There’s a saying that if you pay your money, you can take your choice and that’s certainly the case for food where rare forms of everyday items can go for a fortune.
Take cheese for example. Now, we don’t mind paying a bit more for some quality mature stilton but if you want a slice of Moose cheese, which is only made in Sweden, it will cost you £1,000 a kilo.
Lobsters were once so commonplace they could be harvested direct from US beaches where they were washed ashore. Legend even has it that inmates of an East Coast prison petitioned the Governor insisting they be fed the crustaceans no more than twice a week.
Overfishing, pollution and the discovery by chefs of how to properly cook lobster now make it one of the most expensive dishes on the menu.
Whilst not immune to price rises, chicken remains one of the most affordable and versatile of meats.
The exception is Ayam Cemani, otherwise known as Goth Chicken because of its black feathers and meat. Native to Indonesia and famed for its alleged healing powers, export of the bird is heavily restricted and a pair will cost around £5,000.
Much like sugar and spices, coffee was once regarded as precious as gold but surely no-one would pay over £1000 for a kilo bag nowadays?
Well, that’s what Kopi Luwak costs – and if the price doesn’t put you off perhaps the production process might. It’s made from coffee beans that are gathered after they have been eaten and then defecated by the civet cat – a small mammal native to Asia. The part digestion and fermentation of the beans in the animal stomach leads to what is certainly a rich taste.
When it comes to value for money, the humble pig is up there with the best, producing some of the most delicious and economical cuts around.
But at a cost of over £4,000 a leg, Jamon Iberico is the crown jewels of the porcine world. Production is limited to a few areas of of Spain and Portugal where the prized porkers lead a life of luxury, fed on acorns and given wide areas to roam. The ham itself is often matured for over three years before being sold.
At SK Foods we scour the globe to bring the best of world tastes to your doorstep and they won’t cost the earth to enjoy.
About Oliver Parkinson
Sous Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
