Since retiring, Michel Moreno has taken care of his grandchildren and indulged in the joys of gardening. His Spanish origins encouraged him to start growing saffron, just for fun.
Starting with a few crocus bulbs, he now grows them up to more than 250 feet depending on climatic conditions. Knowing that it takes around 200,000 flowers to produce 1 kg of saffron, Michel Moreno makes do with a few grams which he dries and stores in a dry place.
250 crocus plants
A few years ago, when he went with his family to Cervera del Maestre (near Castellón, Spain), his father's native village famous for its traditional paella competition, he decided to try out the use of saffron when he makes the typical dish of this region dear to his heart. “Rather than using the traditional food coloring found in stores, I add a small pinch of saffron when the rice begins to be firm, just before serving. It gives the paella its yellow color and a particular taste”he explains.
3 to 4 grams of saffron
Every morning, between September and early November, he picks his crocus flowers to remove the stigmas (red part) of the pistil. Its harvest is around 3 to 4 grams of saffron annually depending on the amount of sunshine; since the start of the 2024 season, it is approaching… 2 grams!
Lherm
