Truffles and 5 Other Really Expensive Ingredients

10 Mar 2018, by Susan Alexander Truffles in Food Musings

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They’re some of the most sought-after, coveted, mysterious and exciting gourmet cooking ingredients in the world. Which makes them all the more alluring and in-turn expensive but oh-so-worth-it! Let’s take a look at some of the most expensive ingredients in the world right now, and find out why they are so highly priced and in-demand.

Saffron

Known for its strong flavor and color, saffron flowers only produce three red stamens, each picked carefully by hand. Iran produces 94% of the world’s supply of saffron. Due to the small amount of saffron produced, it’s price sits anywhere between $2000-$10,000 per pound depending on harvest and availability.

Vanilla

Cupcakes with edible gold will cost you hundreds of dollars a pop.

Growing and preparing vanilla is very labor intensive, making this a hot commodity. Vanilla flowers only bloom for two hours per year, the beans must be fermented for two years to release their aroma, and the orchids themselves only grow in specific areas of the world, making this a rare and labor-intensive spice. Just a few vanilla beans can cost approximately $20.

Edible Gold

Gold is a mineral that is safe to eat and very impressive to serve. Known as a luxurious and elaborate ingredient, it can be sprinkled into champagne and cocktails, or used to dust and flake over desserts for wow-factor.

Yubari King Melons

Japanese in origin, these melons are given in pairs as gifts by the Japanese. They are known to be very sweet and delicious and are graded on level of quality. The most expensive have been auctioned off for as much as $26,000, whilst you can still get yourself a ‘bargain’ at a luxury supermarket for a few hundred dollars for a lower graded melon.

Caviar

Very widely accepted as a food for the world’s elite, caviar has a price to match. The rarer the fish from which it comes, the higher the asking price. The most expensive caviar in the world is called Almas, from the rare albino sturgeon, living in Caspian Sea. As this species of fish is endangered, when available, the asking price can soar to tens of thousands of dollars per serve.

Truffles

Not easy to cultivate, difficult to find, powerful in flavor, and growing only in very specific environments, the truffle is a true delicacy for the palate. Depending on the type of truffle you purchase, you can be looking at anything in excess of $200 per serve. Luckily, there are also other truffle-flavored foods such infused oils, butters, and salts that can help curb your cravings.

A Rare Opportunity for Your Palate

Something that all these world’s most expensive food ingredients have in common is rarity, whether it be in the difficulty to cultivate, hard to locate, or short seasonality. They all have certainly distinct flavors and aromas, and a little bit of each will go a long way. Foods like these are definitely something to add to your gastronomical bucket list.

Follow our blog to learn more about truffles or shop our online truffle store today to experience the culinary gems yourself.