Lombardy adds to the Italian regions that produce Saffron (Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo, Sardinia, Emilia) and does it with a high quality product. In Italy the production of this spice reaches 600 kg / year. The agricultural enterprises engaged in the production of Saffron are about 320. Their specialized surfaces are generally either small or medium. However, the scenario is destined to change rapidly. Many young men and many women are discovering the benefits of this cultivation, more and more companies and cooperatives throughout Italy are focusing on the cultivation of Saffron in order to make it a local excellence.
At Faloppio (Como), Rolando Germani successfully started the ambitious project of cultivating a field of Saffron of excellence at Collina d’Oro, not far from the shores of Lake Como. The harvest gathered in 2015 by ‘Azienda Agricola Collina D'Oro’ agricultural company made the most of the intensive cultivation of highest quality bulbs and the successful completion of both preparation and testing process started in 2013 and 2014 with the first experimental implantation of bulbs of excellence.
The product is available in stigmas, in order to guarantee its quality, and enclosed in glass jars in different formats, exclusively designed in order to protect the most of its organoleptic characteristics. ‘Red gold of the lake’ stands out for its intense aroma and bright colouring, ranging from orange tones to burnt brown, and makes a difference in the preparation of each course, from appetizer to dessert.
Rolando Germani commented with satisfaction: “I have worked for much time in our family business next to my father, acquiring solid skills in the dairy industry, but my real passion has always concerned land. For years I have cultivated the dream to start a cultivation of Saffron right here in the territory of Como, in this terrain very dear to me, but above all ideal for the cultivation of this precious spice”. A fortunate combination of factors made the first harvest of ‘Collina d’Oro’ Saffron really special: the choice of bulbs of excellence, coming from the best Italian regions for the production of this spice and from the Spanish region of Castilla La Mancha, Iberian flagship for this cultivation, but also the favourable climatic conditions as well as quality of the land that houses the cultivation, a sunny area rich in minerals.
The cultivation of ‘Collina d’Oro’ Saffron was conducted in full respect of nature, without the use of either additives or chemicals. These Saffron flowers were picked at dawn, in the months of October and November, and the cultivation process was combined with manual labour with the use of a few basic tools. The entrepreneur closes: ‘By the end of 2016 our goal is to bring red gold of the lake all over the world’.
All the news concerning ‘Collina d’Oro’ Saffron, suggestions for its use, and delicious recipes proposed by our chefs are available online both on www.zafferanoacomo.com website and our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Zafferano-Collina-dOro-994988583895667), as well as on Twitter (@zafferanoacomo)
