Packing and Saffron

What to do with Saffron? Packing all my spices and going through kitchen cupboards culling out the things I can do without as I prepare my move from Virginia to Arizona, I found a tiny square bottle of Spanish Saffron. Ah, the memories it invoked. When I learned to make Paella and realized Saffron was a big part of the ingredient list, my friend (Caroline) and I had to have it. La Tienda in Williamsburg, Virginia has a wealth of Spanish products and once I began looking over their shelves I found not only Saffron, but bits and pieces of the Spanish culture that I feel so connected to. There are two types of Chorizo? And all that Spanish wine filled an entire room! One day a table was set up with a lovely white linen cloth; wine bottles and corks littered the table. "Cava?" the man said. "Si, senor" was my instant response as he handed me a glass of golden bubbling heaven. I held my own bottle of Cava, a tiny jar of Saffron, a bottle of garlic in some sort of water that I swore did not taste like garlic at all, an intriguing Spanish cookbook while Spanish music littered my head, I walked out the door, I knew I'd remember that day like it was yesterday. And today as I lifted that Saffron in my hand to drop into the awaiting packing box, I stopped and smiled and remembered. I can hardly wait to get to my new kitchen in my new house, remove it from the box and permeate my new kitchen with Paella scents and smile again. It will be a memory I will create as I continue to chip away at the sadness of losing my dad and hope the food and wine will also add a cheery reminder to mom that life goes on. And dad would want her to enjoy each day, each adventure and remind her that each memory keeps him alive for all of us.  And cooking is mom's best friend..... in fact my friend (Steven A) told me recently after hearing about mom's Chorizo Empanadas, that she is definitely an honorary Spaniard and I do agree with him wholeheartedly.