How Japan's priciest shiitake mushrooms fuel the $740 million global shiitake industry
Forest-grown shiitake mushrooms are expensive and difficult to grow but have a distinct flavor and aroma. Here's how they're cultivated in Japan.
Sarah Elkasaby
Videographer and Video Editor
How this 300-year-old pastel stick maker creates nearly 2,000 colors by hand
For over 300 years, La Maison du Pastel has handcrafted pastels used by artists like Degas. We visited its secret workshop in the French countryside.
Why this obsolete mechanism makes watches more expensive
This luxury watch complication was used to make pocket watches more accurate, so why are some collectors paying millions for it in a wristwatch?
10 African businesses making the world's most expensive products
Across Africa, small businesses and artisans are making some of the world's most expensive products.
11 of the most dangerous and expensive mining expeditions in the world
Stones, salts, crystals, and other natural resources are worth millions of dollars. But getting to them is no easy feat.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Matsusaka wagyu is the most expensive beef in the world. It had never been sold outside of Japan — until now.
The finest cuts of Matsusaka wagyu beef have a melting point of 12 degrees Celsius, 8 degrees lower than Kobe.
How the most expensive foods are made around the world
From the purest form of maple syrup to the finest polished-rice sake, we uncovered the stories behind some of the world's most expensive foods.
The US spent millions eradicating corn smut (huitlacoche). Now it's a fine-dining delicacy.
Huitlacoche, also known as the "Mexican truffle," is an edible fungus that forms on undeveloped corn ears and sells for as much as $40 a pound.
Why French fleur de sel costs 230 times more than table salt
Just locally, fleur de sel can cost 230 times more than table salt. Outside French borders, it can reach $420 per kilogram.
Why Kamebishi 20-year-aged soy sauce is so expensive
Aged Japanese soy sauce made with koji mold can cost much more than other shoyu. Here's how Kamebishi produces the most expensive in the world.
Why Ayam Cemani chickens are so expensive
Ayam Cemani is a rare breed of chicken that is completely black, including its organs and muscles. A high-quality chicken can sell for over $6,000.
Meet the people saving a rare silk tradition that nearly disappeared during Cambodia's communist regime
In Cambodia, golden cocoons are turned into valuable silk textiles in an ancient technique known as "ikat." Here's why the craft is still standing.
Why Korean rice syrup is so expensive
It's all due to sikhye: a mixture of steamed rice, hot water, and barley malt. Sikhye takes days — and nights — of hard work to achieve.
A jar of 'ethical' foie gras will cost you over $200. Here's why.
Foie gras is known for being expensive and controversial. 'Ethical' foie gras, produced from geese who aren't force-fed, costs six times as much.
Why wild panela sugar is so expensive
In Colombia, depending on where it is made, panela can cost up to 17,000 pesos per kilogram. In the US, it can cost 20 times more than white sugar.
Advertisement
Advertisement
How 3,000 legendary samsas are baked in Uzbekistan
In Namangan, Uzbekistan, thousands of pillowy Samsas stuffed with minced meat, spices, onions, and vegetables are cooked in vertical tandoor ovens.
This food-stall in Mumbai makes its famous scrambled-egg dish using 2,000 eggs a day
Pav Bhaji and Bhurji Center is a famous street stall in Mumbai, India. It's best known for making big batches of a scrambled-egg dish, egg bhurji.
Pick your own pearl at this factory
At Pearl Factory, customers can handpick their very own oyster. Once they've opened the oyster, they can create jewelry with their pearl.
This café makes South Asian inspired bubble tea
Pyo Chai is a bubble tea shop specializing in South Asian-inspired bubble tea, with flavors like Masala Chai and Rooh Afza with kulfi and basil seeds.
This mesmerizing pillow candy is handmade
Logan's Candies in Ontario, California, makes mesmerizing pillow-shaped candy by hand. All it takes is some muscle and a gentle drop to get candy.