10 most expensive ingredients in the world – #10 – Edible Gold (Gold Leaf/Gold Dust)

The goodness of gold!

Finally, we wrap up the list of 10 most expensive ingredients in the world with Edible Gold (Gold Leaf/Dust). A quick recap on the previous ones:

• Kopi Luwak
• Matsutake Mushroom
• Yubari Melon
• Caviar
• Truffles
• Coffin Bay King Oysters
• Hop Shoots
• Moose Milk Cheese
• Saffron

With $15,000 as the estimated price per pound, Edible Gold in the form leaves and dust dates back to the 16^th century where it was used by the Italian Dukes and Earls to decorate their risottos. It was also used in medicines by the Alchemists of the 15^th century, on fruits in luxurious banquets by the Elizabethans and by the Japanese in their food and sake for centuries.

And you thought gold could only be jewellery?

#10 – Edible Gold (Gold Leaf/Gold Dust)

How is gold edible? As this expensive food is a metal that is ‘biologically inert’ which means it doesn’t get absorbed by the digestive tract as it passes through it. Hence, it becomes pretty much consumable.

Whether you use it as a garnish on dishes or as floating gold flecks in beverages, make sure you select gold that is pure – 22-24 carats is what you should look for. A carat value less than this would mean that the gold is impure and can be harmful for consumption.

While it’s not exactly possible to create a dish completely of edible gold, we bring to you some of the dishes from around the world that use this pricey metal in one or the other way, alongwith other pricey ingredients. Check these out

1. Le Burger Extravagant priced at $295 in New York’s Serendipity 3 Restaurant.
2. Douche Burger priced at $666 at 666’s Burger, a New York City based Food Truck.
3. The Golden Bagel priced at $1,000 in New York’s Westin Hotel.
4. Billion Dollar Popcorn priced at $1000 per kg at Berco’s Popcorn, Chicago.
5. The Golden Opulence Sundae priced at $1,000 in New York’s Serendipity 3 Restaurant.
6. White Truffle and Gold Leaf Pizza priced at $2,400 at Margo’s Pizzeria, Malta.
7. Lancashire Wagyu and Mushroom Pie priced at $14,260 or $1,781 per slice at The Fence Gate Inn, Lancashire.
8. Fabergé Chocolate Cake priced at $34,500 at Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel in Windermere, Cumbria.

Wouldn’t you now want to give edible gold a try? Actually, you must as it’s going to be an experience in itself.

So, here we are, done with our list of expensive ingredients in the world. What’s on your list of expensive ingredients? Tell us about it, share your experiences with us. We are waiting to hear from you!

10 most expensive ingredients in the world – #9 – Saffron

It more than makes sense to put the ‘most expensive spice in the world’ at a decent number 5^th position in this list after Kopi Luwak, Matsutake Mushroom, Yubari Melon and Caviar. Yes, it’s the saffron or zaffran a.k.a kesar in Hindi, which is easily termed as ‘Prada’ in the spice world!

Just to make things clearer, the expense quotient is directly proportional to either complexity to harvest or scarcity. And we give you reasons for this – saffron is prepared by drying the deep-hued stigmas of the crocus sativus flower and it takes 70,000-250,000 of these carefully hand-picked stigmas to make 1 pound! Also, there’s a time when these must be harvested – which should be just before sunrise to 10 am in the morning! Why so? Because if these are left in the plant for long, they will lose their aroma and colour! Too much of a work!

#9 – Saffron

Saffron is expensive! Infact many feel that is pricier than gold because of the amount of labour that goes behind its harvest. Fortunately, one needn’t require large amounts to add that special touch in their dish, as adding too much might make your dish bitter besides being toxic. Some of the best produce comes from Kashmir in India besides Turkey, Iran, Morocco, Spain and Greece.

A culinary delight

The exotic saffron has its use in a variety of dishes, both national and international. Some of the culinary literature also defines its aroma from scent-like, subtle and flowery to earthy, spicy and even medicinal! We give you some trivia about certain cuisines/dishes in which saffron is used in abundance. Read on…

• Foods like risotto and individual ingredients like potatoes, spinach, eggs, mushrooms and seafood are paired absolutely well with this spice.
• We all know about the flavourful and aromatic Indian ‘Biryanis’ and mithais seldom of which are prepared without the use of saffron. Other international dishes like Spanish ‘Paella’ and ‘Sopas de Pescado,’ Persian ‘Pilaf,’ Moroccan Chicken and Lamb preps and French ‘Bouillabaisse’ also use it.
• Quite a few Italian liqueurs and spirits, like ‘Strega Herbal Liqueur’ and ‘Fernet Branca’ use this as an ingredient in their making.

Best way to use

To use saffron, either infuse a few threads in a cup of hot milk or water and add the coloured liquid towards the end of cooking or crumble the threads and add directly to the pot. Alternatively, dry roast, crumble and then steep the crumbled threads. Unlike other spices, a good pinch will suffice to add flavour and colour in most dishes.

Besides these you can try innovating authentic dishes with a dash of saffron in them. Some of my favourites include Saffron Seafood Bisque, Asparagus with Saffron chilli Cheese Sauce, Kesari Pulao, Kesari Phirni and Orange Caramel Custard with Saffron…the list can just go on and on!

These recipes and a lot more are waiting for you at www.sanjeevkapoor.com. Our YouTube channel sanjeevkapoorkhazana also has a long-list of exciting saffron recipes. Don’t forget to check them out too!

All you need to do now is to go get your pack of saffron (in case you haven’t till now!) and use it the way you want to. Just keep in mind not to overuse! And definitely don’t forget to share your kesar tales and recipes with us. We, as always, will be happy to receive them!

Till we decide on our next top expensive ingredient, do spread the knowledge by sharing and leave your valuable feedback for us!

Heart healthy with Nutralite!

In order to keep fit at all times, people these days are investing a lot in foodstuff that make it possible for them to lead a healthy life. One of the most important factor in food is the Omega 3 fatty acids which is extremely useful for the wellbeing of our bodies. For the same reason, food experts worldwide have been working on Omega rich diet plans from quite some time. Because Omega 3 fatty acid is that good dude that helps keep our heart beating, brain functioning and maintains a 6 by 6 vision in the eyes! Thus, these fats are easily synonymous with the last letter of the Greek alphabet ‘omega,’ that actually means “great!”

So, what is it that makes the Omega 3 fats exceptional? Besides being an essential part of the cell membranes in the human body, these are also responsible for the functioning of cell receptors. Hormones controlling inflammation, contraction of artery walls and clotting of blood have these fats as their starting point. The Omega 3 fatty acids also help the cells of the body to normalize genetic functions. Needless to say, these fats majorly help in the prevention of heart stroke and diseases alongwith others like rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and some of the cancers.

The Nutralite table spread with Omega 3 has all this and more. It is not just healthy but even tastes better than a lot of its counterparts. Not only this, Nutralite is also free of cholesterol, contains MUFA and PUFA, Vitamin A, D and E and it is also free from Hydrogenated and Trans Fats. A zero cholesterol medium means that your heart and arteries are healthy and you definitely live longer! The amount of cholesterol that is needed by our body is already produced by our body. So, if we consume more, it definitely is risky for the heart and increases the chances of strokes. Peanuts, olives, avocados, almonds, garlic, oat bran, flax seeds and many more of such foodstuffs help in lowering cholesterol in our day-to-day lives, and when you combine these with Nutralite table spread, the final outcome eventually turns out even more healthy!

These are the fats that the body cannot produce on its own. So, it becomes quite obvious that we derive these from the food we intake. Natural sources of Omega 3 fats would mainly include the non-vegetarian options like salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines and other oily fishes. The vegetarians can choose from options like flax seeds, walnuts, flax oils. A small amount is also found in soybean and canola oils. In fact, include this useful tip in your daily routines: First thing in the morning, ingest a tablespoon of lightly roasted crushed flax seeds with a glass of water. What you will do is give yourself approximately one gram of Omega 3 fatty acids and lots of fibre! Needless to say, the Nutralite table spread which is rich in Omega 3 fats automatically becomes a great choice for use in our day-to-day lives. Use it instead of the normal butter and cut down on the excessive calorie & fat intake. You can also use it without that guilt of taking in something that might possess a danger to your heart! Also, the Vitamin D in it will help keep your bones and teeth healthy. What else can you ask for from a simple thing like a table spread!?

Besides these, when it comes to the ‘Healthier Choice’ Nutralite, your body can benefit on a daily routine from the Omega 3 in it in some simple ways. Here are my picks…

• As a cooking medium: Though it’s a universally accepted fact that butter is preferred as a medium for cooking, it is always a good thing to include something new with added benefits in your routine. Nutralite will not only reduce the chances of being obese, but the dishes will also turn out quite delicious! Just don’t go deep-frying your foodstuff in Nutralite! (as it is deep-frying in any kind of fat should be avoided!)

• Flavour ‘em: That burst of flavour in your foods like salads, while retaining the nutrients can be achieved by flavouring Nutralite with your choice of add-ons. Add a herb, chilli, saffron or any other such ingredient to the Nutralite table spread and voila! your food creations will reach another level! You can even team these beauties with your grilled fishes and veggies for those wholesome yet super-delicious meals!