Food for Millionaires
From time to time, we all hear about restaurants and places that serve exorbitantly expensive dishes – from a glass of wine costing several hundred dollars to a pizza priced at $12,000.
For most inhabitants of planet Earth, these prices seem simply outrageous, leading to a reasonable question: "Are these dishes sprinkled with gold or diamonds?"
In most cases, the question is entirely appropriate, as the cost of some dishes is indeed inflated without any valid reason.
However, sometimes certain products are so expensive because they are very rare, highly sought after, and possess an exquisite unique taste.
Iberico Bellota Ham
Price: $320 per kilogram.
The mere smell of Iberico Bellota ham is expensive. Spending such an amount of money on a piece of meat will surely make you feel that such a high price is entirely justified.
This is precisely what members of the Spanish royal families eat. Iberico ham comes from wild boars that feed on acorns in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The product has a sweetish taste, softened by a saltiness reminiscent of parmesan.
Moreover, the fat has such a low melting point that, when it enters the mouth, it melts on the tongue and coats the palate like cream.
However, to taste Iberico Bellota ham, you don't need to be an oligarch. In some places, you can order a piece of this delicacy (it will cost you $15-25) and try it with a rich red wine, such as Chianti.
La Bonnotte Potatoes
Price: about $600 per kilogram.
Starch, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C are the main components of this vegetable. La Bonnotte potatoes grow in Noirmoutier-en-l'Île, an island off the west coast of France.
Few ordinary mortals would think of spending around six hundred dollars on a kilogram of potatoes.
So, why is the price of these potatoes so sky-high?
The skin of La Bonnotte potatoes is infused with special salts from seawater.
The fact is that the potato fields are fertilized exclusively with seaweed. By penetrating the soil, they create favorable conditions for the growth of this exclusive product.
The enriched sandy soil becomes a true treasure.
The main value of this product lies in its remarkable soft taste, which is both sweet and salty at the same time. It is said that this potato is the very variety that the Inca god Viracocha once created.
However, if you cannot afford to spend $500-600 on potatoes, you might achieve a similar taste by using immature red or purple potatoes, salting and seasoning the cooking water properly.
Black Ivory Coffee
Price: about $2000 per kilogram.
You may have heard of Kopi Luwak coffee, gourmet coffee beans collected from the feces of civets (small animals). The so-called Black Ivory coffee is the same concept of coffee production, but from a different animal – it comes from elephant dung.
During the lengthy digestive process in elephants, enzymes break down the chemicals that cause bitterness in the beans, resulting in a softer, less acidic coffee variety than usual.
It is no surprise that with such a high price, this coffee is recommended to be brewed multiple times. Agree, it's quite an economical use of leftover coffee grounds.
Time will tell whether the price of this coffee will soar even higher or remain at the current level, which, by the way, is also far from low.
Today, anyone can purchase Black Ivory coffee online. If this coffee is slightly beyond your price range but you crave a cup of this magical drink, try buying Kopi Luwak, which is a bit cheaper.
However, it's still not a cheap pleasure – about $330 for half a kilogram of coffee beans.
Matsutake Mushrooms
Price: about $100 per kilogram.
The most expensive mushrooms in the world, matsutake, grow in North America, South Korea, Canada, Finland, and Sweden, but most are exported to Japan, where there is particularly high demand for this product.
Matsutake have cultural significance in Japan, where they symbolize fertility, abundance, and happiness. Other well-known symbolic products include horse meat sashimi (for strength) and cod milk (for male potency).
Kobe Beef
Price: $800 per kilogram.
Juicy marbled meat, intense flavor, and natural tenderness make Kobe beef one of the most expensive products in the world.
Kobe beef must meet specific certification criteria. The quality of the meat is assessed based on several parameters. In particular, it must come from Tajima black cattle. By the way, these cows are raised exclusively in Hyogo Prefecture (Japan).
Some restaurants try to pass off other types of beef as Kobe beef. Only a few restaurants serve authentic Kobe beef.
A few years ago, the restaurant industry was rocked by a scandal: some high-end establishments were closed after patrons discovered they were being deceived by being served cheaper Wagyu beef instead of Kobe.
If you see this type of beef on a restaurant menu, ask to see the certification. (This is part of the agreement between suppliers and restaurant owners.) You have every right to know what you are paying such high prices for. If the restaurant does not have a certificate, then you are paying a fortune for another type of beef.
Ayam Cemani
Price: $400 per bird.
The meat of Ayam Cemani chickens from Indonesia is considered elite. The inky, almost coal-black color of the meat, beak, feathers, and skin shocks everyone at first glance.
And while for Europeans or Americans, Ayam Cemani is simply delicious and nutritious meat, for the people of Indonesia, it is something more. Few have heard of the mystical and magical healing properties of this bird's blood.
For this reason, Indonesians widely use the chickens as sacrificial animals. Anyone interested can taste Ayam Cemani meat in specialized restaurants.
Densuke Black Watermelon
Price: $6,100 per watermelon.
There was a time when Densuke black watermelons were sold for more than $8,000 each. Today, one watermelon will cost you no less than $6,000, which is also not cheap.
So, what is so special about this watermelon besides its color? It is known that Densuke watermelons have denser flesh, more juice, and are sweeter than regular watermelon varieties. You certainly won't be able to grow it in your garden.
This variety of watermelon is exclusively grown on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
But is it worth such enormous money, and should one spend thousands of dollars on something that is ultimately considered a watermelon? That is for each individual to decide.
White Truffles (Alba Madonna)
Price: $8,000 and above per kilogram.
If you occasionally consume Alba Madonna truffles, also known as white truffles, you probably often visit high-end restaurants and know a thing or two about good dishes.
This type of mushroom is on the list of the most expensive foods in the world, accessible only to the wealthy.
So, what makes buyers willing to shell out such a crazy amount of money?
The rarity of the mushroom combined with its unique taste and aroma, which you are unlikely to find in any other dish, makes this mushroom one of the most expensive and sought-after products in the world.
However, even "white truffle" oil, sold at unjustifiably high prices, does not bring you closer to the taste and smell of real white truffles. Scientists also cannot replicate them artificially, so you won't find these mushrooms in the local market.
Due to the nature of white truffles, harvesting methods have hardly changed since the Roman Empire. So-called truffle hunters still use trained dogs and pigs to find rare specimens in the forests of the Piedmont region of Northern Italy.
Ruby Roman Grapes
Price: $11,000 per bunch.
Who would pay $11,000 for a bunch of grapes? Takamaru Konishi from Hyogo Prefecture in southwestern Japan. This man is known for being able to afford to buy high-quality fruits at the price of an airplane.
Ruby Roman grapes are characterized by their red color, and their size is about that of a ping pong ball. They are much sweeter than regular grapes. This variety of grapes is grown in Japan. In this country, certain seasonal fruits often fetch enormous prices.
For example, Konishi purchased grapes for a record $11,000 and then held a free tasting in his supermarket.
Agreed, a worthy act – to buy grapes at such a high price and then distribute them among supermarket customers.
Caspian Beluga-Albino Caviar
Price: $25,000 for a small jar of caviar.
You can confidently assume that anything related to caviar is very expensive. Black and red caviar are generally a status symbol and an indicator of a good life; this is precisely the product that the poor do not eat.
If the price of sturgeon, sterlet, and beluga caviar typically ranges from $20 to $50 for 50 grams, the price of Caspian beluga-albino caviar is particularly high.
But for gourmets with deep pockets, white caviar from the Iranian company Almas is the most coveted goal. This is the rare pearl variety of beluga caviar harvested from the Caspian Sea, about which legends abound.
You can purchase Iranian white caviar Almas in London. So, if you happen to visit the capital of the United Kingdom and have an extra $25,000 in your wallet, be sure to try this rare delicious delicacy.
Yubari Melon
Price: about $12,000 per melon.
Yubari melon is considered the queen among melons. If you wish, you can try this royal variety of melon only on the island of Hokkaido, Japan.
It has an exceptional aroma and sweet taste. But is it worth such, without exaggeration, insane money?
Certainly, only a very wealthy person can afford the royal Yubari melon. Notably, a melon sold at auction in late spring 2017 for $27,240 became one of the most expensive products ever sold at auctions.
The auction winner stated that he wanted to pay the farmers for their hard work with this very melon. The auction winner, as you might have guessed, was none other than Takamaru Konishi, the fruit buyer who also bought and distributed the Ruby Roman grapes.
Saffron
Up to 600,000 rubles per kilogram.
Saffron is often referred to as the "royal spice" – its price matches this status. In online stores, the cost of 1 gram of spice varies depending on the country of production: Iranian saffron costs 230 rubles, Spanish – 525 rubles, and Indian – 660 rubles. The high price is explained by the difficulty of harvesting this spice: it is obtained from the stigmas of the saffron crocus flowers, and there are only three in each flower. Harvesting saffron is a very labor-intensive process, and only a small amount is needed in a dish: 1 gram is enough for several pots of pilaf. Saffron gives the dish a yellow color and is also an aphrodisiac and antiseptic, calms, improves metabolism, and smooths facial skin.
According to legend, in the Middle Ages, one pound (450 grams) of saffron was exchanged for an Arabian stallion. Since then, this spice has remained the most expensive spice in the world.
Bluefin Tuna
Up to $8,100 per kilogram.
One of the largest and fastest fish on the planet, bluefin tuna is also the most expensive. The absolute record price was set in December 2012: a 222 kg bluefin tuna was sold at a Tokyo auction for $1.8 million ($8,108 per kg). However, earlier this year, the same buyer – Japanese restaurateur Kiyoshi Kimura, to his surprise, bought a slightly smaller fish weighing 180 kg for $37,500 ($208 per kg). Experts say that the drop in market prices may indicate that the population of bluefin tuna in the Sea of Japan is recovering. However, in Moscow, 1 kg of this fish is still exorbitantly expensive: it costs from 17,000 rubles.
Civet Coffee
The most unusual and expensive coffee is produced in Indonesia with the direct involvement of animals – civets. These creatures swallow the ripest and tastiest coffee cherries, and then their feces containing the beans are collected by people, processed, and made into the elite drink Kopi Luwak. According to sellers, it "has a rare caramel hue, smells of chocolate, and is a drink of the gods."
Interestingly, civets were once considered pests in Southeast Asia until someone clever figured out how to put their feces to use. It turned out that after being processed by the enzymes in the animals' stomachs, the coffee beans change their flavor properties, losing bitterness: the drink becomes smooth and contains less caffeine. The high price of the coffee is explained by the fact that authentic Kopi Luwak is made from the droppings of wild, not farmed civets, meaning it is produced in small quantities, and the processing and production process is extremely labor-intensive. In the Russian market, prices for this coffee range from 2,300 to 10,800 rubles for 100 grams.
The Most Expensive Dumplings in the World
The most expensive dumplings can be tasted at the "Golden Gates" restaurant in the Bronx (New York, USA). In addition to veal, moose meat, and pork, they contain iron from deep-sea lantern fish, resulting in the dumplings emitting a blue-green light even under moderate lighting, while remaining completely edible and delicious.
A serving of 8 dumplings costs $2,400.
Chinese Da Hong Pao Tea
The most expensive tea in the world is Oolong. The first record of it dates back to 1385. Da Hong Pao translates to "Big Red Robe." Why is that? The legend says that a Chinese student was cured of illness by this tea by monks.
The student, with the help of the divine drink, healed from his illness, passed an important exam, received a red robe in honor of this event, and named the tea after the robe. The leaves of this tea are harvested from six unique bushes near the Tian Xin Si monastery. These bushes are about 350 years old.
The last harvest from these bushes was sold 10 seasons ago – only about 400 grams. Since then, the leaves harvested from these bushes have been sent directly to the state treasury. The name Da Hong Pao has been assigned to all tea bushes growing in the area. However, they did not acquire the magical properties of true Da Hong Pao, although the taste is indeed very similar. Moreover, it is not just about the tea variety. The technology of its production is very complex. Therefore, the price is so sky-high. The auction price can reach up to $700,000 per kilogram.
The Most Expensive Meat in the World
Marbled meat is the most expensive animal product. The term is primarily applied to beef, less often to pork and horse meat. Wagyu beef – this is the name of the delicacy you can purchase if you have an extra $800. Wagyu cattle are raised with special care. The Japanese and Australians take an individual approach to their care to produce marbled meat, that is, a product filled with intramuscular fat layers.
The most layers are found in the shoulder part of the fattened animal, but not a calf, but an adult cow. The marbling of the meat depends on good nutrition and care; for example, cows are played pleasant music and given massages. The resulting most expensive meat in the world is then used to prepare expensive dishes – the juiciest and tenderest steaks of all.
The Most Expensive Nut in the World
The most expensive and smallest nuts in the world are pine nuts. Pine nuts are actually not nuts at all, but edible seeds of pine trees. The average price for 1 kg of pine nuts in the world is about $75-80.
Another interesting and expensive nut is the Macadamia nut, costing around $60 per kilogram. They grow in tropical countries, but previously their presence could only be found in Australia. The nuts were considered the only currency in trade with European countries. The thing is that harvesting Macadamia is quite difficult – they grow at an extreme height of over 15 meters, and manually picking the small nuts is hard. Moreover, ocean winds excellently "handle" the task and carry away half the harvest very far. Special machines are allocated for harvesting.
The nuts are very rich in vitamins and fats, the latter of which are successfully used in cosmetology. They are eaten dried, fresh, crushed, and in sweet dishes – coated with caramel or chocolate. Gourmets believe that Macadamia is not tasty at all without coffee or sherry and resembles an ordinary walnut, but with these products – it acquires an interesting delicate taste and aroma.
The Most Expensive Omelet in the World
The most expensive omelet in the world can be eaten at the "Le Parker Meridien" hotel restaurant in New York. It costs $1,000. In addition to eggs, the omelet contains whole lobsters. It is served on a bed of fried potatoes and garnished with ten ounces of sturgeon caviar.
The Most Expensive Oil in the World
The most expensive oil in the world is argan oil. Argania grows in Morocco. The leaves of this tree are a favorite delicacy of local goats. The fruits are olive-shaped. It takes a whopping 30 kg of fruit to produce one liter of oil. For 100 ml of such oil, you will have to pay 250 currency units.
The Most Expensive Bread in the World
Roquefort and Almond Sourdough Bread. It costs $25 and is made with the finest Class A flour, fermented together with expensive French "Roquefort" cheese and high-quality almonds. This miracle bread can only be purchased in boutiques in London.
The Most Expensive Cheese in the World
A kilogram of Pule cheese, made from donkey milk, costs $1,280. This has allowed this dairy product to take the top spot in the ranking of the most expensive cheeses in the world.
Swedish Cheese from Moose House Dairy
The moose Gullan, Helga, and Juna from the Swedish Moose House farm have become famous worldwide. They provide the milk for the production of the most expensive cheese in the world. The lengthy milking process, which takes about three hours, and seasonality – moose only give milk from May to September – also affect the price. The animals are fed organic feed and kept in special conditions. Considering that there are only three moose, the amount of cheese produced does not exceed 200 kg per year. All these factors make their cheese an expensive delicacy.
It cannot be found on the market, only in luxury restaurants in Europe, and not in all of them. The price is no less than $1,000 per kilogram.
The Most Expensive Water in the World
A blend of pure spring water from France, Fiji islands, with the addition of glacial water from Iceland - Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani. It is named after the famous Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.
The smooth shapes of the container in the form of a Mongoloid face are covered in pure 24-karat gold. This extraordinary water in composition and design costs $60,000 for a 1.25-liter bottle.
La Madeline au Truffe Chocolate
This is the most expensive artisanal chocolate in the world. Chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt from Connecticut, USA, made a name for himself by creating a unique product based on an exclusive recipe. It is known that the candies are made from Valrhona dark chocolate and truffle oil with the addition of sugar, cream, and vanilla.
The proportions and method of mixing the ingredients are kept in strict secrecy. The production of each such candy takes about two weeks. This wonderful chocolate is made exclusively to order. The fact is that it can only be stored in light for no more than an hour. As they say, enjoy it while you can! The price is $2,600 per pound (453 grams), and the cost of a single 50-gram candy is about $250.
The Most Expensive Juice in the World
The most expensive juice in the world – Noni is made from the namesake exotic fruits with numerous health benefits. The thick burgundy juice significantly improves well-being, relieves hypertension and stress-induced tension, and enhances overall health. Noni fruits grow on Morinda citrifolia trees, which are widespread in the South Pacific region. A box of juice (four one-liter bottles) costs from $200.
Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck & Co. Champagne
The full name of this drink is Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck & Co Monopole Champagne. It sounds like music. And the fizz of the bubbles popping on the surface sounds like the chime of coins. After all, this is the most expensive sparkling wine in the world. Its cost is explained not only by its production in the French Champagne region and the year of grape harvest. This champagne has an amazing history. It was intended for Russian Emperor Nicholas II. The wine was shipped on a ship during the height of World War I. As is known, Russia and France were allies at that time, so the wine was not subject to any sanctions. However, during transportation in 1917, the ship carrying the champagne was attacked by a German submarine. Thus, the entire imperial drink sank to the bottom. Then, a revolution occurred in Russia, and no one was concerned about champagne anymore. Only in 1998 were the surviving bottles of wine raised from the bottom of the Gulf of Finland. The price at auction in Moscow was $275,000 per bottle.
Château Lafite 1787 Red Wine
This wine is made in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. According to the official classification of Bordeaux wines from 1855, Château Lafite belongs to the category of first growths, that is, the highest category in the classification. Unfortunately, the shelf life of Bordeaux wines is short. After 50 years, the wine inevitably turns into vinegar.
Therefore, it is unlikely that anyone would dare to sip an old Château Lafite.
However, the value of Château Lafite 1787 is not in its taste qualities. The fact is that several bottles were personally signed by Thomas Jefferson, who later became the third president of the United States. In 1787, Jefferson was an ambassador in France and regularly attended tastings in the wine cellars of Bordeaux and Burgundy. He was a great connoisseur of fine drinks and sometimes purchased entire batches of wine. To this day, only three bottles with the autograph of the great politician have survived.
The price at auction in 1985 was $168,000, purchased by publisher Malcolm Forbes.
Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945 Red Wine
The year 1945 is considered one of the best vintages of the 20th century – this is the first reason why this wine costs insane amounts of money. The second important fact is that it was created by one of the best Bordeaux producers in the Médoc region (the top five also includes Château Margaux, Château Lafite, Château Latour, and Château Haut-Brion). And, thirdly, the wine is bottled in a "jeroboam." The capacity of this bottle is four and a half liters. Thus, the price per liter of "Château Mouton-Rothschild" is indeed lower than that of another red wine – "Château Lafite." But perhaps a bottle of wine priced like a mansion overlooking the vineyards is a good investment? The lucky owner of the giant bottle was a collector and wine enthusiast who wished to remain anonymous. He bought it at auction in 2007 for $310,700 per bottle.
Elvish Honey
The most expensive honey in the world was "discovered" in 2009. A hereditary beekeeper, Gunay Gunduz from the Sarikair valley near the city of Artvin in northeastern Turkey, noticed that bees were flying into a cave. Driven by curiosity, he gathered a team of professional climbers and penetrated the cave, which was 1800 meters deep.
Gunduz's curiosity was generously rewarded. The expedition discovered 18 kilograms of wild honey. And what honey it was!
The mineral-rich cave and the special microclimate of the underground created a true masterpiece. Laboratory studies conducted in France showed that the concentration of minerals in elvish honey exceeds that of regular hive honey by several times. The price of the first kilogram of this elvish delicacy was sold at the French stock exchange for 45,000 euros in 2009. In 2010, pharmacists from China bought a kilogram of honey for 28,000 euros. Today, the unique elvish honey costs "only" 5,000 euros per kilogram. It is sold in small bottles of 170 and 250 grams.
The Most Expensive Pizza "Luis XIII" is offered by young Italian chef Renato Viola. It costs 8,300 euros. According to the author, "this price is not exaggerated, considering the exclusive products and the two people who come to your home to prepare it." The pizza, besides the base, is prepared in the presence of the client. The ingredients include buffalo mozzarella, three types of caviar, as well as red langoustine, shrimp, and lobster (all of which are elite and very expensive). Even the salt in this pizza is not ordinary and not even sea salt, but Australian pink "Murray River" salt.
Vieille Bon Secours Beer — $1,000 per bottle.
However, this bottle is of non-standard volume. It holds 3 gallons, or 12.35 liters of drink. This 8% beer is brewed in Belgium and aged for up to 10 years. The drink is most popular in Britain. Many London bars have at least one of the three varieties of this ale – light, dark, or amber.
The Most Expensive Vodka "Diva" is made by Scottish masters following all conceivable and inconceivable rules. It is filtered through northern birch charcoal, and for complete purification – through sand and crushed diamonds and other precious stones. The standard bottle is decorated with cubic zirconia, but at the customer's request, they can be replaced with any other gemstones. Depending on the cost of the decorations, the price of the bottle varies – from the standard $400 to $1,000.
Samundari Hazana
If a grand, rich, and pompous celebration is in order, the London restaurant "Bombay Brasserie" knows how to arrange it. You will be served Devon crab with white truffles with half a tomato stuffed with beluga caviar. If that is not enough for the guest of honor, the dish will be adorned with edible gold leaf, served with four snails called "sea ears," and four quail eggs stuffed to the brim with caviar. All this pleasure will cost you 2,000 British pounds.
Chocolate-Gold Ice Cream
American chef Steven Bruce has developed a truly magical ice cream. It consists of 28 layers of cocoa, 14 of which are very rare and expensive. But that's not all. The ice cream contains 5 grams of edible 23-karat gold, topped with a generous portion of whipped cream, and adorned with the finest chocolate truffles on the sides. The truffles used to decorate the ice cream cost $2,600 per pound. To add more luxury to his creation, Bruce designed a special crystal dish that uses 18-karat gold, and its stem is adorned with a bracelet featuring a magnificent white diamond. The ice cream comes with a golden spoon adorned with brown gemstones. The price for all this pleasure is a mere $25,000. For the less affluent, there is a mini version of the main ice cream, which costs only $1,000.
The Most Expensive Pie
The most expensive pie costs $14,260, and a slice costs $1,871. This marvel can be found at "The Fence Gate Inn" hotel in Lancashire, England. This pie consists of fillet mignon, which costs $870 per pound, matsutake mushrooms, and winter white truffles. The pie is always served with two bottles of Château Mouton Rothschild wine at $1,740 per bottle, French truffles, and a small bread roll. And all this is wrapped in a large gold leaf.
The Most Expensive Bagel in the World
If you ever get to try it, you won't regret spending a thousand dollars on it. This culinary wonder is made by chef Frank Tujague at the "Westin" hotel in New York. It includes cream cheese with truffles, goji berry jelly, and magnificent edible gold leaves. Truffles grow only in the wild; they cannot be cultivated. Despite the fact that modern technology is highly developed, these mushrooms can only be found in the forest with the help of the keen noses of dogs and pigs. That is why they are so expensive.
Foie Gras – this is one of the most expensive animal products, which was consumed by ancient Egyptians, and today it is the most expensive offal in the world. To "obtain" it, a duck or goose must be properly fattened with the highest quality grains. This causes the bird's liver to enlarge and fill with the most beneficial trace elements.
Of course, ducks raised under forced conditions suffer, but so far only some countries have banned such experiments. The liver continues to be artificially grown and sold for insane amounts of money – about $1,500 per kilogram of delicacy! France still leads in the production of foie gras!
The French love the liver for its delicate taste, and wine emphasizes these delicate notes during lunch in the best way.
The Most Expensive Seafood
Traditionally, the most expensive seafood includes lobsters and oysters, as well as caviar from the most expensive and valuable fish.
Mollusks called sea ears or Abalone are considered the most expensive seafood, and if you are used to consuming budget canned options, you won't be able to do that with ears. For 3 pieces, that is, for a serving, you will have to pay around $140. The mollusk, commonly known worldwide as Abalone, resembles a human ear. The high price of these rare mollusks is due to their sweetish taste. They are served both raw and cooked in various dishes.
Lobster – the most common product prepared in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, and England. However, this does not make lobster cheaper, and its price per piece ranges from $30 to $100. Lobsters prepared according to a special recipe with seaweed cost even more. The benefits of this product lie in its protein and trace elements; lobsters contain almost no fats, thus reducing the harmfulness of the product.