That Costs How Much?

 I live in Alaska which means I pay more for most things because they have to be shipped by plane out to my location.  This can add quite a bit to the cost of anything.  I came across an article on the cost of certain foods that make what I pay seem good.

There is a meat, ribboned with fat that is considered the Champagne of beef called Wagyu Beef.  It's fat melts at a low temperature giving it quite the flavor. A pound goes for around $1300 and when added to fancy dishes, it causes their price to rise significantly.

Another meat, the Bluefin tuna noted for it's tender meat commands over $4000 per pound.  Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more rare due to overfishing.  On the other hand, purchasing Almas Caviar can set you back quite a bit.  This rare caviar from Iran comes in a tin with packaging is made out of 24 carat gold.  Furthermore, if you can find this, it will cost you around $25,000 for one tin.

If you check out the most expensive meals, they usually include either white or black truffles, both are quite expensive.  White truffles can run as much as $7800 per kilo or around $3800 per pound.  Most restaurants use white truffles in scrambled eggs.  Black truffles on the other hand run much less at $1700 per pound and are generally used as flavor enhancers.

As far as fruit goes, certain melons can set you back almost as much.  In Japan, they have a black watermelon that has sold at auction for $6100.  It went for so much because it is one of the rarest types of watermelons so it is hard to find.  Another rare melon is the Yubarki King melon, with a netted greenish outer rind and a nice orange center but the taste is said to be so much better.  These melons can set you back quite a lot because each one is sold at auction.  One melon can go for as low as $6000 each but have fetched as much as $23,000 due to the demand.

Even vegetables can run a lot. The La Bonnette potatoes, found only in one part of France can set you back around $1600 per kilo and the price is on the rise due to it facing possible extinction. The same can be said of Matsutake Mushrooms.  This wild mushroom is also facing extinction so its price is rising and it is now up to $1000 per pound. People want to try it before it disappears forever.

There is even a cheese in Sweden, Moose milk cheese, known for its taste and rarity, that goes for around $500 per pound.  Finally, there is a Red Bird's Nest soup made from saliva. This soup is so rare, it can cost you over $10,000 per bowl.

Each one of these items has a reputation for being either so rare they command a large fee or the the taste is so fantastic, that it commands the money.  It's all a matter of supply and demand.  It is the cost of these individual items that can raise the cost of a meal from $10 to more than most people are willing to pay.  Let me know what you think.  I'd love to hear, have a lovely day.