Saffron and Vanilla Pods

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of the saffron crocus, and its cultivation dates back over 3,000 years. Because of the difficult and labour-intensive harvesting process, saffron has long been the world's most expensive spice by weight.

Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron, and is derived from orchids originally native to Mexico. It was only in the mid-nineteenth century that hand pollination methods were developed which allowed the plant to be cultivated globally.