番紅花，西班牙

I tossed just a few threads into my paella and the color turned that brilliant bright yellow I was hoping for. The earthy smell while cooking was exactly what you'd expect from real saffron.

I was surprised by how strong the earthy aroma was when I opened the jar—just a pinch turned my rice a brilliant yellow. The threads are long and intact, which made me feel like I got my money's worth.

The earthy aroma really filled the kitchen as soon as I opened the jar, and just a few threads gave my paella a beautiful yellow tint. It's pricey, but you only need a tiny pinch to get great results—this 1-gram pack will last me ages.