Oro Rosso di Sicilia - Zafferano Ennese -

	The cooperative “Oro rosso di Sicilia” (Sicilian red gold)
	Our cooperative “Oro rosso di Sicilia” was founded in October 2007 by twelve young agricultural entrepreneurs inspired by the desire to exploit and reintroduce a cultivation that has been present in the area since ancient times. Indeed, different historical sources show that in the past the flower, Crocus sativus, grew freely in the countryside of Enna. Today, saffron is making a comeback thanks to the production of a particular type of cheese, called Piacentinu ennese, which has recently gained the D.O.P. certificate. In fact, saffron is an essential ingredient in the production of Piacentinu ennese, thus confirming the tie between the area of Enna and the food product.Our cooperative can guarantee the highest quality of its saffron thanks to the totally natural cultivation methods.
We do not use any chemicals, neither do we use food-processing that can modify the taste and the distinctive features of our product. Furthermore, this high quality can be touched by hand as our saffron is not ground, but rather the stigmas are left whole and conserved in glass to preserve their pleasurable qualities longer.

So many good reasons to use “Oro rosso di Sicilia” saffron!

Three bright red thin strands! It is from these stigmas found inside the corolla of the saffron flower, that the precious spice is obtained.
The perfume and the intense colour of the saffron given by the land of Enna and produced by the cooperative “Oro rosso di Sicilia”, adds an exotic and elegant touch to your dishes.
Besides being a precious culinary ingredient, saffron can also help to cure minor ailments from stomach-ache to menstrual pain. It keeps you young too: its action againstfree radicals is more powerful than vitamin C.The “Oro rosso di Sicilia” saffron also possesses an excellent antioxidant power because it is rich in crocetin, crocin and picrocrocin.
These substances belong to the group of carotenoids which are the yellow, orange and red pigments present in vegetables. They are particularly effective against free radicals which are responsible for premature skin ageing.

Surprisingly, high quality saffron, like the saffron from Enna, contains 8% carotenoids,whereas in carrots this percentage drops to 0,008%.Therefore our saffron contains one thousand times more!

	Other valuable vitamins found in our saffron are B1 and B2, necessary for growth and the metabolism of protein, fats and carbohydrates. Saffron has so many benefits that its consumption isrecommended at least two or three times a week!
	Saffron cultivation: technologically innovative and traditional
	Saffron picking lasts about 30 days. It is necessary to collect the flowers during the early hours of the morning before they open. To produce 0.5 g of our precious saffron, we need 70 flowers and 210 stigmas, so it follows that to produce one kilo we need about 140,000 flowers! Before reaching the table, the saffron flower passes through different phases, all carried out by hand. It is picked, cleaned, the petals removed and then finally it is dried strictly at low temperatures.