英语词汇saffron的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

saffron. Saffron costs about $400 a pound, making it one of the world’s most expensive spices. This is primarily because it takes 4,000 blossoms of the autumn crocus (Crocus sativus), or 225,000 of its handpicked stigmas, to make one ounce of saf- fron. But luckily a little goes a long way, for the spice has been coveted by gourmets and lovers since the Arabs introduced it to Spain in the eighth century a.d. Even before then saffron was used by the Phoenicians to flavor the moon-shaped love cakes dedicated to Astoreth, their goddess of fertility. Today the spice is often called “vegetable gold.” The old expression he hath slept in a bed of saffron refers to the supposed exhilarating effects of saffron, meaning “he has a very light heart.” As an old poem puts it:

词汇	saffron
词源	saffron. Saffron costs about $400 a pound, making it one of the world’s most expensive spices. This is primarily because it takes 4,000 blossoms of the autumn crocus (Crocus sativus), or 225,000 of its handpicked stigmas, to make one ounce of saf- fron. But luckily a little goes a long way, for the spice has been coveted by gourmets and lovers since the Arabs introduced it to Spain in the eighth century a.d. Even before then saffron was used by the Phoenicians to flavor the moon-shaped love cakes dedicated to Astoreth, their goddess of fertility. Today the spice is often called “vegetable gold.” The old expression he hath slept in a bed of saffron refers to the supposed exhilarating effects of saffron, meaning “he has a very light heart.” As an old poem puts it: With genial joy to warm his soul, Helen mixed saffron in the bowl. See crocus.
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