Antonio Sotos saffron 藏紅花 is grown only in the Castilla la Mancha region in the Albacete, Toledo area. The production process is still traditional, with manual harvesting of the flowers and following separation of the pistils, while drying is done over silk sieve filters.
The History
its activities abroad, being one of the pioneer companies in the foreign saffron trade. Production and supervision are carried out under the strictest quality and control rules. The company's mission is to encourage the use of saffron around the world by promoting saffron pistils by offering customers the best quality suitable for their needs.
The raw material
It is important for Antonio Sotos to know the precise origin of the raw material, just as it is important for the customer to know the history of the saffron they are buying. The saffron plant does not need too much water, although during spring and fall the plant needs more moisture: in spring to encourage bulb formation and in early fall to encourage flowering. The harvest time is in late October, early November. Long exposure to light should be avoided, otherwise the flower wilts and the pistils lose color and aroma. Next, the pistils are detached from the rest of the flower. This work done by hand is the most delicate part of the whole process.
