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According to some historical documents, saffron was first brought to Italy by a Dominican monk during the Spanish Inquisition (around the 13th century). The largest saffron cultivation area in Italy is San Gavino Monreale, Sardinia, with approximately 40 hectares, accounting for 60% of Italy's saffron production. The saffron grown there also has a relatively high content of crocin (color), picrocrocin (flavor), and safranal (aroma). However, saffron grown in the Navelli Valley, near L'Aquila, in the Abruzzo region, is considered the highest quality in Italy. "Aquilla" saffron, or zafferano dell'Aquila, has a distinctive thread shape, a strong, pungent aroma, and vibrant colors, and is only cultivated on areas exceeding 8 hectares.
Saffron is the stigma of the saffron crocus plant, known as a spice/medicine with many miraculous uses.
In the Abruzzo region of Italy, the cultivation and harvesting of this expensive spice has a centuries-old tradition, serving not only as a livelihood but also as a deep passion for the locals. Susan Wright, an Australian photographer, traveled to this remote area of Italy, far east of the Apennine Mountains, to photograph the annual autumn saffron harvest and to learn more about this traditional craft.
It was Susan Wright's first adventure in the rugged mountains of Italy – a wild place, far from popular tourist destinations, that still preserves its pristine beauty and quiet medieval villages scattered across the picturesque foothills.
The small village of Navelli, in the province of Ququila, is where saffron has been grown and harvested for several hundred years.
Growing up in a rural setting in Australia, Susan Wright was fascinated by Italian agricultural communities: their deep connection to centuries-old traditions infused into their land and culture with a contagious love and passion. It was wonderful to witness rural communities across Italy coming together for their annual festivals, known as sagres, often dedicated to a particular local food.
Gina Sarra and her family are separating the stigmas of the saffron flower.
Giovannina Sarra (often called the Queen of Saffron) and generations of her family have lived in Abruzzo. They helped Susan Wright understand what life is like for true saffron growers. Early in the morning, on the Navelli plateau, they begin their day's work amidst misty fields, tinged with the stunning purple hues you only encounter during the saffron harvest.
Saffron, the stigma of the saffron crocus flower, is a lucrative crop, also known as oro rosso, or red gold. Considered a spice/medicine with many miraculous uses, it is sold in the wealthy regions and cities of Milan and Venice, and abroad in France, Germany, and Austria. Not only mentioned in ancient Greek legends, saffron has been loved worldwide since Roman times, and Queen Cleopatra was a fervent devotee of saffron.
Separating the fine fibers from the moist petals is a delicate and time-consuming process.
Saffron must be harvested a few hours before sunrise, when the saffron flowers are still unopened; this makes the flowers easier to pick and helps protect their precious red stigmas. The delicate buds are carefully selected and placed in baskets.
Saffron is harvested a few hours before sunrise, while the petals are still unopened.
The petals were gently placed into the basket.
Later that same day, the stamens—three tiny strands on each flower—are separated from the still-fresh, moist petals. It's a delicate process that takes hours with a skilled hand and boundless patience.
Saffron is dried to enhance its rich color and flavor.
In the evening, the light-colored, thread-like stigmas are dried over a wood-fired fire. This process enhances both the color and flavor of saffron.
It takes approximately 4,000 flowers to produce one ounce of saffron powder – meaning an incredible amount of labor is required to produce that much spice.
It takes approximately 4,000 flowers to produce one ounce of saffron powder.
The Abruzzo region of Italy, though remote, has not escaped the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic. The area has recorded thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths. Market closures have made life difficult for the region's inhabitants. But there is no doubt that families like Sarras – with traditions passed down through generations on the fields of the Navelli plateau and beyond – will one day regain their strength and revive their traditional craft.
