Saffron is one of the world's most handled and most imitated materials. A single gram takes roughly 150 to 200 hand-picked flowers, and a few threads can carry colour, aroma and flavour into a dish, a drink or a textile. In this hands-on workshop, led by Ruwais Saffron, participants learn to read saffron the way a craftsperson reads a material.
The session has three parts. First, a short introduction to where saffron comes from, how it is harvested by hand, and how it is graded. Second, a live demonstration of how to organise the threads by grade and length, and how to bloom saffron properly in warm water, ice or milk so that its colour and aroma open fully. Third, a practical guide to telling real saffron from fake: judging the shape and colour of the thread, its aroma, and how it behaves in water, with simple tests participants try at the table.
No prior knowledge is needed. The workshop suits visitors, chefs, designers and anyone who cooks with saffron.