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An ounce = 28g, so this isn't 1/3 ounce (0.33), it's 3/100ths of an ounce. Don't get sucked into thinking it's more than it is!

With that said, I have used the TJ's saffron. Admittedly, I am not a saffron aficionado so I can't really vouch for it's overall quality. But, in general I think it's good for the price - there are mostly red stamens (higher quality) with few yellow stamens (lower quality).

i have it and i thought it was from a different flower altogether. there seems to be petals attached as well. and a persian coworker (i worked at tjs for 5 years!) said it wasn't the exact saffron but it worked to give color to the recipe she was making. it's the stuff you can find in mexican markets called saffron but looks like dried daisies! i never use it so can't say for sure if it's good or not ...

There wern't any petals in my jar. It gave a saffron flavor and colored my rice at home, but i know i was using more than 1 or 2 strands... more like 5.

My family lives in Spain where much of the worlds saffron is harvested (in North Africa as well) so I have them bring me some when they come to visit since it's significantly cheaper there. Something important to remember (according to mom) is that it should be kept in an airtight container, otherwise it will dry further and lose its aroma and flavor, which would be a shame considering how pricey it is. Also, like most dried herbs/spices, keep it away from the heat, so no resting the jar on the edge of the stove :)




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I've used it and it seemed fine to me. Turned the dish yellow, etc. I used about five threads, too, so maybe it's lower quality but for something I don't use often or even really have any familiarity with I don't much care. Of course, it could be the years in my kitchen taking their toll...

Saffron has always been a bit of a mystery to me. Sure it colors your food yellow (so does food coloring). Its got a very subtle aroma and even more subtle taste, from what i gather based on what i've heard from people that like saffron. Personally, whenever i'm served something in with saffron, i can't even tell its there.

So my big question is, if its so darn subtle, why is it worth the high price? Back in the day before spices were widely available, i could see paying an arm and a leg for something like salt or pepper, but saffron?

mh330: If you think it's so subtle you either used too little or you didn't get real saffron. To me, it has a very distinctive flavour, sure it's not "spicy" or a "strong" flavour per se, it will blend into dishes with more potent spices and herbs in them as well, but I have recipes for a sponge cake and a Swedish sweet bun with saffron which brings out the flavour -beautifully-.

The high price comes from the fact that only the saffron crocus stigmas give the flavour/colour, they have to be hand-picked and it takes 50 000 -75 000 stigmas to produce just one pound of saffron. Estimates have been made that it takes about 400 hours total to produce 1 kilogram of dried saffron. http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/020saffron.pdf

It's an old, well-known spice, always been high priced and has been attributed many healing and strengthening properties.

You can always try it and if you are unhappy, return it. TJ will take anything back.

Saffron from Turkey or Iran is otherworldly, but it's harder to get and pretty pricey. In my day-to-day cooking when I don't want to break the bank, I happily use TJ's saffron. It's so reasonably priced that I don't feel bad using a generous pinch. I don't bother to count strands. I like having the option of freely using saffron even if it's not a special occasion and TJ's allows me that.

can't say that I've tried the saffron frm TJ's, but I recommend looking for it at the Indian grocer, if you have one close by - MUCH cheaper in price than at the the grocery store (and TJ's it looks like), and as far as I can tell, just as good or better - probably hasn't been sitting on the shelf for years (if the dust on some of those itty bitty jars in the stare is any indication).

what's sad is I'd buy it, even if just for the bottle--i'm a sucker for those kinda old-fashioned cork and glass bottles.
...it's just too bad that there will most likely never ever ever be a Trader Joe's in Montgomery, Alabama.