Bouillabaisse

[Eulux]

ok...bout to make my first bouillabaisse...for the fish I plan on using:

cod, flounder, drum, perch, whiting, king, snapper.

crustaceans:

shrimp, muscles...crab. scallops if I can find some good ones...

so far that sounds decent...input will be appreciated...changing the fish is no problem. I know it's supposed to be 5-7 different types of fish.

now my questions...

for the love of all holy, and my budget, does saffron really make a great deal of difference in this dish?

the crab...should I throw quarters of it in there, or pick out the meat? personally, I imagine sucking on the crab could prove quite satisfying...

should I serve french bread with this to mop up the soup? if so, anyone have a good tried and tested, non internet, method?

picking out the tomato seeds would be a good idea, yes? the bitterness might come through...

thoughts and comments appreciated.

[Stone]

Personally I think saffron is a complete waste of hard earned cash, but taste is relative to the taster.

I never have french bread, but I love garlic bread. Garlic bread with cheese and [raw] onion, yum.

[Eulux]

Personally I think saffron is a complete waste of hard earned cash, but taste is relative to the taster.

that's my theory, but then again I've only had some once...and I sold it. never tasted it...

[Stone]

I think that because it's so expensive people tend to trick themselves into believing that it is nicer than it is. If you've never had it though, then I'd say to try it anyway.

[Eulux]

at $500 US a pound...I'm not gonna get a whole lot...but I am ordering some seeds to just grow a bit for select recipes, and for experimentation. from what I've been told, you aren't supposed to use a whole lot, but that might again be because of the price...