Inexpensive Saffron?

Obviously, saffron will never be truly inexpensive no matter where you buy it but does anyone know if there is a store on the North Side that sells saffron at a relatively inexpensive price?

Any of the Middle Eastern or South Asian groceries on Kedzie or Devon. I'm too lazy to give names and addresses.

Just make sure it's in a sealed and recognizable package. Sometimes people sell safflower threads as "saffron."

many years ago SAVEUR magazine reccd this place-

Bacstrom Import Company
P.O. Box 1047
El Cerrito, CA 94530
(510) 236-2131
(800) 599-1848
(510) 236-6402 Fax
info@bacstrom.com
http://www.bacstrom.com/

and although, you may be tempted to buy more than you normally would-
having a Mustard Jar sized stash of really good saffron on hand will inspire you in so many ways!

they also sell Vanilla Bean pods!

Hi,

Here is a source for inexpensive saffron or vanilla. Vanilla Saffron Imports

Tim

THanks for the tips, guys. In case you were wondering I was using the saffron for this fantastic pasta dish that is now going to be one of my week night go-tos.

I bought some at the spice house on Central in Evanston recently, and I was surprised at how cheap it was, and very good quality.

I had run out - I usually buy when I am traveling and it is a lot cheaper in the middle east. I would be really careful of cheap saffron, the high quality one is so much better

Trader Joe's has a Spanish Saffron (threads) in 1 gram glass jars for $5.79.
I've used it several times in Morrocan dishes and it tasted the way it should.

I know this thread is a few months old... Hope I'm not committing thread-necro...

Last night, I was in Arlington Heights, and stopped for some groceries at Garden Fresh Market. (Love, love, love that grocery store! Fortunately, it's close to where my mom lives.) They have a large Hispanic spices section, and had a jar (I want to say 1.5 oz) of saffron by a brand called Badia for $7.99.

I don't know if it's the most high quality saffron, but I always buy cheap spices from the Hispanic markets and have never had a problem with quality or flavor.

Hope that helps!

Garden Fresh Market
600 E. Rand Rd. (Corner of Rand & Palatine)
Arlington Heights
(847) 577-1770