Harvesting saffron at Domaine Lou Cayla

We’ve done the grape harvest, now it’s time to bring in the saffron crop, using the most junior members of the team.

The crocus flowers smell absolutely wonderful, of honey rather than saffron. Each crocus has just three strands or stigmas of saffron, which we pluck by hand, dry on paper towels, store and use for paella or fish sauces throughout the year. The smell and flavour of home-grown saffron is much more intense than the shop bought variety so a little goes a long way.

Can you spot the intruder in one of the photos?