From ancient times to the present, mankind's obsession with seafood has never stopped. The sea has given birth to countless delicacies, and those high-priced, hard-won top-quality seafood have made countless gourmets rush to it. They are either delicious and extremely nutritious, or as scarce as gold diamonds"A treasure of the sea"The reputation is mouth-watering.
Today, let's take a look at the top 10 most expensive seafood in the world and see why they are so valuable and how appealing they are. China occupies 4 seats, demonstrating the breadth and profundity of Chinese food culture. How many have you eaten?
When it comes to oysters, the first thing that comes to mind for many people is France. As the home of oysters, France has been leading the global trend in oyster consumption. Among the many varieties of oysters in France, the Perón oyster is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious.
Produced in the Brittany region of France, Peron oysters are known for their distinctive metallic flavor and slightly salty taste. Tasting Belon oysters is first an electric hemp-like thrill, followed by an indescribable sweetness that is endlessly evocative. It is this unique taste experience that makes Belon oysters known"King of Oysters", revered by foodies around the world.
The growth process of Belon oysters is extremely complex, requiring multiple stages from freshwater to saltwater, and the water temperature and salinity are demanding. Coupled with the low reproduction rate, the survival rate is less than 50%, and the supply exceeds demand. Nowadays, a Belon oyster can cost about 100 yuan, which is really staggering.
Compared with Belon oysters, Chinese people are more familiar with the Yangtze River saury. As a migratory fish, the Yangtze saury is known for"The first fresh in the Yangtze River"reputation. Its meat is tender and rich in fat, and it has been favored by diners since ancient times.
However, due to overfishing and water pollution, the Yangtze saury resources are depleted and on the verge of extinction. In order to save this rare species, China will implement a ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River basin from 2021, and the Yangtze River saury has been far away from the people's table and has become a scarce commodity in the market.
Nowadays, wild Yangtze saury is hard to find, and the vast majority of the market is farmed. Although the taste is slightly inferior, this is already the best result compared to extinction. It is hoped that one day, with the unremitting efforts of scientists, the Yangtze River saury will be able to reappear in the river and return to the table.
When it comes to gooseneck barnacles, many people are likely to be dumbfounded. It doesn't look like a goose or a neck, and it looks like an alien creature, which is really incredible. But that's the kind of thing"Ugly duckling", but has a shocking value, praised by Europeans"Hell Food"。
Gooseneck barnacles prefer to grow in turbulent waters and often cling to reef crevices. Picking them requires risking your life, hence the emergence of specialized"Barnacle hunters"。Hunters go out to sea when the wind is high and the waves are high, climb the reef, and fight for their lives just to collect delicious barnacles, and the hardships can be imagined.
In addition, the production of gooseneck barnacles is already scarce, so ** naturally remains high. In Europe, gooseneck barnacles can be sold for 6,000-8,000 yuan, which is comparable to gold. Some people say that eating gooseneck barnacles feels like eating money. But those who have tasted it say that it is worth it no matter how expensive it is. Because gooseneck barnacles are delicious and nutritious, they are definitely worth the money. As for whether it is fragrant or not, it depends on personal taste.
When you think of lobsters, what does the image that comes to mind? The whole body is orange and red, and the big tongs are iron-fisted? But have you ever heard of the blue lobster? That's right, this is the specialty of the Brittany region of France - the blue lobster. It gets its name from the deep blue color of the whole body, and its sapphire-like appearance is pleasing to the eye.
The blue color of the blue lobster is due to a rare genetic mutation. It is estimated that only one out of every 2,000,000 lobsters turns blue, which is harder than winning the lottery. It is precisely because of the scarcity of blue lobster, coupled with its delicious meat and tender taste, that it has become a hot and sought-after item in the market.
In France, tasting blue lobster is the ultimate taste bud treat and a squander. In Michelin-starred restaurants, chefs love blue lobster, and the variety of cooking techniques bring out the best in this rare ingredient. And customers would rather pay a hefty ** to try this"Must eat it for a lifetime"delicious. At present, the price of blue lobster in the French market is 2000-3000 yuan, which can only be prohibitive for ordinary people.
What comes to mind when you think of South Africa? Wild Wasteland? Galloping beasts? Or a brilliant diamond? But what you may not know is that deep in South Africa's icy Atlantic Ocean, there is also a species known as:"Diamonds in the sea"The treasure of peacock abalone.
Peacock abalone, as the name suggests, looks like a peacock open screen, the whole body is turquoise, inlaid with beautiful lines, and the anemone is as gorgeous and dazzling as a sea anemone. Because the shell shape resembles an ear, Hong Kong people often call it"King Abalone"or"Abalone ears"。As the best of the abalone family, peacock abalone has delicate flesh, delicious taste, and high nutritional value"Sea ginseng", which is of great benefit to the body.
However, peacock abalone resources are extremely scarce, and the annual catch is only about 2-3 tons, and divers need to dive deep to the bottom of the sea to harvest, which is extremely difficult. Coupled with rampant poaching, peacock abalone is now endangered and listed as an endangered animal, and South Africa has banned fishing. Even if there is an occasional peacock abalone that flows into the market, it often costs tens of thousands of yuan a catty, which is really expensive.
When it comes to tuna, you have to mention Japan. As the world's largest consumer of tuna, the Japanese have an extraordinary obsession with tuna, especially bluefin tuna.
Bluefin tuna is the largest and most fleshy species in the tuna family. It has a bright red flesh and a lot of oil, and almost every muscle can be peeled off into beautiful slices. Put it in your mouth, melt in your mouth, tender and juicy, bringing supreme enjoyment to the taste buds. No wonder people hail it as"Hermes in tuna", gave a very high evaluation.
But again, due to resource scarcity and overfishing, wild bluefin tuna populations have plummeted and are on the verge of extinction. Therefore, its value has also risen, often thousands of yuan a catty. At tuna auctions in Japan, a large bluefin tuna can fetch up to hundreds of millions of yen, which is amazing. And in sushi restaurants, bluefin tuna sashimi is a sky-high dish, which is beyond the reach of ordinary people.
When it comes to China's top seafood, wild yellow croaker is definitely well deserved. This high-priced fish was once just a common fish that could be found everywhere on the tables of ordinary people. However, due to overfishing, wild resources have been almost depleted, and now large yellow croaker has become a rarity in the market, and its value has soared to staggering heights.
The biggest feature of large yellow croaker is that the swim bladder is rich in collagen, which is an excellent raw material for making high-grade fish gelatin. It is said that the swim bladder of the high-quality wild large yellow croaker can be stewed with top-quality fish glue worth thousands of gold, which can be called the soft ** in the sea. It is this unique value that makes wild large yellow croaker highly sought after.
Today's wild big yellow croaker is often thousands of yuan a catty, and more than 4 catties are sky-high, and ordinary people dare not expect it at all. Once upon a time, wild yellow croaker was found all over the coast of China, and fishermen could catch it at their fingertips, selling it for only a few yuan per basket. But just a few decades later, this once the most ordinary fish has become the most noble seafood delicacy, which is embarrassing. The change in its value reflects the frenzied plundering of marine resources by human beings. This is a wake-up call that we must learn to respect nature, be kind to the ocean, and make the taste sustainable and the resources perpetuate.
Caviar, a rare food made from sturgeon eggs, has always been a luxury item sought after by the rich and famous. One of the most famous is the Almas caviar from the Caspian Sea in Iran"Black**"called.
The reason for the crown"Almas"Because in Persian, it means"Diamonds"。Almas caviar is made from the eggs of the endangered Caspian sturgeon, which is plump, jet-black in color, and sparkles like a black diamond. The craftsmanship is extremely exquisite, and each grain of caviar is the work of the masters.
In order to highlight the prestige status of Almas caviar, its packaging is even more luxurious, made of 24-carat gold and set with diamonds, and it is no wonder that it is so expensive. It is reported that a box of 28 grams of Almas caviar can be sold for up to 16,000 US dollars, equivalent to more than 100,000 yuan, and only the top rich can afford to eat it. Tasting Almas caviar is not only the ultimate pleasure for the taste buds, but also a supreme honor"Only noble, with caviar"。
When it comes to yellow-lipped fish, many people are probably unfamiliar. But it is such an inconspicuous fish, but it is well-deserved in the Chinese seafood industry"Internet celebrities", which was once all the rage, and the sky-high price was hard to find.
Named for its golden lips, the yellow-lipped fish is huge, up to two meters in size and weighing hundreds of pounds, which is worthy of its name"A giant in the sea"。But its real value lies in an inconspicuous part - the swim bladder. Yellow-lipped fish maw is rich in high-quality collagen, which is an excellent material for making top-quality fish gelatin, and is also known as:"Soft**"。It is said that the top yellow-lipped fish gelatin was sold at an auction price of 3 million yuan, which is staggering.
Unfortunately, due to overfishing and environmental degradation, wild yellow-lipped fish resources are on the verge of depletion, and it is listed as a national second-class protected animal, and fishing is strictly prohibited. In recent years, there have been news of smuggling of yellow-lipped fish products, which shows the huge market demand. Protecting the yellow-lipped fish is about the future of marine ecology.
When it comes to China's most precious fish, it is the Yangtze anchovy. It can be said to be"Mythology"The general existence, which has enjoyed a great reputation throughout the ages, is known as"The freshest in the world"。It is in "Yanzi Spring and Autumn"."The anchovy is out of Qiantang"It can be seen that its reputation is far and wide.
The Yangtze anchovy is delicious, the meat is delicate, the fat is abundant, and the nutritional value is extremely high. Someone has described its taste"It is not tired of being fine, the taste is tender but not greasy, fat but not fat, fresh and sweet, and the aftertaste is long"It can be described as a delicacy. The ancient literati and scholars were even more eager for it, and the Eastern Han Dynasty Confucian Yan Ziling even preferred to live in seclusion in the south of the Yangtze River in order to taste the freshness of the anchovy, not for the use of the imperial court, which shows its charm.
However, God is jealous of the talent. The Yangtze anchovy is now on the verge of extinction, and some scientists assert that its population in China is extinct. The reason for this is the deterioration of the Yangtze River's ecology on the one hand, and human overfishing on the other. In the seventies and eighties of the last century, the Yangtze River anchovy was extremely rare. In order to save this species, the Yangtze River was banned from fishing for ten years and listed as a national first-class protected animal. However, the deterioration of the ecological environment is difficult to reverse, and the Yangtze River shads have not yet been traced"First fresh"Or it has become a swan song.
The tragedy of the Yangtze River anchovy has taught mankind a vivid lesson. We must not only pursue appetite, but also learn to respect nature and protect the environment. Once the ecology is destroyed, many delicacies will never be lost. Only when man and nature live in harmony can the flavors of the world last forever.
These top 10 seafood products are the pinnacle of delicious food in the world, and have made countless diners dream of it. They are either delicious and delicious, rare and precious, or have high nutritional value, showing the magical charm of the marine world. But what cannot be ignored is that behind these delicacies, there is also a reflection of the conflict between man and nature. The deterioration of marine ecology and the endangerment of many species are sounding the alarm bell.