We provide a list of the worlds most expensive foods, and a little bit about what it is that makes them so desirable (or just expensive!).
This list is not exhaustive, but we have included some of the most interesting stories of culinary indulgence and lavish spending. Most surprising is that some of these foods are not expensive because of their taste or health benefits – sometimes it is down to tradition or the sheer rarity.
Italian white alba truffles
The most expensive mushroom in the world is the white truffle. The mushroom originated in the Langhe area of the Piedmont region in northern Italy – it can grow to 4.7in/12cm diameter and 1.1lb/500g.
These truffles fetch an amazing $15,000/£10,000 for 2lb/1kg. The record price for this truffle was in December 2007, when Stanley Ho, the owner of the Macau casino paid $330,000/£165,000 for a 3.3lb/1.51kg truffle.
We do have a (more affordable) recipe for black truffles on Kitchen Geekery.
Saffron
Saffron is a spice grown worldwide and famed for its characteristic vibrant yellow-orange colour and strongly aromatic flavour. It has been cultivated for over 3,000 years for both culinary and medicinal uses; the spice is produced from the saffron crocus flower (Crocivus sativus), which is thought to have originated in Greece.
There have been periods when saffron has been worth more than its weight in gold. The high price of saffron comes from the flower’s exacting growing conditions and a labour-intensive harvesting process. A huge amount of crocus flowers are needed to produce the spice – a pound of dry saffron (0.45 kg) needing 50,000 to 75,000 flowers to make – more than an entire football field of flowers.
Popular dishes that make use of saffron are: Spanish paella, saffron sauce, French bouillabaisse, and Indian Biryani dishes.
In Western countries, the average retail price is $1,000/£500 per pound or $2,200/£1,100 per kilo.
Macadamia nut
A surprising inclusion in the list of the worlds most expensive foods is the Macadamia nut. Hailing from Hawaii – but originating in Australia, the most expensive nut in the world is the macadamia nut.
The macadamia tree produces nuts only after it is 7-10 years old, and requires fertile soil and heavy rainfall. Desirable in desserts, these nuts have a very hard seed, but once open it reveals a creamy white kernel containing up to 80% oil and 4% sugar. The cost of a kilogram of these nuts exceeds $30.
Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs.
Kobe beef
Unsurprisingly one of the most expensive foods, for meat lovers Kobe beef is the holy grail of steaks. In Japan, a meal consisting of this meat, prized for its rich flavour, tenderness and heavy marbling of fat will set you back around ¥13000 ($130/£65) on your credit card.
The criteria for authentic Kobe beef is very strict: the meat must come from the black Tajimi-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle, and be born, raised and slaughtered in the Hyogo Prefecture region of Japan (in which lies the city of Kobe).
Despite reports of cows’ special treatment – including being rubbed with sake (Japanese rice wine) and being fed beer, some of the less desirable aspects of their controversial living conditions have resulted in the EU banning Kobe beef imports.
Almas Caviar
Almas Caviar is the crème de la crème of caviars. The word “Almas” means diamond, and this Beluga caviar is a whitish colour. The caviar is produced by extremely rare 70-year-old albino sturgeons found only in the Caspian Sea – which is what makes it so rare and expensive.
The only known outlet is the Caviar House & Prunier in London’s Piccadilly that sells a kilo of Almas caviar in a 24-karat gold tin for $25,000/£16,000. The Caviar House also sells an £800 tin for those on a ‘smaller budget’.
Densuke Watermelon
This rare watermelon is cultivated exclusively in Hokkaido, Japan, which only produces 10,000 of these watermelons a year. It has an unusual, even black skin with no spots, stripes, or other markings.
While some of these watermelons can sell for as little as $250, a particularly large Densuke watermelon sold for $6100 in 2008 at auction.
Kopi Luwak coffee
Hailing from the islands of Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago, and the Philippines, Kopi Luwak coffee is made from coffee beans digested by a small catlike animal called the Asian Palm Civet.
The enzymes in the animal’s digestive tract make the beans less acidic, dramatically improving the coffee’s flavour. Only 500lbs/225kg are produced every year, making it very rare, and its flavour is (according to coffee connoisseurs), of unrivalled mildness and smoothness.
Up to $600/£365 per pound, or $1200/£730 per kilo.
Continue reading to find out about more of the worlds most expensive foods – including a deadly raw fish!
Fugu fish
Fugu is a Japanese delicacy, highly revered and served in a heavily ritualised manner. Made from the meat of particularly poisonous pufferfish, just one of which contains enough poison to kill 30 people. If prepared incorrectly, an unlucky diner is likely to experience nausea, vomiting, paralysis, and eventually death by asphyxiation.
The poison is tetrodotoxin and is 1,200 times more lethal than cyanide with no known antidote – however, due to the intense training of the Chef’s deaths from this dish are extremely rare indeed.
Fugu generally retails for $300/£160 per kilo, or $135/£70 per pound.
The torafugu, or tiger blowfish is the most prestigious edible species and the most poisonous.
Jamón Ibérico de Bellota
Jamón ibérico de bellota (Iberian acorn ham) is the world’s most expensive pig product.
The highest grade of Spanish jamón ibérico meat, jamón ibérico de bellota comes from the Black Iberian Pig breed, which is raised free-range among the forests along the Spanish-Portuguese border and eats only acorns.
This luxury ham has only been available to buy in the US and UK since 2007 but now has a steady supply both sides of the Atlantic.
Price per kilo is $300/£160 or $140/£75 per pound.
Kona Nigari
The worlds most expensive water, desalinated seawater is collected from 2,000 feet below the surface of the ocean to produce a concentrate, must first be mixed with regular drinking water before consuming.
The concentrate is high in minerals and free of contaminants, and seemingly, aids weight loss. A single 60ml/2fl oz bottle costs $33/£20.
80,000 bottles of Kona Nigari are shipped to Japan every day.
Matsutake mushrooms
The matsutake mushroom has been highly valued in Japan for centuries. Also known as mattake, this large fungus is found on particular types of pine tree in areas of Japan, Korea, China, and even Finland.
In keeping with the country’s reverence for ancient customs, some reports attribute Japan’s affection for the matsutake to its respect for tradition rather than the mushroom’s flavour, which is said to be rather bland.
Japanese matsutake retails for $2000/£1200 per kilo, or $4400/£2600 per pound.
Bird’s Nest soup
Bird’s Nest soup is used for both culinary and medicinal purposes – and as you guessed, it’s made from bird’s nests. Specifically, the glue-like saliva nests created by birds like the swallow.
This food is famous in eastern culture that it’s usually called “Caviar of the east”. A kilogram/2.2lbs of this white nest can cost up to $2,000/£1200, and a kilo of “red blood” nest is even more expensive and can cost up to $10,000/£6000.
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