Saffron Secrets Revealed On Farm Holidays in Umbria, Italy

The Saffron growers have revived saffron production and have a lot of books and leaflets and recipes. You see in my photos the purple crocus flower and the yellow stamens pulled out. It is all done by hand. You need lots of flowers and stamens to make one small jar of the product. That is why saffron is so expensive.

See my previous post on The Story of Saffron and farm holidays in Umbria. More photos and text later today.

Other posts about Umbria cover different types of accommodation and restaurants, such as Castello di Monterone, the castle hotel where I stayed.
See the regional website:
www.umbriatourism.it

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.Follow me on Facebook, link to me on Linkedin, watch me on YouTube, read about my books on Amazon and Lulu.com

The Story of Saffron Growers and Farm Stay Holidays In Italy

Our English phrase farm-stay holidays translates into Italian tourist lingo as Agrotourism. You will recognise the sign and symbol as you drive around Umbria. The 'heart of Italy' is Umbria, a landlocked and hilly green countryside where farmers are opening their homes and reviving business by sharing their knowledge of how to grow plants. I met a family who grow saffron.

I've always wondered why saffron was so expensive and now I know why. It comes from the pretty little purple and blue crocus which grows in the meadows on the hillsides of Umbria. The little orange stamens in the middle of the flower have to be pulled out by hand.

First our host showed us how they grow the plants.

I visited the interior of one specific farmhouse. The wife, Rita, who owns it, made us tea and she and her husband, told us all about the saffron process. They sold books and had leaflets on saffron. They belong to a saffron growers' association.

They beamed with pleasure at our visit and invited us to handle the delicate flowers and encouraged us to pull out the stamens. We really felt we were part of the family.

Local History
The proverb 'all roads lead to Rome' shortens and summarises a medieval saying and it's also generally true all rivers flow down to the sea. The famous river Tiber flows downhill to Rome from the Umbrian mountains. The Etruscans built towers BC and before Romans. Little villages and farms are dotted over the Umbrian hillsides with wonderful views of the snow-capped mountains and the hilltop fortress towns such as Perugia. You feel like you are watching a revolving three hundred and sixty degree panorama of a medieval Giotto painting with farmhouse or church and a little hilltop village in the background.
See the regional website:
www.umbriatourism.it

Photos by Angela Lansbury. Copyright 2016.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
See my other posts on Umbria and different destinations. Follow me and like me on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. Books on Amazon and Lulu.com Please share links to my posts.

Indian Gooseberry, called Amla, makes preserve or drink

An Indian friend of mine from Toastmasters in London just messaged me on Facebook to say the fruit is an Indian gooseberry known locally as an Amla.

Now I am sure of the correct identity and Indian name I can find pictures and authentic recipes.
I googled how to cook and serve Indian gooseberry or a m l a (spaces inserted because spell checker or auto correct prefers alma) and if you do the same you will find several links to pages of half a dozen or more recipes.

Amla Preserve
One recipe for a sweet concoction, called Grated amla murabba or "amla ke chheel ka murabba, involves grating the fruit, making a sugar syrup, adding cardamom and saffron and storing in a sterile jar for up to a year.

I looked up the translation of Murabba and the result was sweet fruit preserve.

http://food.ndtv.com/lists/5-best-amla-recipes-759851

ALMA Drink
You can boil and/or liquidise it with added sugar, cumin and salt as a drink.

http://www.tarladalal.com/Amla-ka-Sharbat-31727r

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.