Red Gold on the blue Harvest time for the saffron of the Wachau

Saffron, in ancient times known as the „queen of plants“ has for some time been re-cultivated in the Wachau (UNESCO world heritage center, a stretch of the Danube Valley between and Krems in ). The harvest of the world´s most precious spice starts at the end of October. This is a great opportunity to see it flourishing in the saffron garden just in front of the historical Train Station in Dürnstein, where the „Wachauer Safran Manufactury“ is located.

Where wine thrives there is also fruitful soil for saffron crocus. This was already known in around 1200 AD, when saffron began to be grown, a tradition lasting until the 19th century. The „Crocus austriacus“ was known in agriculture and pharmaceutical literature for being ´s best saffron. It´s outstanding quality and purity made it one of the most famous specialties of the Austrian-Hungarian empire.

Austrian Saffron Specialists For several years botanist Bernhard Kaar has been meticulously working on the recultivation of the world´s most expensive spice in Lower Austria. His ambition is to recreate with the Wachau saffron in Dürnstein the former top quality of the domestic safran. In order to achieve doing so, he has been following the regional cultivation tradition, found in 18th century texts. In the Library of the Benedictine Stift Melk Bernhard Kaar discovered a book written by the theologian Ulrich Petrak in 1797: “Practical lessons in growing the Lower Austrian saffron“. Bernhard Kaar´s intensive field research was definitely worthwile: the fibres of the „Wachauer Safran“ show a unique flavor. „The quality of the „Wachauer Safran“ is inimitable and can anytime be compared to international top quality“ says Kaar, who brought back the cultivation of saffron to its historical growing area.

Saffron Cultivation and Harvesting Closed wine terraces in the Wachau build the soil for Bernhard Kaar´s „Wachauer Safran“. This cultivation of this saffron is organically certified and it is the world´s only bio-dynamically certified (DEMETER) saffron. Only around seven to eight kilograms can be harvested per hectare. Around 120.000 saffron flowers are required in order to collect one kilogram of the „Wachauer Safran“. Due to the manual harvesting technique saffron is still the world´s most expensive spice. As it has been the case for centuries high quality saffron is even today measured with gold. Only the red, female pistils are picked. The secret of high quality saffron lies among other things in the drying procedure of its pistils. In 2007 Bernhard Kaar started to grow 30.000 plants in the Wachau and now cultivates around 300.000 saffron crocuses.

Wachauer Safran Manufaktur On the historical train station of Dürnstein, where the „Wachauer Safran Manufactury“ is located, there is a farm shop with opening hours during the season from Wednesday to Sunday, from 12 to 17 p.m. Bernhard Kaar has also created a saffron show garden here, where you can directly experience the flourishing of the „Wachauer Safran“ in autumn. During the whole season (from mid-April to November) a number of group events for gourmets and hobby gardeners, but also for school classes and works outings are offered. Apart from the interesting facts regarding the history and the growth-cycle of this exceptional plant, the workshop participatns will also learn more about different qualities of saffron and it´s imitiations. After the workshop carefully chosen saffron products like saffron chocolate, saffron honey, saffron Fleur de Sel (first quality sea salt) or saffron apricot jam will be offered to the guests in the farm shop.

Growing Your Own Saffron Bernhard Kaar´s ambition goes further than seeing his own saffron growing - he also wants to revive the tradition of growing saffron in the people´s kitchen garden. Those who want to harvest their own precious spice can have their 12 saffron plant package reserved in advance. The package will be sent to you during the plating season in August. Orders can be sent to: [email protected]. Price per package: 22 plus shipping charges.

The prerequisite for saffron to thrive successfully is having a well-drained herbal bed exposed to a lot of sun. If you plant it in August you will be able to harvest your first saffron threads in October/November the same year. Since saffron crocus propagates itself in the soil the “red gold“ grows more abundantly from year to year.

Saffron Knowledge Sharing “Saffron makes the cake yellow“, goes a famous Austrian children´s rhyme cites. The aromatic spice not only provides intense colour to your dishes but also impart to them an unforgettable flavour. Saffron gives the traditional Viennese beef broth it´s golden touch and rounds up other famous Austrian dishes like the „Semmelkren“, a mixture of horse radish, bread cubes, salt, pepper and beef broth. Already the ancient Romans swore by the fact that saffron and wine prevented a hung-over in the morning. Nowadays people still appreciate the golden spice for it´s uplifting effects.

Information: Donau-Niederösterreich Tourismus GmbH Mag. Jutta Mucha-Zachar PR & Medienmanagement A- 3620 Spitz, Schlossgasse 3 (T) +43(0)2713/30060-60, (F) +43(0)2713/30060-30 (E) [email protected], (U) www.donau.com

Pictures from the Danube Region in Lower Austria can be found in the online picture library on the web page www.donau.com/bildarchiv.