From Rare To Table

ALMAS CAVIAR

Caviar is not new in the realm of high-value foods; this ingredient has long since graced the tables of the most exclusive fine-dining establishments. But certain types of caviar prove more valuable than others, and Almas is the most valuable of all.

WHAT?

Almas, also sometimes known as golden or white caviar, is the roe of the albino beluga sturgeon. Named after the old Persian word for diamond, Almas may be white to golden yellow or light grey, depending on the age of the sturgeon it is harvested from, in stark contrast to the dark black of the Beluga caviar. Almas is recommended to be served on its own, eaten off  the skin between your thumb and forefinger, to properly experience the delicate flavours.

WHY?

Almas is so valuable mainly because the albino fish is so hard to find. The occurrence of an albino beluga sturgeon is said to be one in every 6,000, and the dwindling numbers of this fish in recent years make the caviar even rarer. Furthermore, it is harvested only from elderly albino sturgeon that is between 60 and 100 years old, which is more than four times the age at which this species matures (from 15 to 25 years). From the beluga sturgeon is harvested the second most valuable caviar, Beluga. The older the sturgeon, the lighter the colour of the caviar, and the more expensive it is.

WHERE?

The beluga sturgeon is native to the southern region of the Caspian Sea, near the shores of Iran. This region is said to be less polluted, providing a suitable habitat for this rare sturgeon to grow, while also producing better quality caviar.

HOW MUCH?

The Guinness World Records lists Almas caviar as the world’s most expensive food, which, at recordsetting time, sold for £20,000 (S$36,000) per kilogram. Almas caviar is one of the rarest forms on the market today.

The sturgeon is known to live for more than 100 years, with the oldest reported being 118 years. Fine foods company Caviar House & Prunier had a limited run of Special Edition Almas Persicus caviar that was packed in a diamondencrusted, 24K gold tin and sold in a bespoke padded wooden case. It retailed for US$ 25,000 (S$34,000).

ALBA WHITE TRUFFLE

WHAT?

Truffles, in general, have long been considered a gastronomic indulgence, but the Alba white truffle is in a league of its own. Thought to be one of the most luxurious ingredients available, the white tuber magnatum has a deeper, muskier scent than its black counterpart.

WHY?

Truffles in general are relatively rare in the wild.  They never grow in the same place twice, are hard to find, and are decreasing in quantity due to issues such as climate change and inadequate environment for growth. The white truffle is even more rare than its sibling, resulting in its exorbitant price.

WHERE?

Its name gives it away. The Alba white truffle is from the Italian countryside surrounding the cities of Alba and Asti. It can also be found in the Langhe and the Monferrato areas of the Piedmont region in northern Italy.

HOW MUCH?

The annual International Alba White Truffle Fair in October and November is used to set a reference point for the price and quality of truffles across the country, which then translates internationally. Currently, the price of white truffle has increased to an all-time high of  £6,000  (S$10,700) per kilogram, compared to five years ago when it was £5,000 per kilogram. This recent increase is attributed to an unfavourable climate that has also elevated the prices of olives and wines from the surrounding areas.

From the humble angus steak to the upper end of the spectrum where South Korea’s Hanwoo and Japan’s wagyu reside, beef can run the gamut of affordability. And no other type comes close to that of Kobe as being the most valued.

Kobe beef is the meat of a specific breed of Japanese wagyu cattle, called Tajima-gyu. It is known for having the best marbling in any cut of steak the world over, due to the rigorous care that is taken with the way Tajimagyu are raised. Fat found in wagyu beef, in general, melts at a lower temperature than that of conventional beef, giving it a richer, more buttery flavour profile. At the same time, it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acids, which makes it healthier too.

Like most other expensive foods, exclusivity makes Kobe the most expensive beef on the global market. In Japan, Kobe beef is a registered trademark of the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association, which employs seven stringent rules in classifying the meat. Kobe beef must be Tajima-gyu cattle that are born, raised and processed in the Hyogo prefecture with a marbling rating of six or higher on a 12-point scale, and meat quality rating of  four or higher on a five-point scale coming from a steer or cow weighing a maximum of 470kg. These strict standards mean that only about 3,000 of the animals qualify as Kobe beef per year, pushing prices of this premium meat even higher.

Tajima-gyu cattle are  found  in  the  Hyogo prefecture, the capital of which is Kobe – hence the name of the beef. Hyogo is the only place that breeds authentic Kobe cattle. Wagyu cattle that are born and raised in farms elsewhere in Japan or around the globe cannot be called Kobe beef due to the geographical difference. Some butchers will claim to sell Kobe-style beef, but it might not be the case, as only a small number of these prized animals is exported to a few select buyers around the globe. For authenticity, Kobe beef should be sampled in Kobe city.

One kilogram of frozen A5 grade Kobe beef sirloin can set you back about US$430 (S$580). An A5 grade Kobe beef dinner set at the reservations-required Mouriya restaurant in Kobe will cost you upwards of 16,200 yen (S$200).

Exports of genuine Kobe beef only started as recently as 2012, when it was shipped to Macau and Hong Kong before reaching the United States, Singapore, Canada and Europe.

ABALONE

Abalone is a shellfish prized for both its meat and shell. It is most coveted in South-east Asian and East Asian cultures, as historically these tender morsels were served to emperors alongside shark’s fin and bird’s nest. Today, it is a delicacy typically served at celebrations.

The price tag of this shellfish, especially wild abalone, can be attributed to the difficulty in procuring it, as well as laws to protect abalone species from extinction. It is notoriously hard to fish, as it lives on rocky oceanic outcrops and has an extremely strong hold on the rocks to avoid being washed away by the tide. Furthermore, locating it is a problem too, as it is known to grow in hard-to-reach crannies while camouflaged among rocks.

Abalone  can  be  found  along  the  coast of almost every continent, but is most commonly harvested along the coasts of South Africa, Japan and the Oceania, especially in New Zealand where it is known by its Maori name, paua.

Wild-caught abalone can cost up to US$500 (S$680) per kilogram. But, as it is weighed along with the shell, only about a quarter of it is meat. Dried wild abalone sold by the Tasmanian company Candy Abalone is a hit in the Chinese market, reaching prices of A$1,400 (S$1,300) per kilogram.

The Buddha Jumps Over The Wall soup served at Restaurant Kai Mayfair in London features abalone, along with other highvalue ingredients such as ginseng, sea cucumber and Japanese flower mushroom. It costs £108 (S$200) per bowl and must be ordered five days in advance.

MATSUTAKE MUSHROOMS

Matsutake  mushrooms  –  also  known  as mattake – are a species of mushrooms that grows along the roots of red pine trees and are considered Japan’s answer to truffles. These plump, heavy mushrooms give off  a fruity, spicy aroma, with a heady note of cinnamon, all tied together with a pine-like earthy taste. In Japan, they symbolise the change  from summer to autumn, and are therefore a gastronomical must-have once the leaves start turning brown.

As with its cousin, the truffle, the matsutake mushroom in Japan has been facing a shortage in supply, with the quantity of mushrooms declining sharply in recent years. This drop, combined with a hike in demand, works to push the mushroom to near legendary status. If you want a taste, try the ones from the Tamba region outside of Kyoto, considered the best and most expensive of the family.

The mushrooms can be found in North America, in places such as California, as well as the Pacific Northwest. They are also known to grow in Korea, China, Japan and Northern Europe in countries such as Sweden and Finland. Due to different climates and terrain, the mushrooms in these countries differ slightly from those in Japan. In the United States, for example, the mushroom is known as white matsutake, for its lack of brown colouration.

Due to the mushroom sprouting wildly across the world, its price can be vastly different. Should there be a surplus in the United States and Asia, the mushroom could be sold for as little as US$3 (S$4) per kilogram. If supply is scarce or one opts for the Japanese matsutake, it could cost up to US$2,000 per kilogram. If the cap of the fungi is open, it can lose a third of its value in sales, so handlers always opt for younger mushrooms.

JAMON IBERICO DE BELLOTA

Jamon Iberico is made from black Iberian pigs  native to Spain and Portugal. Their abundant fat allows the meat to be cured longer, thus resulting in more intense, complex flavours. As a leg of ham, it is identified by its black hooves or “pata negra”. The acclaimed and finest range of Jamon Iberico ham is known as the Bellota, and is derived from black pigs that feed on acorns and are allowed to graze freely in forests before being killed.

It is not merely the nutty, complex flavour of Bellota ham that allows it to be sold at a high price, but the entire process of rearing pure black Iberian pigs. For 18 to 24 months, they are allowed to roam the dehesa, an oak forest meant for grazing, to feast on the fruits of the land, turning to gorge on acorns once the nuts fall in earnest during the autumn and winter seasons. A single black pig can consume up to 10kg of acorns a day. Once they reach the ideal weight, about 160kg, they are killed and the curing process begins. For every kilogram, the meat is kept a day in salt, before being rinsed off  and placed in a curing facility for three years.

Eating slices of the ham, sliced paper thin, at a Barcelona food bazaar – with a glass of wine under the Spanish sun – may seem like the only ideal way to eat Jamon Iberico De Bellota. However, due to its uniquely succulent and distinctively flavoured taste, Spain exports the ham to international markets for easier consumption.

A hefty leg of the Jamon Iberico De Bellota weighing about 6.7kg costs approximately US$1,100 (S$1,490), including the bone, while a shoulder of the ham weighing  about 4.5kg is priced an average of US$560. Spain has recently seen an increase in demand – and thus the price of Jamon Iberico De Bellota – having recovered from the economic crisis that plagued it from 2008 to 2013.