Even though it will take about one to two weeks for it to fully bloom, the first saffron flowers are already here. For Ernst Schartner and his family this means waking up early every day and harvesting the harvest. Once the flowers have opened, the plants should be harvested and dried on the same day, if possible. “Saffron doesn’t like the sun. As soon as the sun shines on the open flowers, they lose quality”, explains the saffron producer.
This year the saffron blooms particularly late; last year the harvest ended at the end of October. This is also due to the sun. “This year was extremely dry and hot until the end of October. We had up to 27 degrees here in the last few days of October. However, saffron needs a certain cold stimulus to wake up from its summer sleep,” says Schartner.
Precious flower
Saffron – the most expensive spice in the world – originates from the Mediterranean and the East. Saffron is also available in Lower Austria; It’s currently harvest time in Lassee.
200,000 flowers for a kilo of saffron
Around 200,000 flowers must be harvested to produce one kilogram of saffron. All production, from harvesting to packaging, is done manually. The price is correspondingly high: a gram of organic Marchfeld saffron costs 24 euros.
The Schartners have been operating as saffron producers since 2015. A saffron farmer from Waldviertler gave him the idea, where he examined the “craft” on site. “It then took a while until we found a tuber that also adapted to the climate of our region. After a few tries, we found what we were looking for in France,” says Schartner.
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In fact, the location in Marchfeld is very suitable for cultivation because “everywhere where grains and wine are grown, saffron can also be grown. But there are also more exotic growing regions, high in the mountains or in very hot regions. But for us it’s really ideal,” says Schartner. Furthermore, the climate in Marchfeld, with only a few days of frost, would make it easier for the plant to hibernate.
Only red thread tips are used
Immediately after harvesting the flowers, the “tasty part” of the work happens: pulling out the wires. Only the intensely flavored red line tips are used. “Only these are really tasty,” explains Schartner.
They are then gently dried at temperatures of around 40 to 50 degrees before being stored airtight and light-tight for two to three months to mature. “This is what differentiates us from Iranian saffron or other exotic origins, for example. The wires are usually roasted there. However, this destroys the cells and the ingredients evaporate more quickly”, says the saffron producer.
Ingredients that “make the cake tasty”, add flavor to paella or are said to have an analgesic and mood-enhancing effect in tea. High-quality saffron can be recognized by its intense purple color and ends that are as uniform as possible. Schartner also recommends never purchasing ground turmeric.