Red gold: The world's most expensive spice - Carolyn Beans

Want to experiment with saffron in your own kitchen? You’ll find the spice in many recipes from across the world, including Pennsylvania Dutch chicken pot pie, biryani, and paella. For most dishes, you’ll only need a few strands. But to scent a bath like Cleopatra, you’ll likely need much more. According to Pat Willard in her book “Secrets of Saffron,” this Egyptian queen liked to add a quarter cup to her tub.

When purchasing the spice, beware of imposters! Throughout history, many have attempted to pass other less expensive plant bits off as saffron. Today, fraudulent spice dealers sometimes label calendula stigmas, corn fibers, and other lookalikes as saffron.

Around 90 percent of the world’s saffron is grown in Iran. But if you’d like to go right to the source and grow saffron yourself, Penn State Extension has a step-by-step guide to planting and harvesting your very own red gold.