How to make a Mango smoothie with Sea Buckthorn Berries and Saffron

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In need of a breakfast-ready-in-a-flash?

No need to worry no more! Global(sp)iced has the perfect recipe of a super-fast, healthy & yummy smoothie with a hint of saffron! The saffron gives the smoothie a more complex flavor and balances the acid and sweetness of the coconut water, the mango and the sea buckthorn berries in an excellent way.

Try it for your self! I promise,you will not be disappointed!

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Spice of the week - Saffron

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Saffron – the golden god of spices! 

Saffron is derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, from which the red-orange stigma of the flower makes its red and yellow color. The stigma is then dried and either gets crushed into powder form or left in strands. Each strand of saffron is handpicked from the saffron crocus, which makes this a labor intensive spice to source. It takes about 75,000 crocus flowers to make one pound of saffron spice, and 4,500 crocus flowers make up one ounce of saffron spice – that is why this golden spice is the most world’s most expensive edible gold!

Historical facts
The plant originally came from Asian countries where it is still mainly produced, where Iran alone accounts for 90 per cent of the total quantity harvested worldwide. However, some people claim that it comes from Greece, (probably Greeks themselves) where it was found on the Island of Crete for the first time during the bronze age. In the region of Oxiana, between Iran and Afghanistan, only little girls are allowed to pick saffron. They have to be virgins or under 13, or so the legend goes. During the Middle Ages in Nuremberg, whoever adulterated saffron with the addition of less precious ingredients, was burnt alive.

How to zest with Saffron

Together with turmeric, coriander, cumin, chilli pepper and other spices, it is one of the star ingredients in this Indian spice mix of worldwide fame.
Nonetheless, Saffron can be used in so many dishes, with only your imagination as your limit! Saffron is used all over the world from Morocco to Iran to India to Spain and Sweden, all with local recipes that represent the culture of the country. Saffron loves to be paired with seafood, rice, pastas, fish, lamb and pears, the possibilities are endless. Among the most well-known dishes containing saffron, French bouillabaisse, pilaf and Asian biryani, Spanish paella and, last but not least, saffron buns (Lussebullar) from Sweden made around christmas. It is even possible to buy wines aromatized with saffron, as well as many liqueurs, comprising vodka and gin, which are renowned for their digestive properties.

This spice is a golden god – that is why we are very excited to start using Saffron as our spice of the week. Enjoy!

And the winners are…

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Global(sp)iced is happy to announce the winners of the licorice challenge 2015. Three lucky persons are some candy richer. The correct answer was 346 pieces of licorice. Nobody has found the right answer, but three proposed solutions were very close:

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  1. Ahmad A.
  2. Anna E.
  3. My Näslund

Congrats and a sweet Sunday. The winners will be informed via e-mail as well. We would like once again to offer heartfelt thanks, in particular to our sponsor Malaco and to the participants from all over the world.

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