White truffle :
The most expensive mushroom in the world is the white truffle. The mushroom has its origins in the Langhe area of the Piedmont region in northern Italy, it can reach 12 cm diameter and 500g. These truffles are sold at a amazing price of €2,000 and €4,000 per kilogram ($1350 – $2700 per pound). The record price for this truffle was paid last year, in December, when Stanley Ho, the owner of the Macau casino paid $330,000 for 1.5kg of truffles.
White truffles are the world’s second most expensive food next to caviar and run at about $2500.00 USD per pound. Apparently in 2005 an anonymous buyer, from Hong Kong, at a charity auction paid $112,000.00 for a 2.5 pound white truffle.
Matsutake Mushrooms – $1000/pound :
The matsutake, or mattake, mushroom is expensive because of its rarity. While its historical prevalence meant it was nearly synonymous with autumn in Japan, the introduction of an insect that kills the trees under which the mushroom grows has caused a dramatic decrease in the number of matsutake mushrooms.
A method for farming the matsutake has yet to be developed, which means the lack of trees from which to harvest these mushrooms naturally is a serious problem for the species.
Matsutake mushrooms, or mattake for short, are said to have been part of the Japanese diet for more than a thousand years. Despite this long history, however, no one has been able to figure out how to farm them, and they must be gathered by hand.
Japanese matsutake are found under fallen leaves at the foot of pine trees, hence the name – matsutake means pine mushroom in Japanese.
Matsutake are harvested from around the end of September through the middle of November. The highest grade is given to mushrooms that have an even plumpness to the stem and measure about 6 inches in length.
More important than size, however, is to make sure that the cap has not yet opened – the Japanese say to choose the one that looks like a penis instead of an umbrella. In fact, a mushroom can loose up to a third of its value once the cap separates from the stem and the gills become visible underneath.
