Safflower (American saffron)

Incorrectly labelled saffron, this is actually a different plant, the safflower, a thistle like plant. Safflower is much, much cheaper than saffron but has nowhere near the beautiful taste. Mainly used as a colouring agent, it does give the same magnificent sunset or daffodil yellow as saffron and, if used in a quantity eight times larger than saffron, may give a subtle, (still inferior) taste slightly reminiscent of the king of spices. 

Safflower itself is grown for the polyunsaturated oil it yields which is said to lower blood cholesterol and a tea made from safflower is popular for gastro-intestinal healing.

In the past, safflower would be used as a dye for the cosmetic industry, rouge, mummy wrappings(?) and to colour silks and textiles. Safflower oil is also used for paints and varnishes as well as cooking. It is also used as a laxative, and to ease measles and fever.

I must admit I bought this out of curiosity. Knowing that the quality would be low considering the cheap price, I wanted to see what it could do. In my kitchen, I use it as a colouring agent only, used to give an interesting pale yellow to deep orange swirl here and there and I use it mainly with white foods to enhance and showcase its properties, such as in a sauce with wine and cream for pasta, to colour a bowl of white rice or in a butter sauce over a piece of white fish like halibut or cod.