The Saffron Flower Festival
The historic, cultural, and gastronomic traditions of one of the world's most costly spices are celebrated against the backdrop of one of Spain's most iconic landscapes.
The famous windmills of Don Quixote fame are lined up like sentinels on the Calderico Hill in Consuegra, an hour and a half drive south of Madrid. These solid, white-washed cylindrical tower mills with their pointed roofs and skeletal vanes are an iconic image of central Spain and a reminder of the area’s importance in the cultivation of the wheat, barley and oats that once fed an empire.
Today the region known as Castilla la Mancha continues to contribute to the country’s economy through its grain production, goat milk Manchego cheese, and the famously valuable delicate red gold stigma of the Crocus sativus flower, also known as saffron.
The 600m high undulating plateau is the largest plain in Castilla la Mancha and contrary to My Fair Lady’s claim of a rainy plain, La Mancha derives from the Arabic word المنشأ al-mansha, meaning "land without water". The dry farmland is scorching hot in the summer months and drops to below zero temps during the winters. Add climate change to a land already devoid of predictable precipitation, and you have a harsh landscape for farmers eking out a living in crop cultivation.
Which is what makes the production of saffron all the more precarious. This aromatic spice of kings has long been considered a valuable product, making it literally worth more than its weight in gold. The harsh climate, limited harvest time, and long hours of manual labour means that 1kg of the fine strands can rake in up to 10,000 euros retail. Fortunately, few people need a kilo of saffron, but anyone who’s tried to buy some from the local specialty store will remember their shock at the price paid for the insignificant amount sold in miniature vials. That said, a gram of the stuff can go a long way.
Saffron is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. The Romans who decided to make Spain their own, grew the flower to use as a spice in their food, as a dye for their clothes, and as a medicine to cure various illnesses. With the collapse of the empire, saffron fell out of use until the 9th and 10th centuries when the Moors from north Africa re-introduced it and began planting the flowers in Andalusia, Castille, La Mancha and Valencia. The Spanish word for saffron (azafran) comes from the Arabic, az-zaferán.
Due to the challenges growers face, the sector in Spain has fallen from 140 tonnes grown on 13,000 hectares of land annually a century ago, to 450kg on 140 hectares today, 90% of which comes from Castilla La Mancha. Saffron sold cheaper in other countries such as Iran or Greece makes the competition even stiffer. In recognition of its superior quality, the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, given by the European Union, guarantees the quality and geographical origin of La Mancha saffron.
There are still many Manchego farmers whose livelihoods depend on the production of saffron and who are proud to carry on their families’ tradition. Towards the end of October when the harvest season begins and the crocuses are blooming, entire families and their friends head out to the fields before dawn with their wicker baskets while the petals are still closed. By 11 am the flowers have opened up to the hot sun, making the process a lot slower. But the back-breaking work continues on during the day.
Once the flowers have been collected, they are laid out onto tables where dexterous fingers, most often belonging to the women of the community, carefully and quickly extract the three red stigmas from within the mauve petals before the flowers have a chance to soften and rot. This is known as the monda; the long hours of chatting and laughter are no distraction for the yellow-stained fingers that follow their own rhythm. The next step is to dry the strands and toast them slowly over a low heat. The finished product is then weighed and stored to be sold to the highest bidders.
And then it’s time to celebrate.
The saffron flower festival takes place the last weekend of October bringing whole communities together as well as tourists from all over the country and beyond to the small town of Consuegra. The historic windmills and the La Muela Castle that dates back to the 10th century are a spectacular backdrop to the festivities.
For three days under blue Castilian skies, the locals, dressed in folkloric costumes – women in long colourful skirts, the hair swept back in buns, shawls around their shoulders, and the men with their head scarves, waistcoats, and capri pants, dance, play music and sing traditional songs.
Since 1963, Consuegra has recognised the cultural, historic, and gastronomic importance of their saffron through this festival which also brings awareness and recognition to an agricultural tradition in danger of extinction. Declared of National Touristic Interest, the saffron festival consists of various events, beginning with the proclamation of the Dulcinea and Ladies of Honour, and inauguration of the exhibitions and the fairgrounds.
Monda competitions are held at a local level, a regional level, and finally at a national level in which the participants dress in their regional traditional costumes. Prizes are awarded to those with the fastest and most expertise fingers.
The oldest and best-preserved windmill, known as “Sancho” is used in the “Milling of Peace and Love” ceremony which is dedicated to organizations, institutions or individuals who have contributed to the coexistence and tolerance of people from all corners of the world. The wheat (representing different cultures) is blessed before being ground in the mill. The resulting flour demonstrates how essentially we are all the same. Bags of this flour are then distributed to the attendees as souvenirs.
Meanwhile, back down in the town, there are exhibitions, displays of agricultural and livestock machinery, a trade fair of artisanal products, sports competitions, and cultural events. There are guided tours which offer an opportunity to visit the saffron fields and a saffron grower’s house.
And of course, (and most importantly!) there are gastronomic presentations, competitions, and tastings of saffron-imbued dishes.
If you’re ever in the area, Madridejos, 11 km to the east of Consuegra, is home to the Saffron and Ethnographic Museum where the visitor can learn more about the history and cultivation of this wonderful prized product.