Saffron

A wonderful day out in the sun today, visiting saffron fields near Neffiès, a village about 5 kilometres from us. It was organised by the people who have started the new venture, some of whom also run the village bar. We helped to pick some of the flowers and saw the red stamens which will be dried and will be worth about 500 euros per kilo. Then we sat under evergreen oak trees near an olive grove to eat paella made with the saffron, followed by pastry filled with saffron cream for desert. It was all delicious and very well done, for a hundred people. We were in a group of nine, including our daughter and some of the friends who came to Wales with us in the summer.

All this, and a fantastic view from the hill down to the autumn vineyards on the plain.

The table was decorated with saffron crocus flowers, but of course the red stamens had already been removed, as you can see.