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From Icelandic to Greek and from kefir to whipped, the variety found in yogurt is astonishing. Walk into the dairy section of any American grocery store, and yogurt will take up a sprawling chunk of the shelf. Though its popularity in the United States fluctuates according to food fads, yogurt has been a part of the human diet for millennia.

Required in many traditional recipes around the world, saffron is an often overlooked and underappreciated spice in mainstream American cooking. Composed of the dried stigmas (the part of the flower that captures pollen) of the crocus sativus or saffron crocus, saffron stands as the most labor-intensive spice in the world. One pound of dried saffron may require hand-harvested stigmas of 50,000 to 75,000 flowers. No wonder it has the stigma of being so expensive! However, don’t let the price intimidate you; a little saffron goes a long way, and its unique flavor makes it rare and sought-after. Experience saffron around the world by trying some of these recipes.