The 10 Most Expensive Ingredients in the World
With the inflation that has been haunting us for months (or has it actually been years by now?!), more expensive groceries are the last thing we want. But still: things can get even crazier, as these 10 most expensive ingredients in the world prove.
Saffron (€ 450 – € 1850 per half kilo)
Saffron is also known as ‘red gold’. Much like we call coffee black gold. But while we mainly call coffee gold because of its flavor, with saffron we can take that a little more literally. This spice is just as expensive as gold. Okay, gold takes the crown, but saffron really is by far the most expensive spice in the world. That’s because it comes from the rare crocus flower. It only grows for a few weeks a year in autumn and is extremely labor-intensive to harvest. Does anyone happen to have a lost five-hundred-euro note lying around somewhere?
Peri Bali honey (€ 6500 per kilo)
Your tea with honey suddenly becomes extremely high class when you stir in a spoonful of Peri Bali honey. A kilo of the magical stuff costs nearly € 6500. Cha-ching! Why is this honey so unaffordable? It’s not only exceptionally rich in unique minerals, but also extremely rare. The honey is scraped from the walls of caves in Turkey’s Saricayir Dagi Valley and, yes… That takes quite a lot of work. And so this honey costs quite a lot.
White truffles (approximately € 2000 per kilo)
FavorFlav’s Steffi previously asked us to stop putting truffles on a pedestal. We’re happy to do that, but not when it comes to the white variety. These really are truffles of a different caliber. It’s a gastronomic treasure found only in Piedmont, Italy. Truffle hunters (you really should watch this documentary about them, by the way!) search for them among the roots of specific trees. What makes this product so divine: its intense, unique flavor and fantastic aroma. That’s why everyone wants them, and why they’re so incredibly expensive.
Moose milk cheese (€ 450 per half kilo)
You sometimes forget, but cheese doesn’t only come from cows. Or goats. It can also come from moose. Moose milk, to be precise. Moose cheese is rare. It’s produced in Sweden, at Moose House farm. You can get it in a kind of feta variety, with a rind, and in the form of blue cheese. If you can get it at all, that is, because it’s scarce. And therefore expensive.
Heligan pineapple (€ 1000 each)
With its elegant crown on top, the pineapple is already a bit like the queen among fruits. But the Heligan pineapple is truly seated on the throne. For one specimen, you can easily pay nearly € 1000. The reason: the growing process is very time-consuming and meticulous. This fruit also has a genuinely royal touch. In 1997, the pineapple was specially grown for Queen Elizabeth II’s 50th birthday.
La Bonnotte potatoes (€ 450 per kilo)
Who would ever have thought that a simple potato could be so outrageously expensive? Well, this La Bonnotte potato isn’t quite as simple as it seems. They’re grown exclusively on the French island of Noirmoutier, and in a very special way. The farmers grow them using seaweed compost. The flavor is unique: a mixture of lemon, earth and sea. Do you think it’s worth € 450 per kilo?
Bluefin tuna (€ 3300 per half kilo)
The most expensive little fish in the sea? That’s bluefin tuna. It swims only in Japanese waters. What makes this fish so distinctive is its intense marbling and balance of flavors. Its high fat content gives the fish its unique flavors. Too expensive? Don’t worry: there’s plenty of fish in the sea.
Beluga caviar (€ 3000 – € 10.000 per half kilo)
If you ask someone to name expensive products, there’s an extremely high chance they’ll say ‘caviar‘. Beluga caviar is also incredibly pricey. Loved for its earthy, salty flavor, some enthusiasts consider this delicacy worth € 10.000. Should you ever be lucky enough to taste it, apparently the best way is to place a small spoonful of caviar on your hand and eat it at body temperature.
Yubari King melons (€ 25.000 per pair)
A typical summer fruit with a gigantic price tag. The Yubari King melon is a cross between two cantaloupes and is highly praised for its sweet, unique flavor. In Japan, they have a hugely prestigious reputation. Once, two of these melons were auctioned for € 25.000. Well, I’d rather settle for a regular cantaloupe.
Shark fins (€ 550 per kilo)
It’s awful, but true: in some countries, shark fins are a delicacy. (Remember that in Japan they have vending machines with whale and dolphin meat?!) There’s a highly controversial process behind it – sharks die almost immediately without their fins – and that is what makes it such an expensive product. Let’s hope this will one day come to an end.
Read also:
- This is the most expensive ice cream in the world
- Wow: eggs in America are now insanely expensive
- Why are bay leaves at the supermarket so ridiculously expensive? KVW investigated
Source: BoredPanda
