#difference between spanish and persian saffron

[saffronwholesaler]

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[kongposh]

#Saffron vs. #Safflower: Unraveling the Culinary Confusion

Saffron and safflower, despite their similar names and vibrant hues, are two distinct botanical entities with unique flavors, aromas, and applications in the culinary world. While they both contribute to the world of gastronomy and have a long history of use, they are often confused due to their names and the crimson tones they impart to dishes. In this comprehensive exploration, we’ll delve deep into the differences between saffron and safflower, shedding light on their origins, characteristics, culinary uses, and even their potential health benefits.

#Saffron: The King of Spices

Saffron, known as “the king of spices,” is one of the world’s most expensive and sought-after culinary ingredients. Its scientific name is Crocus sativus, and it originates from the stigma (the female reproductive part) of the saffron crocus flower. The stigmas are painstakingly hand-harvested, making saffron labor-intensive and pricey.

#Characteristics of Saffron

Saffron imparts a distinctive flavor, often described as floral, honey-like, and slightly earthy, to dishes. Its aroma is equally unique, with hints of honey and hay. Saffron’s vibrant reddish-orange hue is not only visually striking but also enhances the visual appeal of food.

#Culinary Uses of Saffron

Saffron is an integral ingredient in various cuisines around the world. It’s a key component of the Spanish dish “paella,” the Indian dessert “kheer,” and the Italian risotto “risotto alla Milanese.” It is also used in Persian cuisine, particularly in dishes like “saffron rice” and “kebabs.” Due to its potent flavor and color, saffron is used sparingly and is typically steeped in warm water or milk before adding it to recipes.

#Health Benefits of Saffron

Saffron has been touted for its potential health benefits. It contains antioxidants like crocin and safranal, which may have anti-inflammatory and mood-improving effects. Some studies suggest that saffron may aid in managing depression and anxiety, although more research is needed to establish these claims definitively.

#Safflower: A Versatile Oilseed

Safflower, scientifically known as Carthamus tinctorius, is an oilseed crop. Unlike saffron, safflower is not harvested for its petals or stigmas but for its oil-rich seeds. The safflower plant has bright yellow or orange flowers that can be mistaken for saffron crocus due to their similar color.

#Characteristics of Safflower

Safflower oil is known for its mild, neutral flavor and high smoke point, making it suitable for various cooking methods, including frying and sautéing. It is often used as a vegetable oil substitute in recipes that require a flavorless cooking medium.

#Culinary Uses of Safflower

Safflower oil is primarily used in cooking for its cooking properties rather than its flavor. It is often chosen for its ability to withstand high temperatures without breaking down, making it a practical choice for deep frying. Additionally, it is used in salad dressings and as a cooking oil in recipes where a neutral taste is desired.

#Health Benefits of Safflower

Safflower oil is considered a healthy oil due to its high content of unsaturated fats, particularly linoleic acid, which is an essential omega-6 fatty acid. Consuming safflower oil in moderation may help reduce the risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol levels, and promote overall cardiovascular health. However, like any oil, excessive consumption can lead to weight gain and other health issues.

#Conclusion: Saffron and Safflower – Not to Be Confused

In summary, saffron and safflower are distinct ingredients with separate origins, characteristics, and culinary applications. Saffron, with its rich history and intense flavor, is a prized spice used to enhance the taste and appearance of various dishes. On the other hand, safflower, with its mild taste and high smoke point, serves as a versatile cooking oil.

The next time you encounter a recipe that calls for saffron or safflower, you can confidently distinguish between the two and make an informed choice based on your culinary goals. While saffron adds a unique taste and color to your dishes, safflower oil excels in providing a neutral cooking medium. So, remember, when it comes to saffron vs. safflower, it’s not just a matter of semantics but a culinary choice that can significantly impact the flavor and character of your creations. #CulinaryDelights #SaffronVersusSafflower

[namelists]

a list of names inspired by: colours

this list includes names of colours and names relating to colours and rainbows

Reds

Auburn: reddish brown, usually describes hair

Barbera: a red Italian wine grape variety  

Burgundy:  a deep red color like that of burgundy wine  

Cabernet: a red wine made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape  

Cardinal: a New World songbird of the bunting family  

Carmine: a vivid crimson pigment made from cochineal

Carnelian: a semiprecious stone; an orange-red variety of chalcedony  

Cerise: from the French for “cherry”

Cherry: a bright or deep red colored fruit

Claret:  a red wine from Bordeaux  

Coral:  a tiny soft-bodied animal that lives grouped in large colonies  

Crimson: a rich deep red color inclining to purple

Garnet: a precious stone consisting of a deep red vitreous silicate mineral  

Magenta: a light purplish red that is one of the primary subtractive colors  

Malbec: a full-bodied red wine that grows mostly in Argentina

Maroon: a brownish-crimson color

Merlot: a red wine from Bordeaux  

Rose: a warm pink or light crimson color  

Rosika: Hungarian for “little rose”

Rosso: “red” in Italian

Ruby: a precious stone consisting of corundum  

Rufous: reddish brown in color

Scarlet: a brilliant red

Syrah: a red wine made from the Shiraz grape

Vermelha: from the Portuguese for “red”

Vermillion: a brilliant red pigment made from mercury sulfide

Oranges

Aidan: Irish origin, “little fire”

Aki: Japanese origin, “autumn”

Alani: the Hawaiian word for “orange”

Arancia: the Italian word for “orange”

Autumn: the third season of the year, when crops and fruits are gathered and leaves fall  

Blaze: a very large or fiercely burning fire

Clementine: a tangerine of a deep orange-red North African variety

Dahlia: a tuberous-rooted Mexican plant of the daisy family

Fox: a carnivorous mammal of the dog family with a pointed muzzle and bushy tail  

Ginger: a red-haired or ginger-haired person  

Paprika: a powdered spice with a deep orange-red color and a mildly pungent flavor  

Rusty: the reddish-brown colour of rust

Saffron: an orange-yellow flavoring, food coloring, and dye made from the dried stigmas of a crocus

Sienna: a kind of ferruginous earth used as a pigment in painting  

Spice: an aromatic or pungent vegetable substance used to flavor food

Tiger: a very large solitary cat with a yellow-brown coat striped with black

Turmeric:  a bright yellow aromatic powder obtained from the rhizome of a plant of the ginger family

Yellows

Amber: hard translucent fossilized resin produced by extinct coniferous trees  

Aurelia: from the Latin for “golden”

Canary: a mainly African finch with a melodious song

Carmela: from the Hebrew for “golden”

Daisy: small grassland flower with a yellow disk and white rays

Dawn: the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise  

Dior: from the French for “golden”

Gilda: from an Old English word meaning “golden”

Goldie: Scottish, from a diminuitive of “gold”

Haimi: Sanskrit, meaning “golden”

Honey: a sweet, sticky yellowish-brown fluid made by bees  

Marigold: a plant of the daisy family  

Ochre: an earthy pigment containing ferric oxide

Sepia: a color associated particularly with photographs of the 19th century

Soleil: French for “sun”

Summer: the warmest season of the year  

Sunny: bright with sunlight  

Tuscany: a region of central Italy known for sun

Xanthe: Greek, meaning “blond-haired”

Zehavi: from Hebrew, meaning “golden”

Greens

Absinthe:  a potent green aniseed-flavored alcoholic spirit  

Army: an organized military force equipped for fighting on land  

Clover:   plant of the pea family that has dense, globular flower head  

Covet:  yearn to possess or have

Emeraude: French for “emerald”

Envy: a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck

Fern:  a flowerless plant which has feathery or leafy fronds

Forest:  a large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth

Hunter: a person or animal that hunts  

Ivy:  a woody evergreen Eurasian climbing plant  

Kelly:  from the Cornish name celli, which means wood or grove  

Leif: Scandinavian, meaning “descendant”

Midori: Japanese for “green”

Mint:  an aromatic plant native to temperate regions of the Old World  

Moss: a small flowerless green plant which lacks true roots

Olive:  a small oval fruit with a hard pit and bitter flesh  

Patrick: Apostle and patron saint of Ireland

Sage:  an aromatic plant with grayish-green leaves  

Shamrock: a low-growing clover-like plant with three-lobed leaves, used as the national emblem of Ireland

Teal:  a dark greenish-blue colour

Verdell: from Latin for “green, growing”

Veridian:   a long-lasting, bluish-green pigment

Blues

Sky: the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth

Azure: bright blue in color like a cloudless sky  

Cadet: a young trainee in the armed services or police force  

Marine: of, found in, or produced by the sea  

Cobalt: a deep blue pigment containing cobalt and aluminum oxides  

Midnight:  twelve o'clock at night  

Indigo:  the dark blue dye obtained from the indigo plant

Navy:  the branch of a nation’s armed services that conducts military operations at sea  

Celeste: from Latin meaning “heavenly or celestial”

Denim: a sturdy cotton twill fabric, typically blue, used for jeans  

Admiral: a commander of a fleet or naval squadron  

Sapphire: a transparent precious stone, typically blue  

Steel: a hard, strong, gray or bluish-gray alloy of iron  

Lake: a large body of water surrounded by land  

Periwinkle: an Old World plant with flat five-petaled, typically bluish flowers and glossy leaves  

Maya: a unique bright azure blue pigment manufactured by cultures of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, such as the Maya and Aztec  

Tiffany: an American luxury jewelry and specialty retailer  

Royal: having the status of a king or queen  

Cyan:  a greenish-blue color which is one of the primary subtractive colors  

Cerulean: deep blue in color like a clear sky  

Larmina: Persian, meaning “blue sky”

Marlais: Welsh for “blue”

Mazarine: a deep purplish blue  

Okelani: Hawaiian for “from heaven”

Purples

Amethyst: a precious stone consisting of a violet or purple variety of quartz  

Aubergine:  the purple egg-shaped fruit of a tropical Old World plant

Iole: Old Greek for “violet”

Iris: a plant with sword-shaped leaves and showy flowers, typically purple  

Lavender: a pale blue color with a trace of mauve

Lilac: of a pale pinkish-violet color

Mauve: a pale purple color

Morado: Spanish for “purple”

Mulberry: a dark red or purple color

Pansy: popular cultivated viola with flowers in rich colors  

Sangria: a Spanish drink of red wine mixed with lemonade, fruit, and spices  

Violet: a bluish-purple color seen at the end of the spectrum opposite red

Other

Alba: from Latin origin, meaning “white”

Bianca: Italian, meaning “white”

Blanche: from a Germanic word meaning “white”

Brown: a color produced by mixing red, yellow, and blue, as of dark wood or rich soil  

Ebony: heavy blackish timber from a mainly tropical tree  

Grey: a color intermediate between black and white, as of ashes or lea

Iro: the Japanese word for “colour”

Ivory: a hard creamy-white substance composing the main part of the tusks of an elephant, walrus, or narwhal

Jett: a hard black semiprecious variety of lignite

Onyx: a semiprecious variety of agate with different colors in layers  

Rainbow: any display of the colors of the spectrum produced by dispersion of light  

Raven: a large heavily built crow with mainly black plumage

Silver: a precious shiny grayish-white metal  

Veselka: Ukranian word for “rainbow”

[wander-yet-wonder]

Parting the veil - Spaus

Fandom: Hetalia Pairing: Spaus, (Spain / Austria) Word count: 2319 Rating: All audiences Warnings: Historicised attitudes towards Islam do not reflect the author’s views.  Summary: Roderich isn't the best at travelling. Still, he'd gladly do so in order to spend time with his new husband. The Spanish landscape betrays things about Antonio he'd rather keep silent himself. It seems like Antonio has separated himself from his past through a sheer curtain and when visiting Roderich feels like he can almost see through it, see the ghosts that move on the other side. Everything is so foreign to him, will he be able to eventually harmonize with Antonio? Read on AO3: X

I was requested to write a Spaus drabble, apparently, I can’t write drabbles and instead put out a whole ass fic. So um- have this? @fandomghost I hope you like it. Special shoutout to @katemarley  for recommending me Innsbruck ich muss dich lassen when I was nerding to her about German renaissance music <3

At least there were mountains. Roderich was grateful for the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees that decorate the horizon visible from his window. They were the only familiar sight because he was in all other aspects “fast entheimt”. Unfortunately, now that they had reached Zaragoza, a city with a name so foreign that he wouldn’t have discredited as the name of an ancient Persian magician in a novel, the mountains were far more distant and only visible on clear days. The name of the city wasn’t the only thing that was foreign to him, when he and his consorts had crossed the mountains he had felt like the very bedrock that Spain was made of was unlike his own, down to the small crocus like flowers that bloomed in the meadows that their guide had explained to him were rare ‘false saffron’. In Zaragoza, he’d been given a room in the palace of the catholic monarchs that had taken residence there after Isabel I of Castile had married Ferdinand II of Aragon but that in the streets was still referred to by the people as the palace of Aljaféria. Though that royal marriage had unified Spain and was the reason he could stay there to visit his Antonio, Aragon was by no means gone. Her belongings and her culture were still found all over the province. However, he wasn’t to meet her until later that month. He felt like in a way, simply by travelling the land he already had met her. She wasn’t the only shadow of a nation that he felt. Besides Spain, that is to say, Castile and Aragon, there was a third presence within these castle walls, an invisible presence, a ghost from the past.

 Roderich had never fully realised the reality of the occupation by Arabic forces in the peninsula. When he had Antonio in front of him in Aachen, a fierce proprietor of Christendom, speaking Latin with a quintessentially Romanesque tongue… He had somehow thought that as the occupiers left the peninsula, Antonio was a roman again. That when they left, they took everything with them, left no traces, that whatever was left was carefully purged by his new husband. Yet these walls told a different story. In a moment where he’d been free to roam the halls, he’d let himself be spellbound by the strange arabesque masonry, the ever-spiralling geometrical decorative patterning in the friezes, the archways, the capitals. One gallery from where he could reach the stonework, he had secretly pressed his fingers against it, half expecting it to give way like bee’s wax due to how much it resembled a honeycomb. He let out a quivering breath and whispered the name: the Umayyad dynasty, the caliphate of Cordoba. That strange shadow that seemed to hide in the corners in the palace. Had he made a mistake when marrying Antonio? How much of his husband was still Moorish?

 Antonio was always secretive and defensive about his time isolated from the rest of them. Roderich never pressed him for answers. He’d lie in bed next to him and watch Antonio’s quiet breathing and think to himself that Antonio must’ve suffered a lot. Yet he looked at how his own hand looked like porcelain against Antonio’s chest, and he wondered.

 These thoughts were tumbling over each other as he was staring out the window, his letter to the bishop abandoned in front of him as his quill was resting idly between his fingers. He felt sick to the stomach again, he’d always get such bad Heimweh, if only Toni could just always visit him in Austria… that would be a perfect world.

“Ah, there you are!”

Antonio snapped him out of his reverie by materializing in the doorframe and looking at him like he was trying to figure him out, like studying a puzzling little flower, like a false saffron, and wondering whether it was edible or not.

“Have you truly been cooped up in here all-day writing? Come, this won’t do, come out and catch some fresh air.”

He’d already strode over and made to pull Roderich along by the arm despite the young man’s protests that it was too hot outside and that he’d tan.

“I gathered some courtiers, we’re going to play music in the courtyard. If you sit in the gallery you won’t tan. Just join it’ll be great. Did you play that Viol a lot?”

 ‘That viol’ was the lovely Soprano viol that Antonio had given to Roderich when they parted ways after their second visit. Roderich had been familiar with the more European Vieille already and had taken to the instrument like he’d never played anything else. It helped that it was a gift from Antonio, so whenever he missed him too much he could take out the viol, lovingly caress the little wooden face that was carved into the end of the neck with incredible craftmanship, and then by playing and studying bring Antonio a little closer. He’d carefully press down on the strings and would imagine Toni listening and smiling. He’d been playing it when sad or lonely so often he started to feel like he expressed his feelings better through music than through words. So to Antonio’s question, he gave a firm affirmative nod and looked at the case that contained it when he brought it with him here.

“Well bring it! I want to hear!”

Roderich’s heart quickened. He had fantasized about what would happen if he’d play in front of Antonio, that Antonio would listen and understand- that he could say what he wanted to say without words. That Antonio instantly recognised that he’d studied hard just to please him. But now that the moment was here, he felt suddenly nervous.

“Ah, very well, I’ll play for you. But not for your court.”

Antonio looked a little taken aback but then agreed with a smile

“We’ll have fewer instruments then, but it agrees with me.”

 Roderich tried to read Antonio and see if he wasn’t upset but he couldn’t tell. He took the dear instrument and tagged along, all the while trying not to be deafened by his heart nervously pounding in his ears. Antonio retrieved his vihuela de mano from the group of courtiers and declared they wouldn’t be joining them until later. They seemed a little disappointed, but Roderich observed from the doorway that the confident way in which Antonio declared he wouldn’t be present, rather than asked to be forgiven for not joining made no one even think of questioning him. He smiled; this is what he adored in Antonio.

 Antonio took him to one of the palaces many open courtyards and sat him down underneath the strange honeycomb arches on a railing. With just the two of them in an enclosed garden Roderich thought of the many courtly romance novels he’s read and blushed a bit. Antonio caught on and with a grin took his hand and kissed it.

“So, are we going to play music? Or was this all an elaborate plan of yours so we could exchange kisses?”

Antonio was already scooting a bit closer and his smirk grew. Roderich frowned as his blush deepened but couldn’t hide a smile.

“Don’t tease me, Antonio.”

He leaned in and gave Antonio a small kiss on the cheek.

“I had every intention to play music for you."

 Antonio nodded and sat back a bit and gave Roderich a tender smile that sent a warmth spreading through his chest. Roderich got in position and put the viol between his legs. He took a deep breath and took the bow to the strings. He took a deep breath and started to sing. It was the song he’d been singing ever since Innsbruck’s precious valley had been swallowed between the pine trees as they had crossed that fateful bend in the road that meant saying goodbye. Roderich had never been good at travel, he was in his essence a very rooted person. He needed the mountains, the pine trees, the fresh crisp winter air, he needed his home. At first, he had thought that this crippling nervousness that took hold of him when he was in unfamiliar territory had to do with the type of creature that he was: wouldn’t it make sense for countries to have to be close to their lands? But the more other’s he met, the more he learned that isn’t necessarily the case. He sang the first tender lines of ‘Innsbruck ich muss dich lassen’, which he had been practising to bring him solace ever since he had left. He had adapted the original choral piece by giving the higher register to his viol and himself singing a fragile tenor second voice.

 “ISbruck, ich muß dich lassen ich far do hin mein strassen in fremde land do hin mein freud ist mir genomen die ich nit weiß bekummen wo ich jm elend bin.”

 It had every property of a learned piece of music, despite its secular subject. In his opinion, the choral harmonies showed a Pythagorean harmony and evoked the harmonies of heaven. It was in every aspect a thing of technical ingenuity. But it was out of place. Singing about Innsbruck and his land in the Spanish summer heat just fell flat. All the emotion he could usually put into it, about missing home and struggling with travel didn’t seem to communicate either.

 “Groß leid muß ich yetz tragen das ich allein thu klagen dem liebsten bůlen mein ach lieb nun laß mich armen im hertzen dein erbarmen das ich muß von dannen sein.”

 The second verse, about parting from your lover was yet another thing very recognisable for him, as he and Antonio often spent large stretches apart from one another. Antonio, however, seemed more concerned with picking dirt out from under his nails than listening. He knew Antonio didn’t know much German, but he hoped he would at least get the gist of it. His voice wavered slightly as he tried to keep Antonio invested in the music all through the last verse.

 “Meyn trost ob allen weyben dein thu ich ewig pleyben stet trew der eren frumm nun muß dich Gott bewaren in aller thugent sparen biß das ich wider kumm.”

 A pledge of faithfulness to the one you’re leaving. It was silent for a moment between them after he finished and Roderich felt like he’d swallowed a brick. Antonio perked up again and took his vihuela.

“You did not enjoy it.”

He must’ve looked hurt because Antonio winced and reassuringly pet his hand.

“Ah no! It was good! I could tell it was technically perfect.”

Antonio was a terrible liar though and with one stern look, Roderich managed to get him to sigh and tell the truth.

“It was just- all the same. And a bit sad, but mostly just that it was the same thing three times, and all the rhythm stayed the same and the distance between the cords stayed the same… It made me feel like I was either at church or just- really bored.”

Roderich was confused, “But- isn’t that what music is supposed to sound like? With regular harmonies? I read in a book-”

Antonio cut him off: “That’s exactly it! It sounds so learned, so lifeless! Shouldn’t music be sweeping? To slowly build and make you feel this- this- Ecstasy! wait, I’ll show you what I learned!”

He started strumming the vihuela. “Ok, you clap along.” Roderich uneasily started clapping, a little off-beat because of the strange rhythm Antonio was creating.

“This is an old one Roderich so you might know it. Hmm, maybe not the words it’s easy, you just sing the refrain with me I’ll do the stanzas. Ok, it’s Santa María, Strela do día, Móstra-nos, pera Déus e nos guía. Got that?”

Antonio was tapping his foot to the rhythm and slapping the wood of his vihuela in between the plucking. Then he suddenly stopped and took a ring of keys of his belt and handed it to Roderich. “Here, shake this- hmm this would be better if we had more players.” But he kept playing until Roderich got the hang of it. Then he started singing with it, the refrain was relatively straightforward but once Roderich got it, Toni started to make strange variations on it that threw him of again.

“No, it’s ok Roderich, you just keep singing the regular version and I’ll vary upon it. Also, the rhythm is rha-pa-pa-pa, rha-pa-papa-pa-pa. Yes, like that.”

Once they sang together like that for a while Antonio inserted stanzas between the refrains where the end of the sentences ended in long drawn out undulating notes. They were unlike anything Roderich had ever heard in a church at home or even at the fair! Though they were singing about Mary, about asking god forgiveness for sins, Roderich felt strange with what was happening. He wasn’t very good at it, but it felt like Antonio was pulling him along in a wild dance. Just as he’d gotten the hang of it, Antonio sped up and harmonized with him. Roderich could feel his body sway from side to side, almost without his will and they moved in perfect unison, rising and falling. He felt his sadness slowly fading and he smiled while singing. The thing Antonio had said about sweeping you away, about ecstasy, he was starting to understand it now. This strange rhythm, and the way Antonio intuitively reacted to what he was doing… it was almost sensual. When they finished his cheeks were red and he was slightly out of breath. Any passer-by would’ve suspected them of exchanging kisses in the garden after all. Perhaps he might as well… He enthusiastically threw himself forward, wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed Antonio on the lips. Nothing as chaste as before, the vihuela awkwardly between them. Antonio was clearly surprised but not complaining.

 Hi! Welcome to this fic exploring the musical differences between Antonio and Roderich (and perhaps, by extension in their personalities). The music, however, isn't the only historical reference going on in here.

 This fic is set very shortly after their marriage so anywhere between 1520 and 1525. They're still trying to figure each other out and getting to know the other's culture. Or at least, Roderich is.

 The Moorish occupation of the Iberian peninsula was in that time seen as a very dark page in Spain's history and after the Reconquista Spain was portraying itself as an extremely Christian country (perhaps overcompensating slightly?). The time in Al Andalus, however, was a time when music, poetry and science flourished in Spain and the land and culture are still very influenced by it. The palace they're staying in is evidence of that. (Look up a picture it's gorgeous).

 Roderich is starting to notice these Islamic influences in his new husband. And as a Christian man living in the 1500's they make him warry (not to speak of the attacks of the Ottoman empire on Austria in that time). However, the thing he ends up enjoying immensely about Antonio in this fic, his music, is something that is extremely Moorish.

Moorish music was seen as highly skilled and highly superior music even after Christianisation and Moorish musicians were still employed by the court a lot for special events.

 There are two characters in here that aren't canon: the kingdom of Aragon and the Caliphate of Cordoba. The Kingdom of Aragon is a fierce lady that's the bane of Antonio's existence even though right now they're unified.

 The pieces that both of them play are from their respective countries, and links are included in the lyrics. Roderich's is a contemporary piece by Henrich Isaac. If the lyrics look strange that's because that's the original 16th-century german. Antonio's piece is older, It's one of the many cantiga's de Santa maria. These canticles were written for King Alfonso X, who made a great contribution to early Spanish Christian culture. They're in the Galician dialect of Spanish that's super close to Portuguese.

 As for their instruments, there are three instruments mentioned. The first being Roderich's viol. This is a predecessor to the modern-day violin, but also to the cello. It belongs to the family of the 'viola da gamba'. it was developed in 15th-century Spain. They are played upright in the lap with a bow. You can see one in use here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLgJPBDzS6o

 The viol bore some resemblance to the vielle, an older and more northern European relative to the instrument, that is actually played underneath the chin. The experience with the vielle is what made it easier for Roderich to learn the viol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdps64D-u-g

 finally, Antonio is playing the vihuela da mano. While this seems yet another instrument of which the name resembles 'violin' it actually resembles a guitar more!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duHMeCndpjo

 And let's not forget about the important percussion instrument: Antonio's keys.

 Have any questions about historical things I forgot to explain? please don't hesitate to shoot me a message or comment on this fic and I'll gladly elaborate.

[jenguerrero]

#saminnosrat #saltfatacidheat

I have a *massive* food crush on Samin Nosrat.     She has the enthusiasm and food joy of Julia Child.     She’s a natural teacher.     She doesn’t want to impress you, but rather wants to demystify everything about the kitchen so that you can cook well. And by you, I mean everybody.     She doesn’t want you to follow exact directions.     She wants you to actually understand. That’s pretty powerful stuff!

I first picked up the audiobook of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat and listened right through. I couldn’t turn it off. I thought Claire Danes was narrating it. No, that’s Samin. They are voice doppelgangers. I got to the end and she referenced some chart printouts you can access online and mentioned that the physical book has recipes to practice the principles of the book. What?! Now I had to pick up a physical copy, too. <I totally raised a judgy eyebrow.> No matter. I’ve listened to the audio book 4 times now, so I think I can safely say I got my money’s worth.

That physical book. It has really cool charts in it. I’m a little herb and spice obsessed, so I didn’t need the global flavor wheel, but a noob to international cooking would have a blast with it. There’s a salting calendar, basic salt volume ballpark numbers, an international fat wheel, and an international acid wheel. All of those can be printed from the audio book link. Then there are the recipes. What skill do you want to practice? She lists the skills and a few recipes to choose from to practice those. Those are just in the physical book.

Then there’s the show. So far, it’s wonderfully entertaining. You will love Samin. She is crazy loveable. Her joy is contagious. She’ll make you curious and you’ll want to try everything. Her guests are terrific. The places and topics are fascinating. And her expressions!!! She looks like a kid shocked by the perfect gift when she gets impressive ice cream in her mouth! ❤ But it’s not super actionable and educational, like the book – yet. I hope it will be. It would be wonderful if she continues with episodes cooking with us and explaining what you should be looking for and what she is seeing the whole time.

Who’s the book for? Anyone who wants their food to taste its best. The only people I think it wouldn’t be for are those that eat to live, and don’t actually care how it tastes as long as they’re being fueled appropriately. I’ve heard they exist. LOL!

I tried some of the recipes, and they were wonderful. I didn’t ask for permission to share one, though. Duplicating a set of exact steps is not what she’s about. She wants to convince everyone to taste constantly and thoughtfully.

Her fettucine alfredo was wonderful. Simmering and reducing the heavy cream by half without it bubbling up over the edges was the only challenge. (Salt and fat lessons)

Her buttermilk chicken. (This one hits all four lesson boxes – salt, fat, acid, and heat.) Holy wonderful chicken, batman! You spend 5 minutes (if that) getting it salted and into its marinade the night before. Then you let it come to room temp while the oven preheats, and it spends an hour in there, being moved once. Perfectly seasoned, super moist chicken. Zero effort. I made it a second time on the rotisserie on my grill out back. Flippin’ irresistible!

Persian-ish rice. (Heat lesson) Okay, I watched her do this one on the show and she  motioned to her big nonstick pot with a lid and said, “Every Persian Mama has one of these big pots from TJ-Maxx to make their rice.” I wasn’t going to argue with every Persian Mama, so I ran over to TJ-Maxx and bought one, too. Then I opened the book, and she makes it in a cast-iron skillet in there. <Don’t tell my husband that the pot was unnecessary, okay?> It worked beautifully, so I’m glad I picked it up. There are slight differences between the show and her book, which really highlights that she’s working with basic ideas rather than committing to how something’s done, and that she goes with her cooking mood a bit. Samin uses a yogurt blended in with a shallow layer of rice at the bottom and wraps the lid in a towel. I remember using America’s Test Kitchen’s recipe before and they did the exact same thing. The first time I had Persian rice with tahdig was at a girlfriend’s house, and she did not use any yogurt. Maybe that’s why Samin is calling this Persian-ish rice? Anyway. Her method is really easy and it’s fantastic! My tahdig came out in one perfect piece the second time. <happy eyebrow bounce> I stirred the steeped saffron right into the rice that time so it would be evenly blended. (top layer, not the bit pulled to the side and mixed with yogurt)

  Bean and roasted veg salad. Okay, this is my favorite so far, but it’s not why you think. I learned something with this dish. Clearly, acid is where I could stand improvement. She has you soak beans overnight, then cook them in simmering water with a splash of olive oil, a few bay leaves, and a sprinkle of salt til they’re done. They should be creamy all the way through, but not defeated. She doesn’t give the timing and wants you to test until you understand. (For noobs, I’ll mention that it should be somewhere in the neighborhood of an hour so that you don’t bite a raw bean at 30 minutes.) She has you make a very acidic dressing for it, using more red wine vinegar than olive oil. Soak shallots in the vinegar at first to take their raw sharpness out, like you do in dishes with a Spanish influence. It should make you pucker from the sour punch. Once it was on the beans, it was perfect. I was thrilled, because I would have used way too little acid, and that took them from boring to craveable. Kisses to Samin for that one! She has you roast broccoli (she uses Romanesco, but it costs 3 times as much as regular and wasn’t looking particularly fresh at my grocer that day, so I went with plain old broccoli), cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and carrots tossed in olive oil and salt and spread on separate pans – or at least separate ends of pans – at about 425 F until they are nicely browned. She doesn’t give a time because she wants the cook to watch for done-ness instead of an arbitrary time that would have varying results from one house and oven to the next.  You plate it with the vegetables loosely layered, then the beans, a sprinkle of za’tar (careful if you’re a Penzey’s head, because it has salt in it and Samin’s didn’t) and then fatty feta cheese and piles of herbs (it looked like cilantro, dill, and mint. I had parsley, too, so that joined the party) right in the center. She finishes it with Maldon salt. It’s glorious. Make this the next time you’re entertaining vegetarian friends. Or skip the feta for vegans. It’s a great punch of flavor, but the salad definitely doesn’t *need* it. This one’s not in the book. Or on the website (yet), so it’s particularly fun to play with, because you have to learn to trust yourself and taste thoughtfully as you go along to make it. The only thing I did differently the second time was make it a bit bigger. I had dreams of leftovers….

Go watch that show! And get that book! You’ll hug me for it. Have you seen it? What’s your favorite so far?

<Okay, I apologize for the weird spacing for emphasis in the first paragraph. My husband was laughing at me because I was restraining my need to put an exclamation point at the end of each sentence. It’s very difficult to contain all this foodthusiasm. We went and listened to David Sedaris speak a few years back and between stories he was chatting. One of his little sidebars was about the overuse of the word awesome in America. I sat listening, cringing with self-awareness of my guilt with that one. I spent the next month biting my lip to keep the “awesomes” from falling out. I read on Facebook, listened at dinner club, and book club, and the awesomes were everywhere. Sometimes, awesome is the most appropriate word, though, isn’t it??? I know that if I stick an exclamation point at the end of everything for emphasis, nothing is emphasized.>

I’m an Amazon affiliate. Any time you use one of my links to make a purchase, Amazon gives me a tiny percentage. Thank you!

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat – Hardcover

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat – Audiobook

I have a massive food crush on Samin Nosrat. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. #saminnosrat #saltfatacidheat I have a *massive* food crush on Samin Nosrat.     She has the enthusiasm and food joy of Julia Child.     

[notatreeblog]

*post contains affiliate links which means NAT receives a small commission for each sale made

Spice Breeze is a monthly international spice subscription box. Choose between the Cosmopolitan, Wanderlust or Globetrotter options. Each package includes either two or four spice kits ( recipe and all necessary spices) depending on what subscription option you select. The Cosmopolitan (what I’m reviewing) includes four spice kits, two of which you’ll select for $13.99/ The Wanderlust includes two pre-chosen spice kits for $6.80 and the Globetrotter includes two spice kits with double the spice for $12.99. Use code BUZZFEED20 to receive 20% off your subscription. NAT received this package at no cost for review purposes.

Subscription Box Unboxing

Subscription Box Review

My first glimpse inside the Spice Breeze package for March

Everything that came in my package from Spice Breeze for March!

  So what is all this stuff? 

Each package features a  location – this month it’s Koutammakou, Togo.

The reverse of the insert tells us a little bit more about this location!

  The packages from Spice Breeze recently have included a packet of seasoning that doesn’t include a recipe… it’s more a way to add a bit of flavor to your everyday meals. This month Spice Breeze included Moringa Leaf Powder and it’s hard to believe but in this little packet alone there is a half a serving of vegetables! Use this to add color and nutrients to a bevy of dishes including; smoothies, salads, pasta sauces, soups and yogurts!

  The first recipe in my kit for the month is Pollo con Pesto al Forno an Italian dish which is a simple dish that includes baked chicken. Something that I like about this subscription box is the different levels of difficulty… so you have something even for those busy weeknights! Even though this is meant to be used on baked chicken you can also sprinkle the blend on margherita pizza and even different tomato and cheese sauces.

The blend for this recipe includes basil, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts (if you have a nut allergy Spice Breeze will send you one without) salt and black pepper.

  Next in my package from Spice Breeze is Paella Valencia. This Spanish spice kit features a traditional paella recipe (which is very important in upholding the tradition). The kit includes two different spice packets, one of which is saffron the most expensive spice in the world!

The packets for this contain paprika, rosemary, onions, turmeric, roasted chili, smoked paprika, bay leaves and like I said above, saffron.

  Then there is this interesting looking Kuku Sabzi a Persian spice kit. This dish is served during the Persian New Year and was served at the White House  during Michelle Obama’s Nowruz Celebration!

This seems like it would be an excellent dish for brunch or lunch. The spice packet included for this recipe includes; turmeric, rosebud, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, mace and cardamom.

  The final dish and the one I decided to make for the month is Gbomo Dessi a Togolese dish that is a stew with a very distinct flavor. This was the recipe I had the most ingredients on hand for (which is gold these days.. you feel me?) so I decided to create it for the month.

The seasoning packet included ajowan, anise, cardamom, ginger and nutmeg.

  Okay so now what? 

Now I get to cooking!

First i cut my chicken into pieces and rub it with both salt and my spice packet.

Once you’ve cut it up you add it to a pan with oil and fry. You can also use white meat chicken or sirloin beef.. I selected thighs because they have so much flavor.

In the meantime you start chopping your vegetables. This recipe called for spinach and I didn’t have that so I subbed it out for some bell peppers (I know they aren’t even close but it’s Covid times and I’m trying to work with what I have).

I also chop up my tomatoes and not pictured but also chopped is my garlic and onion.

I also chop up some fresh ginger which is an optional addition to the dish.

Once the chicken is cooked through we pull it and put a large pan on the warm burner and simultaneously heat up some oil. Once it’s hot we add both our chopped onions and our garlic.

Once they begin to soften we add the tomato past and ginger.

Along with the chicken broth

Along with what should be pumpkin seeds (I only had sesame seeds so I worked with what I had).

Once we’ve add all the necessary ingredients we allow the stew to cook for twenty minutes and reduce a bit. I have to say that this smells absolutely amazing. Once we’ve cooked it we’ll add the chicken to the pot along with the optional smoked protein the recipe suggest and serve with a side of our choosing (we decided to make white rice).

I have to say that everyone in my brood enjoyed this meal. It was aromatic and made the whole house smell wonderful and while I wasn’t able to follow the recipe to the letter I still found it to be really tasty. It was colorful and healthy and there was enough that the entire family could enjoy!

  So in summary

Presentation: Everything is always packaged well and arrives to me perfectly. I just love the way the spices look when I open up this subscription box.

Quality: Spice Breeze uses organic as well as non gmo spices in their spice kits. The blends are always mixed to ensure maximum deliciousness and super high quality!

Curation: I love that with the quad packet you can select two of the kits that you’ll receive but even beyond that these recipes vary in difficulty which I like. Not only are you learning new techniques and tricks as well as international flavors but you have a great variety that you can use for any night of the week – even those busy weeknights!

  Subscribe to Spice Breeze

    Spice Breeze Subscription Box Review + Unboxing + Coupon | March 2020 *post contains affiliate links which means NAT receives a small commission for each sale made Spice Breeze…

[martin9395]

Saffron Origins as well as Uses

Saffron Origins as well as Uses

 It is actually been a long period of time given that seasoning has actually been actually taken into consideration a valued commodity. Nevertheless, when it is considered that a football field's worth of blooms is needed to create one extra pound of seasoning, it is actually far simpler to conceptualize its own value.

 Saffron is actually just about worth its own weight in gold. Its raised requirement as well as sensitiveness to growing conditions has actually rendered this seasoning among the rarest, most popular products on the planet.

 Saffron happens from the dried judgment of the saffron crocus blossom. As soon as dried out, it is actually typically used as a taste in Mediterranean foods as well as a fabric-coloring substance. It has also been made use of medicinally for 1000s of years through old civilizations. The word has connections along with the Arabic term as much, which means "yellow"; the dye discovered in the flavor is what offers numerous meals their distinct, yellowish coloring. The preference of saffron is actually illustrated as bitter along with a hay-like scent Best Saffron. saffronbest

 Planting the plant is actually difficult, which causes its extremely higher rate. The min preconceptions are the only aspect of the blossom that generates the smell as well as flavor wanted for preparing food, that makes farming surprisingly complicated. In between 50,000-75,000 florals are actually demanded to create one extra pound of completely dry saffron, which ends up being an also direr condition taking into consideration the flowers' synchronised flowering; 40 hours of extreme labor is actually called for to cultivate a valuable volume of saffron in the course of the growing period. In Kashmir, among the very most prolific regions, manies thousand of planters do work in relays, continuously, to 2 weeks to earn a sizable volume of stigmas.

 Indian, Arab, Iranian, Central Asian, European as well as Moroccan dishes are actually usually spiced along with saffron. Due to its harsh, hay-like top quality, the blossom prevails in cheeses, curries, boozes, meat foods and soups. In India as well as Spain, it is actually also a prominent spice for rice; the renowned Spanish food paella counts heavily on saffron. French food items fanatics can easily likewise find the taste in bouillabaisse, which is actually a fiery fish goulash coming from Marseilles

 The medical use of the flower is likewise highly-celebrated in lots of cultures. In the course of middle ages times, Europeans made use of saffron to address respiratory system infections like bronchial asthma, smallpox as well as acute rhinitis. Early Egyptians, one of the major proponents of the flavor, used it as an aphrodisiac and stimulant to war dysentery. In modern-day times, saffron is used as an anticarcinogenic, or even cancer-suppressing, substance. Extract from the flavor has actually additionally been actually recognized to postpone ascites cyst growth. Ultimately, it is made use of commonly as an antioxidant- An anti-aging solution understood to stop nerve damages and also tissue wear and tear Best Saffron.

 The floral's strengths have been actually used widely for material color, specifically in such nations as China and also India. Despite the fact that its vulnerability as a coloring broker leads as quick-fading posts, the color is still preferred for its own vibrant-orange high quality. Even more strengths incorporated are going to make a dazzling shade of reddish. Since of the high price and also difficult technique of farming, saffron-dyed garments is actually something of a luxury, commonly scheduled for aristocracy and classy. The vermilion and ochre colors of robes put on by Hindu and also Buddhist priests are actually produced through saffron dye. In Europe, the flavor is actually made use of in aromatic oil referred to as crocinum, which is actually used in wine and also sky fresheners.

 What Is Saffron?

 Saffron is a grandiose seasoning that is actually made use of to flavor a variety of recipes, a lot of often rice. It provides a distinctly abundant gold yellow hue that colors meals cooked using this flavor as well as it is additionally utilized to dye apparel as well as bathrobes, significantly Buddhist abbots bathrobes, though it is hardly used for this purpose nowadays due to the fact that of its own awesome market value on the competitive market Saffron.

 A pound of saffron may simply retrieve rates beyond $5000 for the finest. It is actually the gold of spices as well as is actually certainly not effortlessly gotten. This spice originates from the preconceptions of the floral Crocus Sativus. Merely 3 stigmas are actually produced every plant as well as they must be collected within two full weeks of showing up. It takes a soccer field sized quantity of property to generate one pound of this unusual spice. To collect enough preconceptions of the vegetation workers must be actually hired on 24 hour turning changes to become able to make sufficient of the seasoning in the short home window of your time that is may be harvested. Chemically this flavor possesses over 150 fragrance creating compounds though 10% of its own mass consists of alpha-crocin which the carotenoid pigment that give the seasoning its shade that is actually effortlessly imparted to rice and various other foods. Very little is actually needed to have to help make a multicolored rice recipe, yet the seasoning has to be actually secured coming from illumination as well as oxidizing representatives such as sky to preserve its taste.

 This opulent flavor has actually been grown for over 3,000 years as well as is pointed out in a terrific wide array of botanical endorsements from recent and also even the Hebrew scriptures, the Talmud. It has in the past been utilized to address sickness, as a pigment as well as has actually been actually made use of for incense. Tracks of wild saffron pigment have actually been discovered in prehistoric pictures thought to be actually nearly 50,000 years old. Alexander the Great utilized this seasoning in healing bathtubs replicated from Persian showers that eventually influenced Greek baths of the amount of time Saffron.

 Saffron: World's Most Expensive Spice

 Saffron is a really pricey spice originated from the floral of saffron crocus. It belongs to crocus placed in household Iridaceae as well as is actually clinically referred to as Crocus sativus. The blossom may be differentiated through 3 stigmas present at the distal end of each carpel. The stems signing up with the preconceptions are actually called types. The judgments are dried out and are incredibly preferred in food preparation as a flavoring and colouring agent. Saffron is belonging to Southwest Asia and also is possibly the absolute most expensive seasoning of the planet through significance. It is harsh in taste and also has an iodoform like scent. This scent is due to the presence of particular chemicals namely picrocrocin and also safranal. A carotenoid dye specifically crocin is actually liable for presenting golden-yellow shade to dishes when saffron is actually used as a colouring solution Iran

 Saffron derives its own name from a Latin phrase meaning yellowish. The domesticated saffron crocus is a seasonal flowering vegetation unfamiliar in untamed. The vegetation is understood to bloom in autumn. It is actually a sterilized triploid kind expanding in far eastern Mediterranean yet strongly believed to have come from Central Asia. C. cartwrightianus is actually a wide array that has actually been actually built through synthetic variety by outrageous plant producers. The vegetation is clean and sterile as well as thereby, stops working to generate worthwhile seeds. Plants require individual help to lug out their recreation. Corms are actually used for developing a brand new vegetation. A corm endures for one time as well as upon department it yields as much as ten cormlets which create brand-new plants. Bulbs are actually small drops that action 4.5 centimeters in size.

 In the spring period the vegetation produces about 5-11 narrow and vertically environment-friendly leaves each evaluating 40 centimeters in span. In autumn the vegetation offers violet weeds. In October flowering scalps show up and also they range in colour from light soft-hued shade of lavender to a darker as well as even more striated mauve. Throughout the blooming time the plant achieves a height of 30 centimeters. 3 prolonged designs appear coming from each blossom. Each later obtains cancelled in to a crimson coloured judgment evaluating 25-30 mm in size. Iran.

 Saffron plants are actually known to allow winter months freezes as much as -10 ° C as well as very quick time periods of snow cover. Irrigation is actually called for otherwise expanded in moist weather like Kashmir wher the mean precipitations is 1,000-1,500 mm. spring rains and drier summer seasons are actually quite necessary for plant growth. They are actually responsible to be wrecked through digging actions of bunnies, rats, and birds. Nematodes, fallen leave rusts, and bulb rot. They are grown in hilly style. In Northern Hemisphere growing is typically carried out if June. The vegetations like friable, loose, low-density, well-watered, and also well-drained clay-calcareous dirts with higher organic information. Around 150 blossoms rarely produce 1 gram of saffron. Saffron includes greater than 150 unstable as well as fragrance yielding chemical compounds. It additionally bears non-volatile carotenoids like zeaxanthin, lycopene, as well as different?- and?-carotenes. The golden yellowish- colour of saffron is due to the visibility of?-crocin. This crocin in actual conditions is actually trans-crocetin di-(?-D-gentiobiosyl) ester. Crocins are actually hydrophilic carotenoids that are actually either monoglycosyl or diglycosyl polyene esters of crocetin. crocetin is actually a conjugated polyene dicarboxylic acid that is hydrophobic, and also thus oil-soluble. When crocetin is actually esterified with two water-soluble gentiobioses, an item is constituted that is water-soluble.?-crocin is actually liable for helping make 10% of completely dry mass of saffron. The pair of esterified gentiobioses create?-crocin best for colouring water-based (non-fatty) foods items such as rice foods.

[persiansaffron009-blog]

7 well being advantages of saffron

This exotic spice is a local of southern europe and right this moment cultivated worldwide in lots of countries, particularly in spain, italy, france, greece, turkey, iran, and in the indian state of jammu and kashmir. Saffron works exceptionally well in both savory and sweet dishes together with rooster, cream sauces, curries, flans, garlic, ice cream, milkshakes, polenta, puddings, rice, sauces, seafood, shellfish and soups. Alexander additionally had saffron added to his tub water as he came to consider that it help heal his many wounds suffered in battle. One of many earliest references to using saffron in ancient egypt had it utilized by cleopatra (69 bc - 30 bc) and different pharaohs as an fragrant and seductive essence. Most nice chefs believe saffron is extra about the aroma than the style and when you can taste the saffron in a dish, you have added too much.

With solely 3 stigmas per saffron flower it takes over 4,600 flowers (or 14,000 stigmas) to provide just one ounce of prime grade saffron. The rose of saffron blooms at dawn and once opened, needs to be picked the identical day as a result of as soon as the flower opens it withers shortly and the stigmas lose their optimum aroma and color. Its color comes from carotenoid pigments, mostly the bright orange yellow, water soluble crocin. They take a look at saffron extra like wine connoisseur and like to pattern Persian Saffron threads for taste, aroma, pliability and color. This provides a few of the first proof that saffron was involved in lengthy-distance trade. The deep crimson or orange varieties are the highest quality saffron and these have a heat, floral aroma with a delicate, honey-like, earthy style with bitter back notes.

Saffron was launched into spain by the moors who are credited with planting it throughout the southern provinces of andalucia, castile, la mancha, and valencia. Subscribe to bbc good meals journal and get triple-tested recipes delivered to your door, every month.

Because saffron is the most costly spice in the world it has naturally been susceptible to unscrupulous handlers who for a whole lot of years have mixed lesser quality saffron or other spices with top of the range saffron after which tried to cross it off as greater grade saffron.

Saffron's look in south and east asia has various accounts of how and exactly the place it first arrived but the earliest persian records recommend that after ancient persia conquered kashmir that they had saffron and numerous spices despatched to them to inventory their newly constructed gardens.

I would wish to see iranian saffron offered on the positioning along with the spanish model. Saffron was also favored by alexander the nice (356 - 323 bc) and his forces during their asian campaigns. Saffron known as za-faran (arabic), fan huang hua (mandarin), safran (french and german), zaaffran/kesar (hindi), safuran (japanese), acafrao (portuguese), shafran (russian) and azafran (spanish). For this reason experienced saffron farms typically harvest the flowers between dawn and 10 a.M.