There is something magical about saffron. Maybe, it's the striking bright red stigmas that always catch my eye and evoke images of vibrant florid Indian fabrics. Perhaps, I'm struck by its deep aroma that smells of honey with notes of grass and hay. Either way, I'm in love with this spice.

While walking through the colorful Spice Souk in Dubai, I visited several shops where they sell saffron. A merchant showed me different kinds and let me pick up a bundle of the Iranian Sargol saffron from its style, the yellow part of the plant below the red threads. Most people are shocked by the high prices of saffron. Iran is the world's largest producer.

Recently, international sanctions against Iran have contributed to rising saffron prices. Seventy-five percent of Iran's saffron is exported to the United Arab of Emirates and Spain. However, the main reason why saffron is so expensive can be attributed to its harvest. 150 saffron crocus flowers must be plucked by hand to produce just one gram of red saffron stigmas. Persian saffron is the highest quality of saffron. Suggestions on how to purchase saffron can be found after the jump.

I am fascinated by Mimolette. This bright orange French cheese is the size of a bowling ball. Its appearance is breathtaking. It looks like a giant cantaloupe. After I first tried Mimolette, I was struck by its firm texture and sweet caramel-like taste. In addition, I was intrigued by its remarkable similarities with many of the aged Dutch cheeses I've tried in the past. And so, after looking into its history, I was not surprised that it was first produced to model a Dutch cheese, called Edam.

The history of Mimolette -

During the 17th century, Louis XIV-the Sun King-had both a cultural and economic plan for France. The goal was to decrease all imports and increase all exports. The theory was that it would benefit French economy, because other countries would be purchasing French products. Culturally, Louis XIV wanted France to produce the best of everything, from clothing to food. France was to become the European trend setter.
How did these laws initiate and encourage the production of Mimolette?

Regions of France along the borders were culturally affected by the king's agenda. For example, in northeastern France, Flanders, people ate Dutch food. Their diet consisted of foods imported from Holland. In the northern French city of Lille, Edam was probably the most common cheese, the most popular at the time.

However, in response to Louis XIV's laws forbidding the importation of Edam, French people in and around Lille created their own Edam-like cheese – Mimolette. So what's the difference? The cheese is produced same way as Edam with the addition of annatto, a natural food coloring agent. Although they both have a spherical shape and same texture, Mimolette has a natural rind (no wax) and an intense orange color due to the annatto.