If you have ever wondered about the most expensive food ingredients in the world then this article is for you. We shall be taking a look at the 15 hot cake expensive food ingredients.
We all know caviar and saffron are among the priciest ingredients in the world, but what other delicacies do top chefs shell out for?
PAGE CONTENTS
1. White Alba Truffle
When you think of black truffles, you might picture a fancy meal at a high-end restaurant, where a chef carefully grates the flavorful fungi over your dish of buttered tagliatelle.
It’s a special treat, a luxury that adds a unique, earthy flavor to your food. Black truffles are considered a delicacy, and having them in a dish can elevate your dining experience.
But did you know there’s another type of truffle that’s even more coveted than the black truffle? It’s called the trifola d’Alba Madonna, or more commonly known as the white Alba truffle. These truffles are special because they can only be found in certain parts of Italy.
What makes these white truffles so remarkable is their rarity and distinctive flavor. They’re more elusive than black truffles, making them much more difficult to find.
This rarity, combined with a unique taste that’s highly prized among food connoisseurs, makes the white Alba truffle one of the most sought-after ingredients in the world of fine dining.
The price of white Alba truffles reflects their rarity and desirability. In fact, the most expensive truffle ever sold was a white Alba truffle. This tuber, which is a type of fungus like a mushroom, fetched an astonishing $330,000 US in 2007. That’s a lot of money for a fungus!
2. Beluga caviar
Siberian sturgeon caviar is one of the most expensive foods on the planet, prized for its salty, earthy taste.
Iranian Beluga caviar is officially the world’s most expensive – a kilo will set you back 20,000 pounds. If you’re up for a splurge, a 30g tin from The Truffle Man costs a whopping $157. The best way to taste it? Spoon a little onto your hand and eat at body temperature.
3. Caciocavallo Podolico
There are a few varieties of caciocavallo around, but it’s the Podolica, named for the free-range cows in comes from, is the priciest.
The cave-aged stretch-curd cheese has a tear-drop shape and tastes slightly similar to provolone. It sells for around $140 per kilogram.
4. Edible gold
For when you’re so flush, it’s not just enough to wear your bling, you need to eat it.
Typically found garnishing ridiculously priced ice-cream sundaes in American casinos (it’s a thing, really), you can buy a few grams for roughly $70.
5. Ethical foie gras
Ultra-rich and fatty, foie gras is typically made from force-fed goose liver. It’s ethically questionable, but there are growing alternatives.
In Spain, La Pateria de Sousa’s “ethical foie gras” goes for up to $700 per kilogram.
6. Gooseneck barnacles
From Galicia, gooseneck barnacles are insanely hard to harvest, with fisherman risking their lives to pick them off surf-smashed rocks. A good harvest can pull in more than $500 per kilogram.
7. Iranian pistachios
Bright green pistachios are prized for their sublte taste and good looks, but 1kg of the good ones can set you back up to $153. Overseas, Australian-grown macadamias are considered once of the most expensive nuts.
8. Jamon Iberico de Bellota
Got a spare $3,600? You too could purchase a leg of buttery, umami-rich jamon, made from acorn-fed Iberico pigs raised in western Spain.
9. Japanese Kobe beef
Intensely fat-rippled Miyazaki Wagyu beef is considered the best in Japan. In Las Vegas, one ounce (28 grams) grams goes for up to $33US, so a standard 200gm steak can costs as much as $240US.
10. Kopi luwak
The most expensive coffee in the world is passes through the digestive system of a civet (a cat-like creature) before it reaches your cup.
There are heaps of counterfeit versions on the market but expect to pay around $150US for 100 grams of beans to make a musky brew.
11. Matsutake mushrooms
Japan’s answer to black truffles, matsutake mushrooms have a spicy aroma and can be sold for as much as $2,000 per kilogram.
12. Saffron
Native to Greece, the prized stem of the crocus must be harvested by hand, but is now mainly harvested in Iran. Sydney spice merchant Herbie’s sells half a gram for $9.90.
13. Swiftlet nests
If you haven’t heard of swiftlets, you’ve probably heard of bird’s nest soup, the popular Chinese delicacy lauded as a cure-all. A bowl made with the white nests is a steal at $2000US, when you compare it to one made with the prized red swiftlet nests, which can fetch up to $10,000.
14. Aceto balsamic vinegar
Just like oils ain’t oils, all vinegars certainly aren’t equals either.
Traditional balsamic vinegar, made in Italy’s Modena region, will always carry a D.O.P. certifying that it is a legitimate product and be labeled as “Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale.” An aged 100ml bottle usually costs around $180 or upwards.
15. Vanilla beans
Beautifully fragrant vanilla flowers need to be individually pollinated, by hand, during a short space of time while the flower is open. The work is incredibly labor intensive, and a single A-grade Australian-grown bean can sell for $10 a pop.
Did you find this interesting?
Leave a Reply