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Saint Lucy's Day
"Night walks with a heavy step
Round yard and hearth,
As the sun departs from earth,
Shadows are brooding.
There in our dark house,
Walking with lit candles,
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia!
~ Traditional (Swedish translation)
Are you mad about saffron? This richly hued tartan draws its inspiration from the vibrant colors of the Crocus sativus flower—the deep purple petals, golden yellow stamen, and crimson pistil—yielding the precious saffron threads that are both delicate and aromatic. A prized ingredient in Yuletide treats, saffron gives Lussekatter (the golden Saint Lucy’s buns) their distinctive flavor and festive glow, making them a much-anticipated highlight of this special feast day. Saint Lucy’s Day, celebrated mainly in Scandinavia and Italy but cherished in many places, originally aligned with the longest, darkest day of the year. However, with the calendar's shift from the Julian to the Gregorian system, her feast now falls on December 13th. While most saffron today is cultivated along a belt stretching from Spain to Kashmir, Cornwall also holds a fascinating place in its history. Legacy recipes for Cornish saffron buns and cakes tell the story of saffron cultivation in the region, dating back to the 14th century when Cornwall’s thriving tin trade brought connections with Spanish neighbors. Records even mention saffron fields in Launcells near Bude, Fowey, Penryn, Feock, and Gerrans! As the world’s most expensive spice—requiring nearly 200 flowers to produce just 1 gram—saffron is a rare treat. So this Saint Lucy's Day, light the candles, enjoy the treats, and don’t forget the glögg! Skål! and Slàinte! 💜 🖤 ❤️ 💛 🧡 💜 🕯️🕯️🕯️
Saint Lucy's Day, Saffron Bun Day, is a yuletide feast day celebrated mainly in Scandinavia and Italy, is known for the beautiful Lassekatter (St. Lucy's Buns) or saffransbullar (saffron buns), golden-coloured buns which use saffron threads as both coloring and flavouring.
Saffron's aroma is often described by connoisseurs as reminiscent of metallic honey with grassy or hay-like notes, while its taste has also been noted as hay-like and sweet.
Saffron comes from the dried stigmas of a variety of crocus (Crocus sativus) flower. Iran is the world's biggest supplier, but other countries producing significant amounts of saffron include Spain, Italy, Greece, India and Morocco.
Saffron is nearly as expensive as gold. About 200,000 crocus flowers are required to produce 1 kg (2.2 lb) of saffron. Harvesting the stigma is tedious and can only be done by hand first thing in the morning before it gets too hot.
Saffron has a long history of use in traditional medicine, as a fabric dye, and in perfumery.
This tartan, designed by Carol A.L. Martin, references the flower from which saffron is obtained, with the orange-golden threads of the stigma running through the varied purple hues.
For more fascinating saffron facts, click the saffron!