Japanese Cruisine: When Price is no Object
Romancing the Grapes… Ruby Romans
DBKP has done a number of stories on the differing eating practices of nations, from the donkey penis dishes of China, to the Roasted Guinea Pig of Peru. So it’s not surprising that a recent article in The Telegraph caught our attention;
Bunch of grapes sells for £475
A single bunch of grapes has been sold for £475 (100,000 yen) at an auction in Japan.
“A hotel manager paid about £14 for each grape in the 1 1/2 pound bunch of Ruby Romans, a newly developed variety.
“We believe the price was probably a record high,” said Hirofumi Isu, a local agriculture official. “They’re delicious — sweet but fresh at the same time, very well balanced.” ”
A $1,000 seems like a lot of dough to spend on something that goes on sale for $1.69 a pound. They could be the best tasting grapes ever, but I would rather spend that amount of money joining The Grapes For A Decade Club.
The article brought to mind that over the years we’ve read any number of accounts of Japanese paying extraordinary sums for individual food items, often to be delivered as a gift. So we did a bit of exploration and found some tasty examples.
Sold as a pair, these musk melons fetched $143.
“In Shizuoka, west of Tokyo, melons are farmed in sophisticated green houses, complete with air-conditioners that fine-tune the temperate to optimal levels day and night. Melon vines are planted and cultivated in a soil bedding that is separated from the ground, said Tsuneo Anma, general secretary of a growers’ group based in Fukuroi city that produces the “Crown” brand of melons. Producing 3.5 million melons annually, the agricultural cooperative is the biggest specialty-melon grower in Japan.”
Each individual cherry went for $1.50.
No fancy pedigree here, simply imported from Tasmania.
This watermelon, decked out like a glass fishing float, went for $6,100. Yum.
For a cheaper slice of succulent watermelon, this beauty sold for $80.
Do not bruise.
Sea Salt Ice Cream, In Gold Wrap. No price printed. But we are assured it is the most expensive in the world.
Wagyu Steak. A small serving is $206 at The Renga-tei Restaurant in Kobe, Japan.
Fugu, blowfish, $200 for a sashimi plate. Of course they will throw in the wasabi and shoyu.
“You must have special skills and knowledge about fugu to be licensed. Poisonous parts of fugu differ, depending on the kind of fugu. Because of the strict regulations, the number of deaths is decreasing.Tora-fugu is expensive and can cost over one hundred dollars at a fish market. Nowadays, prepared-fugu are sold at grocery stores and online stores, and fugu are eaten at Japanese homes. Fugu dishes are becoming more common than they used to be. Winter is the best season to eat fugu. ”
That’s good to know.
For something that won’t kill you.
Bluefin Tuna Sashimi
A large specimen brought over $57,000 at auction, $92 a pound before butchering.
“Bluefin, which have been fished to the brink of extinction in some areas, are the largest tuna. They produce the most succulent sashimi-grade flesh, which is eaten raw either as sushi (together with a dollop of rice) or on its own, as sashimi. ”
A sampling of what is important to other cultures. So, let me get this straight. A 1 month cruise around the Pacific or a watermelon. Hmmm… tough choice to some. But not us here at DBKP.
by pat
Source – Telegraph – Bunch of grapes sells for £475
Source – International Herald Tribune – Rich cornucorpia: Japanese Fruit
Source – Washington Post – Japan’s Sacred Bluefin – Loved too much
Image – Epicurious- Melons
Image – Tastecom – Cherries
Image – Watermelon
Image – $80 Watermelon
Image – Japanese Gold Coin Ice Cream
Image – Wagyu Steak
Image – Blowfish
Image – Ruby Roman Grapes
