The Elephant and Butter

I'll tell you what: when the indignities of existence start to pile up, when you have nothing but untoward pebbles in your shoes, when your well has run dry and you begin to miss your water, there is a pretty good thing you can do: smell saffron. That's what I do. I have a small, corked bottle of crocus stigmas I open and smell when the occasion calls for it. The sharp red air clears out all that needs clearing. It's pretty good in banana pepper risotto, too.