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Expensive foods that are worth every penny...what do you indulge in?

voce

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Only the fakes are a health hazard. I don't know what the hell they make fake fat choy from. All I can say is they don't taste like the old fat choy we have.

I don't think so. The research according to Wikipedia is attributed to Takenaka in 1998. He was apparently researching the real alga, and discovered an amino acid toxic to nerve cells that is linked to dementia.

I never knew until tonight when I was trying to find a Google image of fat choy.
 

monarch64

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I'm gearing up for grilled cheese season. A few years ago my Kroger used to do Friday evening samples of hot foods and one night I hit the jackpot--sourdough bread, raclette and smoked gouda, and raspberry rose preserves. OMG it was to die for, so I bought all the ingredients and made the same thing at home, on my grill. Even better. Now I like to make variations of that in the winter, using gruyere, raclette, havarti, etc. No "regular" cheese will do. I am officially a grilled cheese snob.

Oh, and coat the bread with Kerrygold butter. Also worth every penny.
 

Dancing Fire

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I don't think so. The research according to Wikipedia is attributed to Takenaka in 1998. He was apparently researching the real alga, and discovered an amino acid toxic to nerve cells that is linked to dementia.
I'm not gonna trash mine. Once a year we'll make some fat choy soup for chinese new yr. I don't think it'll kill me by eating a small amount once every year. :bigsmile:
 

VRBeauty

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Good cheese, especially good semi-soft cheeses like Brie and Cambazola. Fortunately there’s a discount grocery chain in my area that sometimes gets incredible cheese at wonderful prices.

I’ll splurge on good seafood, but only if it’s fresh and local.
 
Last edited:

dk168

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Dried mushrooms such Morel and Porcini - important ingredients in my mushroom risotto.

Not truffles though, not at home.

Salted capers instead of those in vinegar.

Good quality Basmati and risotto rice.

DK :))
 

mellowyellowgirl

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Wagyu beef. We don't eat a lot of beef but when we do wagyu tastes so much better.

Truffle paste. I'm addicted to this truffle fried rice and it must be made with truffle paste. You can cheat and add a little truffle oil but the paste is needed.

Fresh pandan leaves. During lockdown I grew my own. The essence in a jar cannot hold a candle to the real thing.

Fresh assorted Asian mushrooms like shitake, oyster, king oyster, shimenji.

Vanilla bean paste from Costco. Haha not exactly expensive but so so so good for anyone who loves vanilla but doesn't have the patience to deal with the actual beans.
 

missy

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While I’m a pescetarian I spend for wild salmon and langostinos. I always buy organic pears and apples and veggies too.

I don’t skimp on food money wise. I buy what I think is healthiest and am grateful we can afford to do so. We work hard and have done so most of our lives.

So yeah I’m good with spending on what I put into my body. Life’s short. I want to enjoy and stay as healthy as possible.
 

Daisys and Diamonds

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Do spices count? If so, saffron and vanilla--the real kind, not the imitation kind.

Yes that counts !
Vannila was impossible to get durring lockdown and there was no way i was going to buy fake wood tasting yuck fake essence
so we went without !
Ive always wanted to try real saffron but im not sure what to do with it
 

voce

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I'm not gonna trash mine. Once a year we'll make some fat choy soup for chinese new yr. I don't think it'll kill me by eating a small amount once every year. :bigsmile:

Nah, it won't kill you. I wouldn't trash it either.

My gramps got Alzheimer's in his 70s, and it was extremely sad to see his mind slip. At one point he went outside and forgot the way home, wandered outside the city on foot and lay down on the road because he had given up. He had to be constantly watched after that so he didn't wander away again.
 

Elizabeth35

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Good olive oil, balsamic vinegar. We order cheddar cheese from Plymouth Cheese in Vermont. Good bread.
Prime beef from Costco, Wagyu beef, Mexican vanilla, iberico ham.
We hunt morel mushrooms in season but also use dried morels and chanterelles. Real saffron.
 

monarch64

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Good olive oil, balsamic vinegar. We order cheddar cheese from Plymouth Cheese in Vermont. Good bread.
Prime beef from Costco, Wagyu beef, Mexican vanilla, iberico ham.
We hunt morel mushrooms in season but also use dried morels and chanterelles. Real saffron.

Fellow mushroom hunter here. I start dreaming about them around February every year. :)
 

rungirl

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Dark chocolate. I've tried more expensive brands, but fortunately my favorite is still a Trader Joe's brand, so not really terribly expensive.

I also buy and really appreciate local honey.
 

JPie

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Hard to pin point a specific food... local honey definitely but also quality meat. I don't even bother to eat cheap meat at all.
I hear you. I also don’t bother with cheap meat. I figure the least I can do for the animals I eat is to buy from farms that treated them well.

Quality meat, good seafood (no shortage of that in my seaside town!), bakery fresh bread, Swiss chocolate.

My college roommate is from Europe and pointed out once that I shop like I’m from her city. No grocery store, but multiple stops at the shops that carry things I like. Of course Covid has ruined that too.
One of my favorite things about vacationing in Europe was food shopping.

Not that im buying any luxuries while im not working
but i would normally buy the American stone fruit and strawberries in the middle of winter, even it was just a couple of plums to eat on the way home

I also love those English orange flavoured chocolate that comes segmented in the shape of an orange

Pine nuts
i could eat $20 worth on the way home from the supermarket

My favourite windsor blue cheese that comes from white stone cheeses in Oamaru in North Otago
Speaking of stone fruit, apparently my state of California is the top producer of peaches in this country. I always thought it was Georgia but nope. CA’s 2018 harvest was about 2/3 of the national total. There’s definitely no shortage at the farmers market!

Chocolate croissants
Ham and cheese for me!

Hair moss / fa cai / fat choy
It's delicious in soups!

@WhatAboutTheCats @JPie if you can get fresh duck eggs, they make marvelous omelets! Even when eaten fresh, not salted or anything, it's so much more delicious than regular chicken egg. We used to have a few ducks to lay them every week; we got baby ducks from a fair and raised them to be adults. But, once the rats started to come after the duck poop in our backyard, we had to release the ducks into nature because ducks are messy, and we didn't want to feed rodents!

*edit*

This ingredient could be linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinsons? Plus it's bad for the environment? I guess I'll stop eating it. ;(
We only eat fat choy during the lunar new year. Can’t say I have any strong feelings about it because I’m usually busy picking out the dried oysters in that dish.

I haven’t gotten fresh duck eggs in quite some time. The farm that sells them said they’d been letting them hatch to increase their flock, and lately it’s been so hot that they stopped laying. I’d love to keep ducks but I’ve heard they can be quite messy. That’s so gross that rats eat their droppings!

My favorite ingredient that’s bad for you is Cantonese-style dried salted fish. It causes cancer but it’s so delicious!
 

JPie

Ideal_Rock
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Good quality cured meats and cheeses, meat and eggs in general, actually. If I have to pick one “expensive food” that I love and think is absolutely worth every penny, I’d pick foie gras.
Ooh yes! Foie is banned in CA, but the courts recently ruled that the ban doesn’t include purchasing it from out-of-state producers and having it shipped here. I might get some during the holidays.

Do spices count? If so, saffron and vanilla--the real kind, not the imitation kind.
Yes they count! For me, fresh Tellicherry black pepper. I always use a grinder, never the preground stuff.

Probably good quality meat, including bacon.

Foie gras is another indulgence, however they are far and between.

I prefer to eat at gourmet restaurants as I lack the skills and patience to cook at that level, nor the deep pockets to stock so many different and expensive ingredients.

DK :))
I agree about the gourmet restaurants. I try to order things that I know I can’t make better myself. This is especially true of dim sum. There’s too many dishes for me to master for one meal!

I'm gearing up for grilled cheese season. A few years ago my Kroger used to do Friday evening samples of hot foods and one night I hit the jackpot--sourdough bread, raclette and smoked gouda, and raspberry rose preserves. OMG it was to die for, so I bought all the ingredients and made the same thing at home, on my grill. Even better. Now I like to make variations of that in the winter, using gruyere, raclette, havarti, etc. No "regular" cheese will do. I am officially a grilled cheese snob.

Oh, and coat the bread with Kerrygold butter. Also worth every penny.
Good cheese makes such a difference! My favorite smoked Gouda is from Murray’s Cheese in New York. I just have to order a ton at once to make the shipping worth it. Poor me! :lol-2:

Good cheese, especially good semi-soft cheeses like Brie and Cambazola. Fortunately there’s a discount grocery chain in my area that sometimes gets incredible cheese at wonderful prices.

I’ll splurge on good seafood, but only if it’s fresh and local.
I’m spoiled on the cheese and seafood front. The Bay Area has fantastic cheese shops and there’s many producers within 100 miles. There’s also plenty of local seafood.
 

doberman

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Local honey!
It's expensive, but totally worth it.
Plus, I am supporting local beekeepers.

We have beehives and just did a honey harvest. My husband actually won a prize for his dark honey last year. It's how we make our farm assessment.

Although I no longer eat pork or beef I will pay top dollar for farm raised chickens and eggs.
 

mellowyellowgirl

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May 17, 2014
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This is not so much about the price but more the effort involved!

Gnocchi!!!

Delicious gnocchi is so hard to find, even in restaurants. Goodness it is a process to make it!!!!

Buy potatoes, cook potatoes, make gnocchi, turn gnocchi into a dish. It's a whole trial just to get a meal but worth it!!!!
 

JPie

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Feb 12, 2018
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Dried mushrooms such Morel and Porcini - important ingredients in my mushroom risotto.

Not truffles though, not at home.

Salted capers instead of those in vinegar.

Good quality Basmati and risotto rice.

DK :))
I love fresh morels and porcinis but I never think to use the dry ones. I must try that!

I bought a truffle shaver during a trip to the festival in Alba, Italy, years ago. I try to put it to good use when white truffle season starts.

A friend of mine was used to flavorless capers in brine. One day, I had him over for dinner and I was making steak tartare. On a whim, I offered him a salted caper, and he was amazed by the flavor. I sent him home with a jar and I’m pretty sure he still likes to eat them straight. That’s waaaaaay too salty for me.

Wagyu beef. We don't eat a lot of beef but when we do wagyu tastes so much better.

Truffle paste. I'm addicted to this truffle fried rice and it must be made with truffle paste. You can cheat and add a little truffle oil but the paste is needed.

Fresh pandan leaves. During lockdown I grew my own. The essence in a jar cannot hold a candle to the real thing.

Fresh assorted Asian mushrooms like shitake, oyster, king oyster, shimenji.

Vanilla bean paste from Costco. Haha not exactly expensive but so so so good for anyone who loves vanilla but doesn't have the patience to deal with the actual beans.
What time should I come over for dinner? :bigsmile:

Expensive durians with yellowish, thick & creamy flesh.
You either hate or love it :lol:
I’m squarely in Camp Hate It. But that means you never have to share it with me!

While I’m a pescetarian I spend for wild salmon and langostinos. I always buy organic pears and apples and veggies too.

I don’t skimp on food money wise. I buy what I think is healthiest and am grateful we can afford to do so. We work hard and have done so most of our lives.

So yeah I’m good with spending on what I put into my body. Life’s short. I want to enjoy and stay as healthy as possible.
If there’s one thing my parents taught me from a young age, it’s to be a big spender on food. It’s the one thing they never scold me about spending too much money on!

Yes that counts !
Vannila was impossible to get durring lockdown and there was no way i was going to buy fake wood tasting yuck fake essence
so we went without !
Ive always wanted to try real saffron but im not sure what to do with it
Make paella!

Really good quality rum
Not the cheap stuff you mix with coke - gross me out

Not presently buying any booze while im not working so i really miss my glass of rum at night
Good booze is way better than the cheap stuff, that’s for sure!

Good olive oil, balsamic vinegar. We order cheddar cheese from Plymouth Cheese in Vermont. Good bread.
Prime beef from Costco, Wagyu beef, Mexican vanilla, iberico ham.
We hunt morel mushrooms in season but also use dried morels and chanterelles. Real saffron.
I’m so jealous! I would love to hunt for morels.

Fellow mushroom hunter here. I start dreaming about them around February every year. :)
If you ever need help eating them...

Dark chocolate. I've tried more expensive brands, but fortunately my favorite is still a Trader Joe's brand, so not really terribly expensive.

I also buy and really appreciate local honey.
Trader Joe’s has good stuff!
 

winnietucker

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We have beehives and just did a honey harvest. My husband actually won a prize for his dark honey last year. It's how we make our farm assessment.

Although I no longer eat pork or beef I will pay top dollar for farm raised chickens and eggs.

I’m completely jealous that you both have a farm and award winning honey. That’s super cool and all of my life dreams. A blueberry farm came up for sale near us but my husband wasn’t into it. It’ll be a mega millions/ powerball daydream for me.
 

JPie

Ideal_Rock
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Feb 12, 2018
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We have beehives and just did a honey harvest. My husband actually won a prize for his dark honey last year. It's how we make our farm assessment.

Although I no longer eat pork or beef I will pay top dollar for farm raised chickens and eggs.
Wow, that’s so cool that you keep bees! Do you sell your honey?

This is not so much about the price but more the effort involved!

Gnocchi!!!

Delicious gnocchi is so hard to find, even in restaurants. Goodness it is a process to make it!!!!

Buy potatoes, cook potatoes, make gnocchi, turn gnocchi into a dish. It's a whole trial just to get a meal but worth it!!!!
My friend makes it from scratch. I’ll let him do the work and I’ll just help with the eating part.
 

doberman

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I’m completely jealous that you both have a farm and award winning honey. That’s super cool and all of my life dreams. A blueberry farm came up for sale near us but my husband wasn’t into it. It’ll be a mega millions/ powerball daydream for me.

It's just a small farm, 32 acres, and the majority is wooded. The bee yard is planted in clover and a lot of the honey comes from the tulip poplars in the woods.
 

winnietucker

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It's just a small farm, 32 acres, and the majority is wooded. The bee yard is planted in clover and a lot of the honey comes from the tulip poplars in the woods.

That just sounds amazing.
 

JPie

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That just sounds amazing.

My acupuncturist tried to convince my husband and me to go into organic farming. I’m beginning to think she was right!
 

doberman

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Wow, that’s so cool that you keep bees! Do you sell your honey?


My friend makes it from scratch. I’ll let him do the work and I’ll just help with the eating part.

Yes we are selling it online now, through our local patch. We used to sell it to a local farm stand but she's closed due to the pandemic.
 

lala646

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Oooooh, @JPie, I use smoked gouda in my fave salad. Baby spinach, toasted slivered almonds, diced apples, red peppers and shallots, smoked gouda, with a fresh honey, dijon and rice wine dressing. The smoked gouda really elevates it.
 

winnietucker

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My acupuncturist tried to convince my husband and me to go into organic farming. I’m beginning to think she was right!

No doubt it’s hard work but it sounds like such a fulfilling life. :))
 

JPie

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Yes we are selling it online now, through our local patch. We used to sell it to a local farm stand but she's closed due to the pandemic.
Would you be comfortable sharing the site? I’d love to try some! Totally understand if not.

Oooooh, @JPie, I use smoked gouda in my fave salad. Baby spinach, toasted slivered almonds, diced apples, red peppers and shallots, smoked gouda, with a fresh honey, dijon and rice wine dressing. The smoked gouda really elevates it.
That sounds delicious! I usually just eat the Gouda straight. Might have to try it in a salad!

No doubt it’s hard work but it sounds like such a fulfilling life. :))
Get that blueberry farm as a retirement property! Then send me blueberries. :P2
 

737liz

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I try to buy only organic local meat, and buy duck eggs from a local guy who drives into town once he has enough orders, and I buy unpasteurised milk and butter.

But my main splurge is on truffles... oil, salt, grated, mixed with brie, veined in pecorino, on crisps/chips... if it's an ingredient I will buy it.


Really good quality rum

What rums are your favourite? I only coped with lockdown because I knew we had a good stash of rums and stouts. I am partial to zacapa xo, and the Nicaraguan Rum flor de caña, anything over their 12 is good. I lived there for a year back in 2006 and the price used to be 21 usd for their top tier 25 year old. It has shot up in price since then. FB_IMG_1596471921139.jpg
 
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