When asked about the most expensive mushrooms in the world, many without hesitation and doubt will answer: "Of course, truffles!" And they will be partly right. Why only partly? This article will help to figure this out, which describes the most expensive mushrooms.
Full list
In order not to beat around the bush for a long time, we will announce right away what the most expensive mushrooms in the world are. Their list looks like this:
- yarhagumba;
- white truffle;
- black truffle;
- Matsutaki
Next, we will tell more about each mushroom at the cost of the car!
Amazing Yarchagumba Mushroom
Yarchagumba - the most expensive mushrooms. The name in Russian sounds like "yarhagumba" or "yarsagumba". Literally translated as "grass in the summer, and an insect in the winter." Its cost is simply colossal - 120 thousand dollars per 1 kg. Afford such a luxury (1 small mushroom costs about $ 500) can only real rich. Recently, it has become popular among world magnates to eat 1 such mushroom per day, sprinkle them with main dishes. Chinese healers claim that yarhagumba - the strongest aphrodisiac, the only cure for cancer and leprosy in the world, cures tuberculosis perfectly. Chinese athletes used Yarkhagumba as a dope and were able to break the world record, while the mushroom has no side effect and is not found in the blood.
It grows in a very limited area. It can be found only on the Tibetan plateau and in the Himalayan mountains at an altitude of 3-5 thousand meters. More than half of its range is in Nepal, about 40% - in China, India and Bhutan. The locals collect these most expensive mushrooms, sell them at a price of 25 thousand dollars per 1 kg.
This is a parasite mushroom. Before the rainy season, he infects with his spores the Himalayan caterpillars that are deep underground. Anticipating spring, the caterpillar begins to break through the soil up to the sun, and spores sprout here. They draw all the juices from the insect, and the caterpillar dies at the very surface of the earth. And the mushroom sprouts through it and comes to the surface, where the "treasure seekers" dig it.
White truffle
In appearance, these mushrooms resemble potato tubers; they have an irregular shape, with a diameter of 2 to 12 cm. They grow underground or protrude slightly above the surface. In young truffles, the color is whitish, in mature truffles it is yellowish-brown, in older truffles it is brownish with reddish spots. Their smell is strong, pleasant only in young and mature mushrooms, and the old ones smell very badly. They have a pronounced nutty flavor.
White truffle grows throughout Europe to Antarctica, also in North America. It can be found only under the oak and sometimes under coniferous trees (Christmas tree, pine, Tsuga). But it is very rare. It is known that the best detectives of all varieties of truffles are pigs. They smell their smell from afar and try to get it out of the ground with a snout. In some farms, pigs are specially trained to search for this fungus.
It is interesting that white truffle, which is recognized as a delicacy around the world and costs a lot of money, is considered poisonous in France and Italy, and in Spain it is generally forbidden to eat. In any case, in the manufacture of dishes from this fungus, its heat treatment is mandatory.
Black truffle
It grows underground in the form of tubers of irregular shape (occasionally rounded black truffles), the diameter of the fruiting body is 3 to 9 cm. Young mushrooms outside are reddish-brown in color, and mature ones are black as coal (hence the name). For all truffles of this species, the flesh is hard; in young mushrooms, it is painted in light colors with a marble pattern on a slice. And in old, the flesh is dark from a large number of spores, but the marble pattern is still visible.
The mushroom has a strong characteristic aroma and a very pleasant taste with a spicy bitterness. This is a recognized and highly regarded delicacy. Chefs call it a "black diamond on the table." Can be used raw or cooked.
These most expensive mushrooms grow in the world mainly in Western and Southern Europe, especially common in France. They are found under deciduous trees, most often under an oak tree. Like white truffles, blacks are also very attracted to pigs that are specially trained for this purpose. Recently, dogs have been used to search for mushrooms.
How much can a truffle cost?
For these most expensive mushrooms they pay a lot of money. They are only auctioned. The price may vary. For example, in 2004, a white truffle weighing 850 grams was sold at auction for 28 thousand pounds (about 40 thousand dollars). To the great grief of the buyer, they did not have time to cook the mushroom, since on the way home it was rotten. And in November 2007, three tycoons from Hong Kong together bought a "white diamond" weighing 750 grams for a record 209 thousand dollars. These buyers were lucky: their trophy was prepared and safely eaten in the circle of loved ones. The average price of white truffles is 7.5-8 thousand euros per 1 kg.
Black truffle is more common and cheaper than its white "relative". Its price is approximately 4-5 thousand euros per 1 kg.
Matsutaki Mushroom
One of the most expensive mushrooms in the world is matsutaki. For some reason, they are usually called "Japanese", although they grow throughout Asia, are rarely found in Northern Europe and North America. Literally, “Matsutaki” is translated as “pine mushroom,” which is entirely justified, since it grows only under pine trees.
In appearance, this mushroom is very similar to a mushroom, only it is larger and more meaty. The leg is long, brown, a hat of a lighter shade, the flesh is white with a pronounced sweet and spicy aroma of cinnamon. The fungus sits firmly in the ground, so you have to try to get it.
Interestingly, Matsutaki grows only in natural conditions, it is impossible to cultivate it. For this reason, and due to its rarity, it costs fabulous money - 2 thousand dollars per 1 kg. Fresh mushrooms are especially appreciated, the taste and aroma of which are much more saturated.
Total ...
The article describes the most expensive mushrooms. The name with a photo of each kind will give a visual representation of the delicacies. Unfortunately, few can afford them.
