Most expensive food

, , Leave a comment

The most expensive food in the world has been identified: If I say, that for the price you may have to pay for one culinary preparation would fetch you an apartment in a decent locality in any part of the world, most of you would dismiss my words with a brush of your hands. Some of you might even question my sanity. But, facts are facts, and the world’s most expensive food has been identified.

As per the recent findings of a newspaper journal in the United Kingdom, the title of the most expensive food goes to “The Beluga Caviar”. The cost of one tin of Beluga Caviar has been priced at a whooping GBP 24,000.00. Yes, you have heard it right. GBP 24000.00. This amount would fetch an apartment for most of us normal people. However this dish is not prepared keeping the common man in mind.

Basic inquisitiveness about the Beluga Caviar: What is caviar, especially a Beluga Caviar? Why is it so expensive beyond our wildest imagination? Is it really worth that price or is it just hype? These and many other questions would pop up into everyone’s mind. For knowing the answers, let us go deep into the subject.

Caviar, in simple terms is a delicacy consisting of salt-cured fish eggs or more scientifically referred to as roe of a particular species of fish belonging to the Acipenseridae family. Traditionally the term caviar refers to the roe of the wild sturgeon fish prominently found in the Caspian and the Black Sea. The sturgeon (Beluga, Ossetra and Sevruga ) is an endangered species of the whale fish. The roe from the Beluga sturgeon is used in the preparation of the Beluga Caviar. Caviar is eaten as a garnish or a spread.

Methods of preparation of the caviar: There are various methods of obtaining the roes from the Beluga sturgeon. The ovaries of a stunned female sturgeon are removed and passed through a sieve to remove the membrane and cleaned to remove the impurities. Precise amount of salt is added for taste and preservation. These eggs are then packed into tins for further processing or direct sale.

If it is so simple, why is it so expensive? The Beluga sturgeon fish is an endangered species. It can take up to twenty years for the fish to attain maturity and start producing eggs. The eggs are one of the largest and range in color from dark to a lighter form of gray. The rarest of roes is the pearly white variety and is obtained from a centennial female sturgeon.

The concept of Demand and Supply: The basic laws of economics which explains the relation between supply and demand comes into the picture to determine the rate at which the Beluga caviar is sold. Being a critically endangered species of fish, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service imposed a ban on the importation of the Beluga caviar in the year 2005. In 2006, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) suspended trade with the caviar producing regions. This ban was partially lifted in 2007 paving the way for the sale of caviar. These are the external factors which have contributed to the exorbitant price of the Beluga caviar.

Exotic ways to consume exotic food: Expensive food has to be consumed in the most uncommon way possible. The usual way of eating this Beluga Caviar is to dollop a spoonful onto the back of one’s hand near the webbing between the thumb and the forefinger and enjoying it that way. A special type of spoon, known as the Beluga spoon is used to handle this exotic dish. This spoon is made of mother pearl or bone and does not contain any metal of any sort whatsoever.

Tailpiece: If a dish of caviar can be priced at GBP 24000.00, what could be the highest price for a cup of coffee? Please hold your breaths. The same publication which has listed the price of the Beluga caviar also makes a mention of a cup of coffee costing a whooping GBP 325.00. We will have to wait for another occasion to explain the procedure behind the preparation of this coffee drink.

Tea Time Quiz

[forminator_poll id="23176"]
 

Leave a Reply