KITCHEN PRACTICE 1 — Blooming Saffron in Warm Water
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Chapter: Spanish Cookery 3 — Saffron & Pimentón: Spain's Defining Spices

TASK
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Bloom a small pinch of saffron in warm water, following the
technique above, and watch the liquid's own colour deepen over the
full 10-20 minutes.

WHAT TO DO
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1. Measure out 10-15 saffron threads.
2. Crush them lightly between your fingers or with a mortar and
   pestle.
3. Warm 2-3 tablespoons of water until it's warm to the touch but
   well short of simmering (roughly 50-60°C).
4. Add the crushed threads to the warm water and let it steep,
   checking the colour every few minutes.
5. After 10-20 minutes, note the final colour and smell.

WHAT TO EXPECT
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- The water should shift from clear to a pale straw colour within
  the first few minutes, deepening steadily to a rich, deep gold by
  the 15-20 minute mark.
- The aroma should be genuinely distinctive — floral, slightly
  hay-like, unlike any other spice in this course's own pantry.
- The threads themselves will have released most of their colour
  into the liquid but should still be visible, softened, in the
  bottom of the cup.

WHY THIS WORKS AS AN ANSWER
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Watching the colour build gradually, rather than all at once, is the
clearest real demonstration of why saffron is steeped slowly rather
than fried — the process genuinely needs the full 10-20 minutes to
finish releasing its own colour and aroma.