This has been a difficult list to write because the prices of these items vary from season to season. However, despite that, these 10 foods are generally the most expensive things you can eat. The ordering is based partly on price and partly on how luxurious they are considered to be.
1. Beluga Caviar [Wikipedia]
Beluga Caviar is the most expensive food item in the world, costing up to $5,000 per kilogram. Caviar is fish roe (eggs) and this particular brand comes from the Beluga Sturgeon, found mostly in the Caspian sea. It can take up to 20 years for a Beluga Sturgeon to reach its maximum size and they can weigh up to 2 tonnes. The eggs are the largest of the fish eggs used for caviar. Beluga usually ranges from purple to black, the palest being the most expensive. Beluga caviar is generally served on its own on small pieces of toast as it needs no additions of flavour to improve it. If you have not experienced eating caviar, when you bite down each egg pops and releases a slightly salty-fishy flavour.
2. Saffron [Wikipedia]
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, reaching prices beyond $2,000 per pound (depending on season). Saffron is the three stigmas and style of the crocus flower. Each stigma and style must be picked by hand and it takes thousands to make a single ounce of the spice. Brightly yellow in colour, the spice is used for colouring and subtle flavouring of food. It has a bitter taste and a hay-like fragrance.
3. White Truffles [Wikipedia]
Truffles are from the underground ascomycetes family (tubers) and are reputed for their high prices. It has an odour similar to deep fried walnuts which is extremely pungent to some people, causing a reeling effect. Interestingly, some people are unable to detect the odour of truffles (which is possibly to their advantage!) The white truffle is the most expensive of the family. They are generally served sliced into extremely thin slivers on top of other food and are frequently suffused in oil for sale as truffle-oil.
4. Kobe Beef [Wikipedia]
True Kobe Beef (神戸ビーフ) – raised from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle – is produced only in Hyōgo Prefecture in Japan. It is bred according to secret, and strict traditions. It is fed on beer and grain and produces meat so tender and fatty that it rivals foie gras in texture. The beef can cost up to $300 per pound. This breed of cow is genetically predisposed to intense marbling, and produces a higher percentage of oleaginous, unsaturated fat than any other breed of cattle known in the world. Another special trick in the production of this meat is daily massages by the human owners. I must confess to being a little envious!
5. Bird’s Nest [Wikipedia]
The nests in question here are produced by a variety of Swifts, specifically Cave Swifts who produce the nest by spitting a chemical compound that hardens in the air. The nests are considered a delicacy in China and are one of the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. It is generally served as a soup but can also be used as a sweet. When combined with water, the hard nests take on a gelatinous texture. My own experience of Bird’s nest was in a pudding called Bird’s Nest and Almond soup – the nest was dissolved in almond milk which was served as a sweet soup. The nest tasted musty and had the texture of snot.
6. Fugu [Wikipedia]
Fugu (ふぐ) is the Japanese word for pufferfish and is also a Japanese dish prepared from the meat of pufferfish. Pufferfish are deadly and if the fish is prepared incorrectly it can lead to death (in fact there are numerous deaths reported in Japan each year from the consumption of this delicacy). One pinhead of the pufferfish poison is sufficient to kill a full grown adult male human. It has become one of the most celebrated Japanese dishes. In order to prepare the fish for human consumption, a Japanese chef must undergo rigourous training and certification. It is normally prepared in such a way that a tiny amount of poison is left in the fish as the poison gives it a slightly numbing and tingling effect.
7. Foie Gras [Wikipedia]
Second to caviar, foie gras is one of the finest western foods available. It is the liver of ducks (foie gras de canard) or geese (fois gras d’Oie). It is produced by a method called gravage, which is force-feeding of the animal of grain via a tube down the throat. Ducks and Geese have an anatomy that makes this painless. The liver expands to many times the normal size and contains a great deal of fat. The texture of foie gras is very similar to that of butter with a very earthy flavour. Foie gras is generally eaten as a raw pate, but is can be lightly cooked to give it a greater depth of flavour. Unfortunately this delicacy is surrounded by controversy and the sale and consumption is banned in some American cities (such as Chicago). It is freely available in all parts of Europe and the rest of the world.
8. Lobster [Wikipedia]
Lobsters form a large family of marine crustaceans that nets a $1.8 billion for the seafood industry every year. They have a close family relationship with fresh water crayfish. Lobsters live on rocky, sandy, or muddy bottoms from the shoreline to beyond the edge of the continental shelf. They generally live singly in crevices or in burrows under rocks. The most common preparation of lobster is to drop the living creature into a pot of boiling water which kills it very quickly. The flesh is then served with melted butter so as to not overpower the subtle flavour of the meat.
9. matsutake [Wikipedia]
Matsutake (松茸) is the common name for a group of mushrooms in Japan. They have been an important part of Japanese cuisine for the last 1,000 years. The tradition of mushroom giving persists today in Japan’s corporate world, and a gift of matsutake is considered special and is cherished by those who receive it. The annual harvest of Matsutake in Japan is now less than 1000 tons, and it is partly made up by imports from China, Korea, and Canada; this is due to the difficulty in harvesting the mushrooms. The Japanese Matsutake at the beginning of the season, which is the highest grade, can go up to $2000 per kilogram.
10. Oysters [Wikipedia]
The name oyster is used for a number of different groups of mollusks which grow for the most part in marine or brackish water (water that is saltier than fresh water but not as salty as sea water). The oyster is the root of an idiomatic saying “The world is your oyster”, which means that to achieve something in this world, you have to grab the opportunity. All types of oysters (and, indeed, many other shelled molluscs) can secrete pearls, but those from edible oysters have no market value. Oysters are best served raw in their own juices with a slice of lemon. Oysters have, for many years, been considered an aphrodisiac.
Notable extras: abalone, exotic chocolates, ambergris (this deserves a whole other article), musk (as does this), sea bass, and wild salmon.
“…some American states (such as Chicago).”
Chicago is not a state!
It did say city. Mr. Proofreader
it reads City not States. read before you comment.
It’s ok. It not banned here anymore anyway.
oops – good point
Oysters surprises me, but that is probably because I live in Florida. We buy them by the bushel and cook them on the grill (also good raw). They are delicious, but hardly a luxury. I guess it is a locality thing. Oysters are probably rare in Europe or Japan.
I live in Portugal (part of Europe), and we have oysters here… Its a little bit expensive but not a big deal to buy!!
I had the exact same thought, from Charleston, SC, and it's getting to be about time for oyster roasts.
Morphy: the same is true for abalone in some countries – and Beluga Caviar is only $250 per kilo in its country of origin (compared to $5,000 in the rest of the world).
Same with Lobster. it is 1/10 the price in NB, Canada because that is where it is fished.
In Ireland, Oysters are a very popular dish and not particularly expensive. The same seems to be true when I’ve eaten them in Spain.
We have Oyster festivals in Ireland. We wash raw oysters down with Guinness and it’s gooooooood.
Right…Irish Breakfast!
dakini: Oysters are best raw – I agree completely. I think that Ireland probably has a lot of local oysters which would explain the price. They are definitely considered a luxury food item though.
Try BC (canada) oysters, which are considered the best worldwide.
The best oysters are the Fines de Claire from Marennes-Oléron in France!
Anon: I don’t think I have seen them at the fishmongers – I will keep my eyes out though. Bluff Oysters from NZ are also worldclass.
Matsuzaka beef is rated even higher than Kobe beef, and shark’s fin is also one of China’s most prized delicacies along with bird’s nest and abalone.
I think something very important that was left off this list is Prosciutto – there are specific types of Italian and Spanish prosciutto that are several thousands of dollars just for 1 pound! They are eaten for very special occasions and are preserved for decades.
Iceman: I was aware of the shark’s fin but not the Matsuzaka beef – I will look into that.
Anon E. Muss: prosciutto is one of my favourite meats – though I have definitely not had any that expensive. Where can you get it?
Italian and Spanish friends of mine have spoken about and have eaten these pricey meats. Some are prepared in ways that are so outlandish and absurd. I’m sure there are sources on the internet to find out more about them. I unfortunately don’t know enough, but I know that I would love to taste some – it is also one of my favorite meats!!
Anon: Outlandish preparations? That is a shame as the prosciutto is so good on its own!
“…banned in some American cities (such as Chicago).”
get it right before you dog the author.
catdaddy: actually the fault lies with me – I did have the error but I corrected it when Anonymous pointed it out. Thanks for speaking in my defence though
Check your math. Saffron is not more expensive than gold at the prices on your blog.
Jim C: Indeed you are right – thanks for the comment – I will correct the error.
It is worth to find rich man.
I am glad that chocolate at least made the honorable mention section. I know it is relatively inexpensive, but the experience of chocolate is definitely luxurious, especially good chocolate.
Out of this list the things that I would actually be interested in trying are the Beluga caviar, Truffles, and Kobe beef. The rest I am either already familiar with or don’t care to try. I love lobster, I only like oysters fried or in oyster stew and I have NO interest in eating bird spit or poisonous fish
Its interesting how the cultural standards of a time will change. In the middle ages oysters and lobster were considered poor mans meals. Its not quite on the subject since it is a beverage, but there are some vintage wines that were aged for over 70 years and the bottles can go for several hundred or even thousand dollars, more expensive even than fine cognac.
heavenlymayday: I have had truffles quite often and I think they are a little overrated to be honest. They are definitely unique though.
ben: that is very true – consider offal – it was once the food of the poor but now all the finest restaurants are selling it for extremely high prices! Luckily some bits can still be bought at the butchers – like sweetbreads which I love!
Curiosity I guess. I figure if I try them at least once I can decide if they are worth all the hype or not and move on, lol. Not that I could ever make a habit of eating them anyways, yikes!
heavenlymayday: you definitely should try – I agree. I want to try beluga but I am always put off by the shockingly high price at the supermarket here.
honorable mention – kopi luwak coffee. can sell for over $300 a lb. only about 500 lbs. produced a year. why so expensive? because the beans are processed through the digestive system of a mongoose called a palm civit that dwells in tropical forests. beans are sterilized and processed further and then sold!
You forgot a couple:
ortolan
other species of truffle (white is not the spendiest)
http://www.lindenhoff.nl/
sorry, the site is only in dutch… but the produce is outstanding.
Did you know that the average chicken lives 28 days, and makes it’s owners 23 cents?
Ducks and geese have an anatomy that makes force feeding them painless? Are you insane?
Shove a feeding tube down any living thing’s throat and pump it full of food, it’s not going to be painless. Fois gros is one of the most inhumane foods available.
what about wild asian ginseng
I have also been fortunate enough to live in places where fresh oysters are plentiful and affordable … and soooo good!!! I’ve had the opportunity to go to the beach, ask for a dozen oysters, go for a swim while they literally go catch them right then and there, come back and eat them. The freshest and most delicious way of eating them. Yum!
dofnup: You are very lucky indeed.
Here in South Africa we have lots of abalone and oysters, diving them regularly, just dont get caught
Glad Kim said something about the Fois Gros. Most people want the practice banned.
Had some sliced up Kobe beef in a sammich the other day–a cosmic experience. Iceman, will have to try Matsuzaka some day…if I can find it…
If you get to Morocco, definitely stock up on saffron — it’s relatively cheap in the markets there.
Wait a minute JFrater, if a pinhead of poison from the pufferfish can kill a man then how can a chef leave LESS than a pinhead, and it better be a LOT Less in the fish to be consumed. I think you’re stretching it a bit friend.
can someone please explain to me why, WHY would anyone eat no. 6???
A pinhead would be of the pure poison, you could leave less than a pinhead since the body is not composed of pure poison. Trace amounts of poison are far less than a pinhead… dummy.
Maybe Bluff oysters
i used to import caviar from russia for personal consumption, but now i hear that they’ve made it illegal to do so. sucks.
Did you know that if you go to a middle eastern souk (or bazzar in Turkey), safron is dirt cheap, as that is where it comes from. I remember getting 10Kg for under £10! You can also get a great range of other spices there.
I’ve been lucky enough to try every item on the list at least once (I didn’t care for the birds’ nest either, really) except for fugu. Firstly, I don’t know of anywhere in Ontario where you can get it, and – call me funny – but the idea of eating something containing the toxin used by houngan to make zombies is NOT my idea of a good time.
Might be tasty, though….
oyster is very common in our place! and its not expensive!
sverry: lucky for you! I wish I could get cheap oysters every day!
Glowbug: it is also the only one I haven’t tried – I suspect you won’t find it outside of Japan.
How do you know the texture of snot for #5? Don’t tell me. I’d rather not know. Too much of a chicken to try many of these. Interesting list, though.
i’m french,
oysters are good ( and cheap for me
foie gras is every time of the year for me ( i’m living in a farm ) and foie with back truflles is better.
But i’m dreaming to taste : donuts, baggels, real hamburgers, real milkshake and US pie.
There are three kinds of caviar: Beluga, Sevruga and Osciètre. Depending on the size and color of the eggs. Not only the Beluga kind. I just had to straighten this out
Although, roe is basically unprocessed caviar, so technically there are many, many more kinds.
My favorite being Tobiko
Morels are also another excellent choice for luxary mushrooms and not as expensive as matsutake or truffles (I know truffles aren’t mushrooms). You can also get them year round because they dry very well -which is actually the best way to cook them because the fresh mushrooms tend to retain some of their toxins (you rehydrate them in water before cooking). There are different kinds such as yellow, grey and black morels. You can generally purchase them from speciality food stores and they typically sell for $15-$30/oz (about 28 grams) dried. They go great with chicken, seafood, pasta and rice dishes as they have a strong smoky/earthy flavor. I recently made a dish of braised chicken in white wine with leeks and morels and served over Basmati rice (rice recipe courtesy of Mr. Frater’s Top Basic Cooking Tricks! – http://listverse.com/miscellaneous/top-10-basic-cooking-tricks/).
you should checkout southern bluefin tuna, massivesly expensive, good though
Organic salads are raw. We all need raw food in our diets. This will be the new level of Luxury Foods. Active enzymes are what we hunger for.
raw oysters are the best thing here…caviar is pretty good too…
Some were really interesting, although some were a bit icky and some I thought why whould they be worth so much? So some were just a bit silly.
You should try crocidile’s willy’s bladder or pig’s bladder or maybe even a Zebra Curry!
I’ve heard some people say that caviar isn’t actually that nice, but would still like to try it.
Why is it so expensive though? Is it because it’s difficult to produce, or that demand is really high for it? I’ve always thought of it as a bit of a status symbol, so maybe the prices are kept artificially high so that only the more affluent among us can buy it
gav: caviar is delicious! I assure you
You should definitely try it. You can get very low priced caviar which is fine, but the best stuff (which is the expensive stuff) is beluga or sevruga. Beluga is very expensive because the fish it comes from (Beluga sturgeon) needs to be at least 20 years old to get the best quality. Additionally, low supply and high demand makes it expensive (as is the case of all things in the market – unless governments interfere).
You should move to Russia — it’s a lot easier to get it there, judging from my family get togethers (and none of us being rich). I refuse to try it, though, seems a bit icky…
You should try conch the texture is similar to abalone.
Foie gras is a very cruelly obtained food. I wanted to order a hamper from Fortnum and Mason but I discovered they sold foie gras, when I emailed them they responded saying that they had no intention of stopping the sale of this product, I decided to spend my money elsewhere.
I once read a story about how caviar was poor mans food… they used to give it to soldiers as cheap rations and a lot of them refused to eat it.
It only became popular in the west gradually… and the 20 year old fish is killed in the process of gaining the caviar… which, remember, is the egg that produces a new generation. High prices mean lots of people want to get at those fish, leaving little doubt as to why the price keeps getting higher.
Foie Gras and Lobster are so painful foods.
here in the philippines, Oysters are not that expensive as well, they range from 200-400 per kilo, thats less than 10 dollars.
Here’s some truth for you; foie gras is obtained by sawing off the beak and permanently attaching the feeding tube inside the throat of the goose. Breathing is impaired, as is the intake of water. The bird must remain stationary in a cage throughout it’s short, pain ridden life so it will not violently detach itself from the feeding tube.
“Ducks and Geese have an anatomy that makes this painless.” Are you insane? There are plenty of videos on the net where you can see and hear the geese literally screaming in fear and pain. Not to mention the obvious pain in having an ever expanding abnormally large liver.
“Unfortunately this delicacy is surrounded by controversy”. I think the word you’re looking for is fortunately. Thank God there are people less ignorant than you trying to stop this ridiculous animal torture which only reason is to provide us people with something “luxurious” to eat.