Description
The Azafrán de La Mancha PDO is extracted by the stamens of saffron flower from the Crocus sativus L. species, belonging to the Iridaceae family.
Production Area
The production area of Azafrán de La Mancha PDO is located in the region of La Mancha, in the districts of Toledo, Cuenca, Ciudad Real and Albacete in the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha.
Production Method
The saffron bulbs are planted in the period of time between June and September, while the flowers are picked every day for about 30 days, generally between October and November. The cleaning of stamens is made the day of picking. The stamens, detached from flowers and stored in thin layers to make their ventilation easier, are later roasted for 20-40 minutes with the heat produced by slow-burning embers. Once reached the ideal roasting level, the product is conserved and stored.
Appearance and Flavour
The Azafrán de La Mancha PDO is lilac-violet in colour, while stamens are red. The scent due to roasting is penetrating and strong with a flower scent. The taste is sweet, but with an initial bitter fragrance and a persistent flavour of roasting and harvesting.
History
The history of Azafrán de La Mancha PDO goes back to the distant past. The first cultivation of the flowers from which this product is extracted goes back to the Arabian domination, during which the area's cuisine was enriched with new colours and tastes thanks to this product. Along the 18th and 19th centuries, the product was monopolized by the upper middle class. There are a lot of written documents on the cultivation of saffron in the La Mancha region at the beginning of the 19th century, when this was the area which produced the best quality saffron in Spain.
Gastronomy
The Azafrán de La Mancha PDO must be conserved in dry and ventilated rooms with temperatures up to 25°C. This product is a valuable seasoning to enrich many dishes. It is one of the ingredients of important local dishes of Spanish cuisine as, for example, the paella, but it can be combined well also with meat, fish and egg dishes, in addition to soups, pasta, risotto and a lot of desserts.
Marketing
The product is launched on the market only as Azafrán de La Mancha PDO. It is sold in strings and never milled. It is hand-packed with the help of machines in packs containing up to 100 gr saffron, sealed well to ensure a good conservation.
Distinctive Features
The continental Mediterranean climate, the clayey-sandy lands and the traditional production methods, passed on generation by generation, give Azafrán de La Mancha PDO the features which make it unique.
