Definition: mund saffron

On 16 March 2004, the Federal Office for Agriculture published the application for AOC status for Mund saffron. Mund is a small village perched on the right bank of the Rhône above Naters. Its sandy soils and particularly dry climate have made it the ideal place for Crocus sativus, which originates from Kashmir. Today, it is the only place in Switzerland where saffron is grown. Every autumn in October, 116 producers gather in the 14,000 m² of lilac-coloured fields to pick the crocuses. The filaments are then detached and dried by the families, but never in direct sunlight! The techniques are manual and have been passed down from generation to generation in the families of the village of Mund. However, saffron production almost disappeared: in the 1970s, the village produced barely 20 grams. But since the creation of the Confrérie du Safran (Saffron Brotherhood) in 1979, crocus has regained ground and today more than 3 to 4 kilos of saffron are produced in Mund. Each flower yields about 3 pistils, so it takes about 180 flowers to obtain a single gram of this precious spice, which sells for between 20 and 50 Swiss francs per gram. Growers have no trouble selling their produce. In fact, it is rare to find anyone who still wants to buy Mund saffron! For producers, the AOC is therefore not intended to promote their spice on the market, but rather to protect it. And certainly also for the 116 families involved in saffron production, the village restaurant (which serves saffron bread, saffron rice, a parfait flavoured with the luxurious spice, and alcohol distilled by a German pharmacist who loves Mund crocus) will welcome this AOC as further proof that their village has something truly exclusive to offer, and they are proud of it! For Daniel Jetziner, president of the Mund Saffron Brotherhood, this publication is in any case "the culmination of a long process" and he is delighted. There are now three months of opposition before Mund Saffron is definitively entered in the register of Protected Designations of Origin and Protected Geographical Indications. When the crocuses reveal their red filaments for three days next autumn, there is no doubt that they will be crowned with the AOC, which will further enhance their unique fragrance. Saffron is produced in France in the Quercy region. Production is much higher in Spain (500 kg, AOC azafrán de la Mancha), Morocco (1,500 kg) and Kashmir.

A brief history of saffron:

Saffron colours the sheets of love. The saffron crocus is linked to sexual activity, but it tends to induce sleep if the dose is exceeded! Zeus, it seems, decided one day to lie down on a bed of saffron in order to feel greater passion in his sexual habits. He was imitated by Jupiter, who mixed it with lotus flowers and hyacinths (Homer). The oldest known reference to saffron as a sexual stimulant is described in a Chinese medical book dating from 2600 BC.

The Phoenicians spent their wedding night on yellow sheets dyed with saffron. Thanks to them, saffron was introduced into Semitic culture and played a role in the Song of Solomon, which compares his bride on her wedding day to a garden where Korkom (saffron in Hebrew) grows. On their wedding day, Carthaginian and Phoenician brides covered their faces with a saffron-dyed veil. In Rome, saffron was associated with love, and patricians and patrician women adopted the prescription of Dioscorides, a Greek physician who suggested it as an aphrodisiac. It even had a reputation for corrupting the Vestal Virgins. In the baths, there were even saffron baths to invigorate revellers. But what is it about saffron that makes your brain tingle and your extremities feel warm?

First of all, it contains phytosterol, a powerful plant hormone, and alkaloids called safranin and crocin, which are unstable and volatile. Simply crush a few filaments between your palms on a plate just before serving to release all the benefits.

Its colour and flavour make it the king of spices, but also the most expensive spice in the world. Its reddish-yellow colour is due to carotenoid pigments, which means that saffron is not only a spice, but also a colouring agent used in pasta, rice and pastries. Saffron is very sensitive to light and absorbs moisture very quickly. It must therefore be stored in airtight containers away from light. The use of saffron dates back to ancient times. Authors such as Homer, Pliny, Virgil and Quintus Curtius Rufus mention it. The Egyptians, then the Hebrews, used it not only to flavour or colour food, but also in festivals and especially in religious ceremonies. The same was true in India and Persia. From the togas of ancient Egypt to the robes of the Dalai Lama, saffron dyes the finest silks a sunny yellow.According to Greek authors, it was used in Tyre to dye the veils of young brides yellow, and it is reported that in Rome, under Heliogabalus, the magnificent golden yellow colour of saffron-dyed fabrics was very much in vogue.But this was not the only property that the Romans used. They burned it like incense in religious ceremonies and strewn saffron flowers on the floors of banquet halls and theatres. It was also consumed as an infusion, and it is reported that the Sybarites drank saffron before sacrificing to Bacchus and Venus. We can therefore see that saffron was known and appreciated by the ancients. It is highly likely that, having learned about the properties of this plant, the Arabs introduced its cultivation to North Africa and then to Spain. This is the most probable process by which saffron was introduced to Europe. It is also possible that saffron was brought back from Asia Minor during the Crusades, like so many other things. The date and origin of its introduction into the Gâtinais region are also uncertain. However, there is no doubt that this crop was cultivated well before 1698, the date on which an edict by Louis XIV officially recognised its cultivation. Indeed, lease agreements found in the Orléans region, which are much older than this date, mention the cultivation of saffron.

Bern, 28 June 2004

"Safran de Mund -VS" is registered as an AOC. The Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) has entered "Safran de Mund" in the register of protected designations of origin (AOC) and protected geographical indications (PGI). Little known outside the Valais, Mund saffron is the first Swiss spice to benefit from a protected designation of origin. Saffron is said to be the child of the sun and poetry, evoking exoticism. Yet it is produced in Switzerland. Saffron comes from the stigmas (parts of the pistil) of Crocus sativus L. flowers harvested in autumn. Saffron cultivation in Valais dates back to the Middle Ages, but only the inhabitants of the municipality of Mund in Upper Valais continue to cultivate it. The climatic conditions and soil suitability in Mund are ideal and unique in Switzerland, to such an extent that Mund saffron is highly prized by connoisseurs. In the village, all members of the farming families take part in the various tasks involved in producing this precious spice. The work is demanding and carried out exclusively by hand. For example, more than 120,000 flowers must be harvested to obtain 1 kg of dried saffron. For this reason, saffron is more expensive than gold, and yet no Mund grower today makes a living from this production alone. A centuries-old tradition, saffron is an integral part of the cultural, social and economic life of the inhabitants of this region. Mund saffron is used in the production of brioches, pastries and spirits. It is showcased in traditional dishes by local restaurateurs. The register of designations of origin and geographical indications protects traditional geographical names designating agricultural products whose identity and main characteristics are determined by their origin. The register of wine appellations is the responsibility of the cantons. The use of a protected name is reserved for producers in the defined geographical area who comply with specific specifications. The publication of registration applications is subject to a public inquiry. Any person with a legitimate interest, as well as the cantons, may object to the registration within a period of three months. The federal register of designations of origin and geographical indications currently has sixteen entries, including twelve AOCs and four PGIs. These products include cheeses, spirits, sausages, dried meats, a vegetable, a rye bread and a corn flour. Details of these products can be found at:

www.blw.admin.ch (under the heading "designations of origin").

Vegetable gold: One morning, the sun causes a multitude of purple corollas to bloom. It is a magical moment. Almost immediately, in the soft autumn light, the diaphanous petals open and reveal three pollen-covered stamens and three long, blood-red stigmas: the saffron flower bursts into all its splendour. Saffron stands out from other plants, even during its growing season. In autumn, when other plants are preparing for winter, saffron blooms. Flowering can last for six weeks and the flowers should preferably be picked every morning, before insects get to them. When picking, delicacy is essential; the flowers must not be crushed or the stigmas damaged. They must be picked very quickly to prevent the flowers from wilting, which would cause premature fermentation and greatly reduce the quality of the saffron. From^{the 16th} to^{the 19th} century, the town of Boynes (between Beauce and Gâtinais) was the world capital of saffron. There was even a saffron tradition: the bulbs of this very special crocus were included in marriage dowries. There was also a saffron carnival. It was at the Beaune or Boynes fairs that most of the saffron from Gâtinais was sold, with foreigners coming to buy it themselves. "The Beaune region abounds in saffron and the inhabitants of the surrounding area trade in it extensively" (Chronicler, 1780). Until^{the 16th} century, Germans and Dutch came to buy their saffron in Boynes around All Saints' Day, then sales were handled by commission agents based in Pithiviers and the saffron market ceased to be held in Boynes. The decline of saffron began at the end of the last century with the harsh winters of 1880 and 1881, which destroyed a large number of bulbs, as saffron cannot withstand temperatures below -13°C. Then the rural exodus, the cost of labour, the development of synthetic dyes and declining demand dealt the final blow to saffron cultivation. The last field disappeared in 1930. The revival: In 1987, an association called "Les safraniers du Gâtinais" was created by a group of farmers and the following year, they brought in 50,000 bulbs from Kashmir. With this luxury product, the association wanted not only to restore the value of the region's heritage, but also to develop a project combining agricultural research, green tourism, mechanisation of the harvest and sales outlets. Of course, the project was ambitious and the challenge difficult to meet, but it is a fine example of diversification and preservation of an ancestral tradition. The Saffron Museum: Since September 1988, Boynes has had a saffron museum that is definitely worth a visit. In a former wine merchant's house, several rooms have been fitted out to present a historical and anecdotal overview of the commune, but above all a history of the agricultural changes in this region. Saffron and wine growing serve as a thread for this journey through time, which ends with a discussion of the challenges facing agriculture today. A museum unlike any other. A museum that plays on a diversity of presentations and a quality of communication that does not detract from its educational purpose, which is to appeal to all audiences. Museum opening hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 2.30 pm to 6 pm, from 1 April to 1 November, and every day by appointment. Duration of the guided and commented tour: 1.5 hours.