Saffron has a distinctive floral sweet and grass-like aroma that is paired with its bitter taste. It also acts as a coloring agent, turning food to a reddish-yellow color. It is well known as the most expensive spice in the world, which is due to the fact that this unique spice comes from the tiny dried stigma of the Crocus Sativus bloom, which emerges once a year in the fall and is hand-picked. Approximately 150 plants are needed to produce 1 gram of saffron. This spice is used in fish and rice dishes and in tagine meat dishes. It is also used in risotto and saffron cakes.

Grown organically in nearby Chelan, WA