Steep it first
Soak the threads in a few spoonfuls of warm water or milk for 15–20 minutes, then pour it all into the dish.
Moșu’s saffron
The red gold in Moșu’s garden
Besides flowers, vegetables and stories, Moșu grows saffron in Nucșoara — Crocus sativus, the world’s most expensive spice. For a few weeks each autumn the garden fills with violet flowers, each holding three red threads.
We don’t sell online. Saffron can’t be ordered on this website. For details — quantities, availability, partnerships — call Moșu.
illustrative image 3red threads (stigmas) in a single flower
~150flowers for one gram of dried saffron
150.000hand-picked flowers for one kilogram
1×a year it blooms: in autumn, for a few weeks
General figures for saffron growing (source: Wikipedia, “Saffron”).
From bulb to thread
A whole year for a few weeks of harvest
Saffron sets no seed: it multiplies only through its corms, which the grower lifts, divides and replants.
- August–September
Planting
The corms go 10–15 cm deep into well-drained soil.
- October–November
The flowers
When almost everything else has faded, the violet flowers appear.
- at dawn
Picking
Flower by flower, by hand, on the day it opens.
- the same day
The threads
The three red stigmas are taken from each flower — only they are the spice.
- then
Drying
The threads are dried gently until brittle, concentrating their aroma.
illustrative image Guide
How to spot real saffron
- Whole, deep-red threadsFlared at one end like a tiny trumpet, paler at the base.
- The warm-water testThe golden-yellow colour seeps out slowly, over several minutes, and the thread stays red.
- Smells of hay and honeyThe taste is slightly bitter, not sweet.
- The water turns red instantlyA sign of dye.
- Safflower is not saffronCarthamus tinctorius is a different plant: thin orange petals with no aroma. Powder is easily cut with turmeric or paprika — choose whole threads.
In the kitchen
A little goes a long way
A few threads colour and scent a whole pot. Too much saffron tastes bitter.
Classic dishes
Risotto alla milanese, paella, bouillabaisse, pilaf, soups and fish sauces.
And in sweets
Saffron milk, ice cream, buns and yeast cakes — like “lussekatter”, the Swedish Saint Lucia buns.
Partnerships
A restaurant, bakery or local producer?
Moșu is open to working with people who value a spice grown with care at the foot of the Retezat. Call for details on quantities and availability — nothing is sold through the website.
For our guests
Visiting in autumn? Ask Moșu about the flowers
In October and November, when the mountains grow quiet, saffron blooms in Moșu’s garden. And the “Red Gold of Nucșoara” discovery trail ends right here.
illustrative image This page is for information only: nothing is sold or ordered through this website. Product details (quantities, paperwork, terms) are given by the grower by phone. The photos on this page are illustrative, from Wikimedia Commons: Zeynel Cebeci (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Hubertl (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Emilie40 (CC0)