There can be no one who hates a pleasant, warm, bright sunny day. Not hot, just perfectly warm. Even if you were a rainy day and hot chocolate person, you cannot deny the joy of sunshine.

That is what it feels like while eating this gorgeous Molten Sunshine soup. Because this isn’t just your average, every day corn soup. It’s corn soup enhanced with the brilliance of orange bell peppers and the elegant extravagance of saffron.

What’s special about Saffron

Saffron is the world’s costliest spice, and rightly so. Each strand is the stamen of the crocus flower,  which yields 4 flowers per plant, and 3 strands of saffron per flower. Due to the delicate nature of it’s source and structure, each strand needs to be hand picked with the utmost care and love. But it all stands to be worth the effort as these fibers are inherently imbibed with a unique brilliance of flavor and color. When you steep the strands (a tiny pinch goes a long way) into warm liquid, you can see the color diffuse into the fluid, beautifully dispersing itself and releasing an intense, earthy aroma.

But flavor and color aren’t the only things saffron offers – it has been used in ancient Ayurvedic medicine to cure colds, increase energy, improve immunity, as an antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent . It’s also said to improve complexion, remedy delayed puberty, improve libido and so much more!

They say that one can never have too much of a good thing. But saffron must be a clear exception. Too much saffron in a dish can overpower all the other ingredients, resulting in a bitter, almost medicine like taste. And yes, consuming more than 2 tbsp of saffron could poison you, although there are no reported cases. But hey, it’s possible!

Sunshine Soup

This Molten Sunshine soup really does feel like ingesting sunshine, if something like that can ever be accomplished or imagined. There is an ever-so-light heat from the bell peppers accompanied by the sweet creaminess of the corn and milk. The vegetable broth lends a soft undertone of flavor that does not take focus from the main ingredients.

Finally, the saffron imparts its signature color and flavor to this dish, making it truly worth splurging in for special occasions. But don’t worry, even without the saffron, this soup is delightful to enjoy on seemingly unexceptional days that do not warrant the extravagance of the world’s costliest spice.

 When you make these (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here!