water test is printed on our records and explained in Field Notes. In Greece, Krokos Kozanis retails at about EUR 6 to 10 per gram, according to a secondary source.
PINAX lists the cooperative pack in two sizes: a letterbox-sized 1 g pack and a 4 g gift size. The cooperative sells directly; our supply contract is still to be signed. Both ship to Greece, the EU, the US and Canada, and US orders need FDA Prior Notice. Our Kitchen has a saffron pilaf that also uses Vostizza currants from Western Greece.
Boundaries: geoBoundaries / EuroGeoGraphics, CC BY 4.0
ΣΤΟ ΡΑΦΙ
From Western Macedonia
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Κρόκος Κοζάνης €11.00
Krokos Kozanis saffron, 1 g
Kozani, GR-C, PDO
In stock
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Κρόκος Κοζάνης €36.00
Krokos Kozanis saffron, 4 g
Kozani, GR-C, PDO
In stock
In a region box
ΣΗΜΕΙΩΣΕΙΣ
In the notes
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Field note
How to use saffron threads: steep, measure, store
How to use saffron threads: soak them in water, measure by the recipe, store them dry, dark and cool. Sourced from the Kozani cooperative and studies.
About: Krokos Kozanis PDO saffron, 1 g and Krokos Kozanis PDO saffron, 4 g
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Field note
The saffron water test
A glass of warm water catches crude dyed fake saffron. It cannot prove purity or origin. What the EU's 2021 check found, and what to check instead.
About: Krokos Kozanis PDO saffron, 1 g and Krokos Kozanis PDO saffron, 4 g
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Recipe
Saffron pilaf with Vostizza currants
Long-grain rice coloured with Krokos Kozanis saffron and studded with Vostizza currants. Two PDO foods from two regions, one pan, about an hour.
Uses: Krokos Kozanis PDO saffron, 1 g