Saffron is an exotic spice that imparts a pungent earthy/bittersweet flavor and yellow color to food. Perhaps its most famous use is in the Spanish rice dish Paella, but it be added to a wide variety of foods, including baked goods and desserts.  Because Afghanistan was once part of the Persian Empire this saffron is also known as "Persian saffron."
 
We also sell Iranian saffron powder in half gram packages. 
 
Why is saffron expensive?
Saffron is almost as renowned for its expense as it is its potent flavor. The cost of saffron is purely due to the amount of work required to harvest it and its very low crop yield - each gram of this saffron was made from the stigmas of well over 150 crocus flowers, all hand picked and dried in the same day.

High grade saffron is a better value than most saffron on the market.
This saffron is sargol grade (aka sargoal saffron), which means that only the red, intensely flavorful tips of the stigmas are used. Its color potency score is consistently around 240/70, making it some of the finest and strongest saffron available. Each gram contains enough for as many as 32 servings (depending on the recipe).

Storage: Store sargol saffron in its jar in a cupboard away from moisture and light.

Shelf Life: Up to several years.

Saffron threads are usually steeped in an alcoholic, acidic, or hot liquid prior to being added to dishes. We recommend steeping them for at least 20 minutes to release most of their flavor (though they will continue to release flavor for up to 12 hours).

Do not toast this saffron prior to use. Toasting is used to coax more flavor out of poorly dried saffron, it will scorch saffron of this quality.

Not just for paella, saffron can be used in stews, risottos, puddings, ice creams, baked goods, soups, seafood dishes and sauces. Saffron pairs well with flavors such as apples, almonds, honey, chicken, bone marrow (often from veal marrow bones), milk or cream (try it in ice cream!), cinnamon, seafood, garlic, white wine, vinegar, rose water, and citrus fruits. Fresh herbs frequently paired with saffron include: basil, cilantro, rosemary and thyme.

Saffron Recipes

Converting Saffron Powder Recipes to Threads: A good rule is to use roughly 20 threads for each pinch (~1/16th tsp) of powder called for. However, this saffron is of exceptionally high quality, so you may not need as much. Remember to steep the threads before adding them (perhaps in 1-2tsp of hot water) - this step is less necessary for powdered saffron, so some powder recipes may not include it.