Dining
Ever wondered what the world’s most expensive foods are? You’ll be in gastronomic awe of some of the foods which make the list…
Serendipity Sundae

Prepared with five scoops of the richest Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled with some of the world’s most expensive chocolates, the world’s most expensive dessert, which will set you back around US$25,000, was created by Serendipity in New York City and certainly lives up to its name: Grand Opulence sundae. What’s more, the treat is topped with special dessert caviar, adorned with a 23-carat edible gold leaf, and served in a crystal goblet complete with an 18-carat-gold spoon.
Nino’s Bellisima Pizza

This US$1,000 luxury 12-inch pizza pie made its debut at Nino’s Bellissima restaurant in New York City. The pricey pizza is topped with sliced lobster tail, creme fraiche and four kinds of caviar. “The owner states that $750 worth of caviar is spread on this pizza, which is the main reason why this pie is so expensive. That averages approximately $33 per bite,” Associated Content reports.
Chocopologie truffle

For the chocolate lover, this is the ultimate decadence. So what’s in this US$2,600-per-pound morsel? “Decadent 70 per cent Valrhona dark chocolate, heavy cream, sugar, truffle oil and vanilla,” which form the base, and ”a rare French Perigord truffle is then surrounded by this rich decadent ganache; it is enrobed in Valrhona dark chocolate and then rolled in fine cocoa powder,” CTMuseumQuest.com reports. You can only get the Chocopologie truffle at Knipschildt Chocolatier in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Kobe Beef

Kobe beef is made from the Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cow, which is raised in accordance with the Hyogo Prefecture traditions (these traditions sometimes include feeding the cow sake and beer) in Japan. It is known for its marbled appearance and delicious taste and texture. Kobe generally fetches US$40 to $150 per pound.
Kona Nigari

This seaweed mineral concentrate, which sells for US$16.75 per ounce, must first be mixed with regular drinking water before consuming. The concentrated water is said to be high in minerals and free of contaminates. If you’re thinking about buying one gallon, though, you’d better have more than US$2,000 set aside.
Almas Caviar

Almas Caviar is the creme de la creme of caviars. The word “Almas” means diamond, and this Beluga caviar is a whitish color. The Caviar House and Prunier in London sells it in a 24-carat gold tin for about US$25,000 for 32 ounces.
Diamonds are Forever Martini

This isn’t your everyday martini. The olive has been replaced by a 1.6 carat diamond, partially accounting for the martini’s US$16,000 price tag. The martini, created in conjunction with jeweller Bulgari, contains a Bulgari diamond at the bottom. You can take the stone to any Bulgari store in Toyko and have it set for free.
White Truffle Mushroom

These fancy fungi have their origins in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Typically sold for US$1,350 to $2,700 per pound, the record price paid for a single white truffle was set in December 2007, when casino owner Stanley Ho shelled out US$330,000 for a truffle weighing just over three pounds.
Saffron

Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice because it takes about 75,000 saffron crocus blossoms (enough to fill an entire football field) to make a single pound of saffron. The spice, which has a slightly bitter taste, appears in many Moorish, Asian and Mediterranean dishes. Saffron prices range from US$500 to $5,000 per pound.
Kopi Luwak

The world’s most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak is made from coffee berries that have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet, a catlike animal. The animal eats the berries, but the beans inside pass through its system undigested. This process takes place on the islands of Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago, and in the Philippines. The total annual production is only around 500 pounds of beans, explaining its staggering price for a pound – up to US$600.
by Alex Newman October 13, 2009
Tags: food, world's most expensive