The Medieval tradition of cultivating saffron is being reintroduced in England, near the very town at the heart of its growth in Tudor times.
The Essex town of Walden (“valley of the Britons”) commemorated its crops of saffron crocus by changing its name to Saffron Walden sometime in the Middle Ages.
Now a farmer in the area, David Smale, has begun cultivating saffron crocus in a secret Essex location in the hope of becoming fully commercial.
Saffron can sell for up to £75 for just one gram, making it pricier than gold. But the harvest needs precision and is labour intensive.
Each crocus flower yields just three stigma, which have to be picked by hand at just the right moment. They must be laid on racks to dry for 24 hours to create the saffron strands.
The town became major English centre of saffron production in the Middle Ages, running in tandem with the growth of East Anglia’s wool industry. Saffron was used to as a dye for the cloth trade as well as to in medicines and food.
The trade continued up to the 18th century when cheaper saffron from Spain and Iran was imported and more artificial dyes were developed.
“These days saffron is more associated with exotic locations like Iran, Morocco and Spain, but in the past English saffron has been by reputation the best in the world,” said Mr Smale, 50, Britain’s only saffron grower.
“Ours certainly comes out top in taste tests. It’s sweeter and more honey-like than other varieties and I think that’s down to the nutrients in the soil.”
He is optimistic his business will continue to flourish. “Each year we get bigger and bigger and by next season we are hoping to be able to employ people.
“We moved into a new field this year which will become our centre for processing and we’re looking to take on another field next season.
“We’re talking about increasing our size dramatically by about 20 times.”
A 0.2g packet of Mr Smale’s saffron sells in Fortnum & Mason for £15.
