The products are not very expensive. Rare Grains: Foods You Didn't Know About

The world has already turned into the rank of exclusive products

The most expensive meat is marbled beef, which is supplied to the world market by the Japanese. It was the ancient traditions of Wagyu cow breeding in the suburbs of Kobe, during which they communicated with animals so respectfully that they even gave them beer and rubbed the skin with sake, which made it possible to obtain such unusual meat.

For a very long period of time, the Japanese were so proud of their cows that they forbade their export anywhere outside the country. However, now this type of cow is already bred in Australia, and Australian cattle breeders have replaced beer with red wine to improve the taste of meat. The cost of marbled beef is on average $500, but the most tender pieces of meat reach a cost of $1,000 per kilogram.

The most expensive mushroom in the world

The list of the most expensive mushrooms in the world includes truffles, and not black truffles, which are grown in France and which you can try in any Michelin restaurant, but white truffles, which grow in Tuscany. It is white truffles that now have the highest value.

At the same time, it is almost impossible to specify the exact amount per kilogram of such a delicacy, since each such rare mushroom is sold exclusively at auction. For example, seven years ago, three Chinese laid out as much as 209 thousand dollars for 750 grams.

The most expensive chocolate in the world

The deluxe version of chocolate is made in America and is called Chocopologie by Knipschild. This is the usual dark chocolate in the firm produced according to old recipes that contain absolutely no preservatives and additives. The result is a short-lived product that costs up to $2,600 per pound (453 grams).

The most expensive coffee in the world

The most expensive Kopi Luwak coffee is better to enjoy than to know exactly how it is obtained. The thing is that this variety of Indonesian coffee is made from beans that came out of the intestines of the local viverr animal. It is this little animal that loves to feast on fragrant coffee beans. The digestive system of the animal is designed in such a way that the grains obtained after such a “processing” significantly improve the taste of coffee. The cost of such "animal coffee" reaches six hundred dollars per kilogram.

The most expensive walnut in the world

The micadamia nut is the most valuable in the world. This variety of nuts in ancient times made up a large part of the miserly diet of the Australian Aborigines. This species got its name due to the fact that the biologist who first described the nut chose the name of his friend John McAdam as the name.

This type of nuts in its taste "looks" like a hazelnut. Mikadamias are rich in substances that are great for removing cholesterol from the body. However, since no more than forty tons are produced worldwide, it is expensive. Now in their homeland - in Australia, a kilogram of nuts will cost a gourmet at a price of 30 dollars. However, there are nine types of macadamia in the world and only five of them grow in Australia. They can be found in South America and Hawaii, however, they are cheaper than real Australian nuts.

The most expensive tea in the world

This type of tea is called Dahongpao and grows in Tianxin Monastery. This tea is obtained from only six bushes, which are 350 years old. In total, about half a kilogram of tea leaves were collected, and their value at auctions reached 685,000 dollars.

This tea has intense flavors and perfectly relieves stress and tones. Unfortunately, the real Dahongpao or the “Big Red Robe” is no longer available for purchase, since the last harvest of tea was given for safekeeping to the National Museum of China, and its subsequent collections from the famous tea bushes were banned.

The most expensive spice in the world

Saffron is by far the most expensive spice in the world. At the same time, such a high cost of the spice led to the appearance of false saffron, called Imeritinsky. The difference between these two spices is that real saffron is made using the stamens of plants of the crocus family, and their marigold stamens go to the false one.

Such a high cost of spices is due to the process of obtaining it. A kilogram of spice costs $6,000, but it takes 225,000 plant stamens to produce it. And since one flower produces only three stamens, it is not difficult to calculate how many flowers must be collected manually by workers in order to get it.

However, it is worth noting one more feature of this spice - to obtain the necessary aroma in a dish for several people, it is enough to put only six stamens of saffron into it.

In this collection you will find an overview of the most expensive foods and drinks. There will be coffee, vodka and much more

The most expensive spice in the world is saffron. True saffron is the stamens of a plant in the crocus family (Crocus sativus). From the stamens of marigold flowers, saffron is also made, called false, or Imeritinsky. The stamens are harvested by hand and then dried. To get half a kilogram of spice, 225,000 stamens are needed. To ennoble a dish designed for three to five people, no more than six stamens of real saffron are enough. Imeretinsky saffron is used in significantly larger quantities and does not give such a flavor. One kilogram of real saffron costs about 6 thousand dollars.

The most expensive nut in the world is macadamia. Once a staple food for the Australian Aborigines, macadamia has now become an exquisite and very healthy delicacy. Only two types of these nuts are cultivated (there are plantations in Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Hawaii and the southern United States). The height of the macadamia tree reaches 40 meters, it bears fruit for up to 100 years, but peeling the nut from the shell is not an easy task. Due to the difficulties with breeding and harvesting the delicacy, it is produced no more than 40 tons per year. The cost of one kilogram of macadamia, even in its historical homeland, exceeds $30.

The most expensive caviar in the world is not black at all. And not even a rare gray. The most expensive is "Almas", an albino beluga caviar, occasionally exported from Iran. One hundred grams of caviar, packed in an indispensable jar of pure gold, will cost the buyer about 2 thousand dollars.

As you know, the most expensive mushroom in the world is the white truffle. It is impossible to set any exact price per kilogram of this delicacy, because almost every large mushroom is sold at auction. Sometimes this does not benefit either the customers or the product. So, in 2004, a mushroom weighing 850 grams bought for 28 thousand pounds sterling ... was simply rotten. The inconsolable buyer buried it in the garden in the hope that a new giant would grow in its place, but was subsequently forced to transfer the remains to the deceased's homeland, Tuscany. In early November 2007, three Hong Kong tycoons pooled their money for a 750-gram mushroom for $209,000 (so far, the biggest money ever paid for a truffle). Nothing terrible happened to this copy: it was safely prepared and eaten at an exclusive truffle banquet, where the families and friends of the magnates gathered.

It would seem that an ordinary potato cannot cost sky-high thousands! Nothing like this. Resourceful peasants living on the islet of Nurmoitier annually harvest no more than 100 tons of "La Bonnotte" variety per year. Since the divine tuber (and according to legend, this particular variety was bred by the supreme god of the Incas) is exceptionally tender, it can only be collected by hand. The most expensive potato in the world costs about 500 euros per kilogram.

The most expensive meat in the world is beef. And not simple, but marble. And - necessarily from the Japanese cows Wagyu. For centuries, these cows were bred only in Japan, near the city of Kobe, treated respectfully and fed only the best herbs, as well as daily rubbed with sake and watered with beer. For a long time, the Japanese did not export cattle for breeding, but now Wagyu cows are also bred in Australia. But this affected the cost of meat only upwards: to improve the quality of products, Australian farmers began to give cows red wine (at $ 16 per bottle). A 200 gram fillet costs over $100 in Europe. Some, especially delicate pieces are sold for a thousand dollars.

The most expensive sandwich in the world is proudly called the von Essen Platinum Club Sandwich. You can try it by paying 100 pounds (almost $200) at the Von Essen hotels. This sandwich is really tasty, because it includes: Iberian ham, Bresse poulard, white truffles, quail eggs, dried Italian tomatoes and bread made with a special sourdough.

The world's most expensive pizza "Luis XIII" offers a young Italian chef Renato Viola. It costs 8300 euros. According to the author, "this price is not exaggerated if we keep in mind the exclusive products and two people who come to the house to cook it." Pizza, except for the base, is prepared in the presence of the client. The composition includes: buffalo mozzarella, three types of caviar, as well as red lobster, shrimp and lobster (all this, of course, is elite and very expensive). Even the salt in this pizza is not ordinary and not even sea, but Australian pink "Murray River".

The most expensive omelette in the world can be eaten at the restaurant of the New York hotel "Le Parker Meridien". It costs a thousand dollars. In addition to the actual eggs, there are whole lobsters in the omelet. It is served on a bed of fried potatoes and garnished with ten ounces of sturgeon caviar.

The most expensive chocolate in the world is called Chocopologie by Knipschildt. It is produced in the USA by Knipschildt Chocolatier. Naturally, it is dark chocolate. Naturally, it is not intended for long-term storage: after all, in order for confectionery products not to spoil longer, it is necessary to use cheaper ingredients, which is unacceptable in haute couture chocolate making. For a pound (453 grams) "Chocopologie by Knipschildt" will have to pay $ 2,600.

The most expensive coffee in the world - "Kopi Luwak" - is made from grains not of some unique variety, but rather of a unique life path. "Kopi" in Indonesian means "coffee", and "Luwak" is a small animal, a type of civet, an animal of the viverrid family. The luwak is a small carnivore, but loves to eat the ripe fruits of the coffee tree, and chooses the best ones. He eats more coffee than he can digest. Undigested grains, passing through the intestines of the animal, are exposed to its enzymes and, as lovers of "Kopi Luwak" swear, acquire a unique taste and aroma. A kilogram of coffee, which was helped to be born by luwak, costs from 300 to 400 dollars. Most consumers of this variety, as, however, usually happens with all expensive food products, live in Japan. As you already understood, the delivery of coffee beans will cost you a tidy sum. But it will be worth it...

The most expensive tea in the world is called Dahongpao, which means "Big Red Robe". It belongs to oolong teas (highly fermented teas with an intense taste and aroma). They get the "Big Red Robe" from a leaf of only six bushes growing near the Tianxin Monastery. The age of these unique bushes is 350 years. Each year they collected no more than 500 grams of the legendary tea, the cost of the finished product reached 685 thousand dollars per kilogram. In 2005, 20 grams of tea (four spoons) was sold at an auction in Fujian Province for 208,000 yuan (about $25,000), and a week earlier the same amount was sold for $24,000. In 2006, the entire harvest was transferred to the Chinese National Tea Museum for storage, a moratorium was declared on further collection. From now on, no one will be able to enjoy Dahongpao tea. However, since the 80s of the last century, mother bushes have been propagated vegetatively. The tea obtained from them is also called the "Big Red Robe", but connoisseurs believe that it cannot be compared with real Dahongpao.

The most expensive champagne in the world - "Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Blanc de Blanc" - is made from special grapes, which are harvested only from two small plots of the vineyard in the town of Cotes des Blancs. It is created only in the years of the best grape harvest. In 2007, only 156 bottles of this drink, hand-painted in the art nouveau style, were imported into Russia. Each bottle of 0.75 liters costs about a thousand euros.

The most expensive whiskey in the world - "The Macallan Fine & Rare Vintage" 60-year-old, bottled in 1926 - you can not buy for any money. However, its price is known: 38 thousand dollars. Those who wish are invited to buy for more than 10 thousand an analogue of the coveted drink - "Macallan Fine & Rare" 1938 release.

The most expensive beer in the world - the Belgian "Vieille Bon Secours" - can be purchased at the London bar Bierdrome. A bottle costs about a thousand dollars, a pint will be poured for $79.

The world's most expensive vodka "Diva" is prepared by Scottish masters in compliance with all imaginable and unimaginable rules. It is filtered through northern birch charcoal, and for complete purification - through sand and crumbs of diamonds and other precious stones. The standard bottle is decorated with cubic zircons, however, at the request of the customer, they can be replaced with any other gems. Depending on the cost of jewelry, the price of a bottle also varies - from the standard 400 to 1000 dollars.

Someone is indifferent to collectible cars, someone is indifferent to the name of a fashion designer, and someone is scornful of famous Hollywood action movies with shots and explosions, and this is normal. But everyone likes good and tasty food. Everyone loves delicious gourmet food! But there must be diversity in life, and in culinary preferences too. Customers always want to try something new, unusual. To maintain interest, the chefs of elite restaurants go to the use of rare ingredients. They are very expensive, but at least you can afford to talk about them in the review.

Who likes what kind of food is already subjective, but the fact is absolutely accurate that if anyone is offered to choose between good, high-quality food and fast food, he will prefer the first option. Taste preferences influence people's choices. But if someone prefers, for example, Indian cuisine, then he will continue to love it until one of the restaurants spoils the taste of the dish.

Of course, everyone has heard about saffron more than once. It is an Indian spice that is recognized as one of the best in the world. Saffron is grown and harvested in many parts of the world, but its rarity is due to the small amount of material collected and the difficulties associated with it. In order to harvest 450 grams of saffron costing from 500 to 5000 dollars, depending on the quality, it is necessary to grow from 50 to 75 thousand flowers - a field the size of a football field. Therefore, if the restaurant served a dish with the addition of saffron, you should definitely try it.

I wonder how many people are willing to pay $6,000 for one watermelon? Of course not, but if someone can afford it, then you should definitely buy this delicious juicy watermelon. Densuke is easily recognizable by its appearance - a strong dark green or even black peel without stripes. It doesn't even look like a regular watermelon. It grows only on the Japanese island of Hokkaido in the amount of 65 pieces per year, so the list of those who can taste watermelon is very small.

The Japanese have a talent for growing rare fruits. Yubari melon looks like a cantaloupe, but it tastes completely different. It is absolutely round in shape, much sweeter thanks to the soil fertilized with volcanic ash. Melon is not as expensive as Densuke watermelon and can be purchased for $150 each. It is grown on the island of Hokkaido, in Yubari.

Matsutake mushrooms grow in China, and in Canada, and in Finland, and in the USA, and in Sweden, but for the first time in cooking they were introduced in Japan, where they also grow. Their taste is meaty and spicy, and the texture is similar to portobello. These are very popular mushrooms in Japanese cuisine but are difficult to grow. They are imported to Japan from other countries at a price of $90 per kilogram, local ones are even more expensive - $2,000.

Kniesschildt chocolate is not quite the usual delicacy that everyone is used to. Chocolatier Fritz Kniesschildt used dark chocolate and black truffles, rare mushrooms, to create this delicacy. In the center of the dessert is a truffle covered in a thick ball of dark chocolate. The dessert first appeared in the USA, where the author moved in 1996. The hand-cooked delicacy costs $2,600 - a gourmet dish.

Anyone who has ever heard of or tasted steak knows about kobe meat. Cows from Kobe Prefecture in Japan are specially bred for this variety. All the time Wagyu cows are under control, special care and feeding. Their menu includes the most juicy and selected grass in various combinations and even beer. Every day the cows have a massage session - all this for tender and tasty meat. The delicacy costs $770 per kilo.

Always delicious and expensive food has been associated with black and red caviar. Almas is the gold standard for any caviar. It is obtained from the Iranian beluga fish, which existed even in the period of the dinosaurs. Since the extraction of caviar is hampered by the product's maturation period of 20 years, for 450 grams you need to pay from 8,400 to 15,500 dollars, depending on the quality. You can buy Iranian caviar in London at The Caviar House and Punier. If you suddenly want to try caviar and there is enough money on your account, you need to call right now, since you will be able to receive an order only after 4 years.

Like its brother, the black truffle, the white one is a rare mushroom. It grows naturally in Italy, France and Croatia, but can sometimes be found elsewhere. The mushroom is almost impossible to grow in the conditions of the economy, it can only be collected in areas of natural habitat, therefore it is considered rare. For 450 grams, you will have to pay from 10360 to 4200 dollars. A truffle weighing 1.5 kilograms at the auction could be purchased for $ 330,000.

This Chinese dish is considered rare all over the world. Known as "Caviar of the East", the dish first appeared 400 years ago. Soup is made from nests of swifts. Getting the ingredients for it is quite difficult, as birds build nests high in inaccessible places. The nests are made of clay and saliva. All this goes into the soup. For 450 grams you will have to pay from 910 to 4,535 dollars.

This dish does not use any ingredients other than edible gold. People love the yellow metal so much that they have found a way to even eat it. The dish itself is unremarkable: only shine and no taste. Some people eat it as a status symbol. Gold is also added to drinks and as decoration for other dishes. For a kilogram of edible gold, you will have to pay from 33,000 to 110,000 dollars per kilogram.
Fans of experimenting can do without such huge spending on food, it’s enough to order for lunch

Many of us love to travel, learn new places, culture, visit interesting and unusual countries, get acquainted with the customs and dishes of the places we visit.

Traveling and not trying the local cuisine is like going to the sea and not swimming in it. Food preferences in each region are significantly different, and the more interesting it is to get acquainted with new dishes, to feel new tastes of various products.

Products that are considered rather strange in our region can be eaten and even a delicacy in some cuisines. Therefore, before trying the national dishes of other nations, study this topic in advance.

But there is a small category of people who specifically try new, even strange and sometimes disgusting (at first glance) products. We have compiled a rating of 10 dishes that (we think) look rather strange.

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In the photo: Jumiles (Jumiles)

Humiles- this is nothing more than Mexican bugs - six-legged insects, no larger than 1 cm in size, that live in the forests and mountainous regions of Mexico. They are widely eaten by Mexicans, for some southern regions of Mexico, these insects are included in the daily diet.

In the photo: Fried bugs on a flatbread

Bed bugs are eaten both raw and mashed. Often they are added to other dishes, served with caviar, shrimp and asparagus. These insects are rich in protein, as well as vitamin B12 and iodine, which gives them a slightly "medicinal" taste.

Bedbugs have a rather interesting sweetish-bitter taste, similar to a mixture of mint and cinnamon.

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9. Sannakji

Pictured: Sannakji

is a Korean delicacy made from small octopuses. Moreover, the dish is served in such a way that the tentacles of the octopuses are still moving on the plate. They are served with sesame oil and sesame seeds.

The tentacles have quite a lot of strength, they seem to resist, do not want to be planted on a fork and chewed, wriggling on a plate, and then in the mouth. The dish has a very mild and pleasant aroma.

Pictured: Sannakji

One disadvantage of this dish is that the tentacles often stick to the palate, and if they are poorly chewed before swallowing, they can stick to the throat, making breathing very difficult. There were also deaths from suffocation with tentacles stuck in the throat. Therefore, sannakji must be chewed very carefully. Fans of this dish really appreciate the feeling of chewing live food.

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8 Stinky Heads

Pictured: Stinky salmon heads

Salmon family fish is appreciated in many cuisines of the world, but the next dish is unlikely to please the average traveler. We are talking about a delicacy known in Alaska - the head of a salmon, which is stuffed into a wooden barrel and left for a long time.

The second cooking option fish head dishes is to bury them in a hole lined with moss. After a couple of weeks, the fish is fermented, and correctly speaking, it rots. Then all this is dug up and crushed. The result is a dish that resembles sauce in consistency and emits a fetid odor.

For the natives of Alaska, these stinky fish heads are an unprecedented delicacy.

Some healthy foods can be found on every nutritionist's super must-have lists. But often these lists are missing the real gems of healthy eating, or underappreciated foods that don't get the attention they deserve.

Choosing the best and healthiest products is not always easy, as the selection process can become a war between want and need. Add to that overpriced foods like green salads, for example. They are supposed to be healthy, but in fact, can a person who eats only salads be healthy?

We will tell you about six foods that are usually the last thing on your mind when it comes to or food sources that can improve your diet. It is worth learning more about them, as well as a better understanding of the overall impact of foods on health - this will help you make more informed choices about what can affect your health, weight and wallet.

Criteria for selecting the best products

To make our list of "superfoods", we took raw foods that are widely available, affordable, and rich in nutrients. And, most importantly, great taste. After all, why do we need super food if it is not a delicacy and cannot be made into something amazingly delicious?

In addition to the obvious healthy foods that are only missing a halo, such as blueberries, nuts, salmon, there are six other foods that nutrition experts speak only positively about.

1. Beans and lentils

Often, beans and lentils are the foods that get the least attention in supermarkets. Meanwhile, beans are actually nutritional superstars, and are rich in protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.

You can even buy canned beans, which are quite varied and easy on the wallet. To reduce the amount of salt by about 40%, simply rinse the beans with water.

Nutrition experts believe that we are still far from eating the three cups of lentils and legumes a week recommended by many nutritionists in the world. A diet with enough legumes can cause weight loss and has been shown to reduce "bad" cholesterol and increase "good" cholesterol.

And of course, it's very tasty. Lentils (of which there are a great many varieties and you can choose the one that suits you not only in taste and “boilability”, but also in color) are suitable for salads, soups, and garnishes. Legumes can be added to stews of meat and fish, salads, a mixture of cereals or herbs; you can make a veggie sauce by chopping beans and adding your favorite seasonings (such as hummus, which is made from chickpeas).

2. Watermelon

Watermelon is the favorite summer fruit of most people. But because it is naturally sweet, many avoid eating it because they believe it contains a lot of sugar.

Some nutritionists believe that watermelon should be a staple in everyone's diet. It is pleasant to eat, sweet, juicy, low in calories, and full of A, potassium and lycopenes (carotenoids). Since it contains a lot of water, it helps to satisfy the need for fluid.

An added benefit is that the thick skin of the watermelon keeps pesticides away from the pulp, a fact many experts confirm.

By the way, the season is not over yet!

3. Sweet potato

About sweet potatoes, which are now available in any large supermarket, I often think that they contain a lot of calories and carbohydrates. But don't let this delusion fool you. American nutrition scientists generally believe that sweet potatoes are one of the best foods. And every year, at least one scientific study is published that confirms this. Sweet potatoes are healthy not only because they are an excellent source of beta-carotenes, fiber and potassium, but also because this underrated vegetable can be prepared in a variety of ways, and dishes from it can be completely calorie-free.

You can experiment and try slow-cooked sweet potatoes sprinkled with cinnamon, with orange sauce and finely chopped pineapple, or with black beans and salsa, for example. But you can also do it in a simple way: mash it or cut the sweet potato into thin slices and bake until golden brown.

4. Red cabbage

Many nutritionists vote for a cruciferous vegetable - red cabbage. An excellent source of fiber, vitamins A, D and K, salts, and many minerals, while being fantastically low in calories and very tasty. Red cabbage is rich in antioxidants and may even help produce cancer-fighting enzymes. You can eat this vegetable raw, grilled, sweet, spicy, as a single meal, or added to just about anything, including soups, salads, stir-fries, sandwiches, and more.

5. Canned tomatoes

Fire-roasted diced tomatoes are a superfood according to many nutritionists. Many people think that fresh vegetables are much better for the diet, but cooking tomatoes helps to release some of the very useful substance - lycopene - so that it is better absorbed.

A 2009 study in America showed that a diet high in tomatoes (including cooked ones) helps prevent prostate cancer, and that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, is suitable for cancer prevention. Although, of course, we must not forget that many other factors related to lifestyle and genetic predisposition also affect the risk of getting cancer, and you should not rely on tomatoes alone.

Fill your pantry with canned tomatoes (in their own juice) for pizza, pasta sauce, and homemade salsa, or add them to soups, stews, stir-fries, herbs and vegetables, or pasta dishes. Plus, when you're too tired to cook, canned foods are a lifesaver.

If you don't like canned tomatoes, how about low-salt vegetable juice? It contains only 140 mg of sodium and is an excellent source of potassium as well.

6. Low-fat natural yogurt

There are many yogurts on the market, but natural low-fat yogurt (which many people call "Greek") is in a special position. All yogurts are excellent sources of calcium, potassium, protein, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. But "Greek" yogurt has a thicker, creamier texture, contains biotic cultures, and is lower in lactose. Compared to regular yogurt, it has twice the protein content.

Skip the extra calories found in most fruit-flavored yogurts and top up your protein intake with Greek yogurt, which is also great for weight management as it helps keep your body healthy. leaves a longer saturation. If you like sweet yoghurts, you can add some fruit juice, dried fruit or muesli to it yourself.