“In my opinion, almost nothing improves a good carrot cupcake, but this recipe changed my mind. I tasted something similar at a small farmer's market; a young woman was selling dense carrot muffins along with her homemade saffron syrup and apricot-saffron jam. Her secret: infuse the eggs with the saffron the night before you want to bake. I don't usually organize my baking twenty-four hours in advance, so I tried adding saffron on the day and it still works wonders--- the subtle perfume infuses the cupcakes perfectly. These are terrific without the icing for breakfast or a lunchbox, but I have a love affair with cream-cheese frosting, so why not gild the lily.” CupcakesSaffronCarrotCream CheeseFrosting Book:Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes Source: Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes
“When we arrived, the wooden picnic table on the porch was already covered with crates of delicate purple crocuses, the remains of yesterday's haul. So this is where my saffron comes from; the spice is actually the stigma (the pollen trap) of the flower.” StigmaPollenSaffronCrocus Book:Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes Source: Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes