For those lucky people with an unlimited food budget (or something unlimited), only the best will suffice. And while many of these items listed below aren’t necessarily the most expensive, they certainly cost more and are generally considered higher quality, compared to budget brands and foods that just don’t measure up to taste tests. For professional chefs and bakers, they are staples, and for mainstream foodies, they comprise a good chunk of the pantry space in their kitchens. Of course, in many of these categories there are several private labels and local stores (especially for candy and ice cream) that are more expensive, but this list is made up of brands that are available throughout the country (prices and individual tastes may vary ):
Best Vanilla – Nielsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract 2 oz bottle – $ 14.95
Baking chocolate – Lindt Swiss Baking Chocolate Bar -1.8 oz – $ 3.99
Valrhona (French) – 9 oz jar of cocoa powder – $ 11.25
Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder – 8 oz – $ 5.95
Eating chocolate – Lindt Swiss Chocolate – 1.8 oz Bar – $ 3.99
Amadei Italian Chocolate – 1.8 oz bar – $ 18.99
Godiva – box of 36 chocolate truffles – $ 78.00
Cheeses –
Rogue River Blue – $ 40 / pound
Blue Jersey – $ 45 / pound
Caciocavallo Podolico – $ 50 / pound
Wyke Farms Cheddar – $ 200 / pound
White Stilton Gold – $ 420 / pound
Pule – made with milk from Balkan Serbian donkeys (don’t ask) – $ 600 / pound
Imported cookie – Finn Crisp Thin Rye – 7 oz – $ 4.95
champagne –
Dom Perignon Champagne – from $ 150 and up
Champagne glass – $ 199
Ace of Spades Champagne – $ 299
Moët et Chandon Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1992 – $ 452
Krug Vintage Brut 1988 – $ 949.99
France’s number one selling champagne, Nicolas Feuillatte
(well hey who tastes better than the French and only $ 35 a bottle, a steal, seriously)
Caviar – 17.6 oz Beluga Sturgeon Caviar Metal Can – $ 2,049
Locust – Fresh Lobster Tail Meat – 1 lb $ 79.99 (may vary)
Cow meat – Wagyu Beef Rib Steak (Japanese) – $ 89 / pound
Kobe Beef – (Japanese) – $ 110 / pound
Cuts of Meat – Porterhouse, filet mignon – $ 7.99 / pound and more
Ice cream – Talenti Gelato – $ 8 / pint
Haagen Dazs: about $ 4.98 / pint
Ben & Jerry’s – roughly the same price – $ 4.98 / pint
Butter cookies – Imported Walkers Assortment (17.6 oz) $ 14.99
Coffee – 12 oz. pack several brands of French or Italian roasts, or many of the South American roasts can cost from $ 12 to $ 24.00
Peanut butter – Peanut Butter & Co. 16 oz jar $ 4.79 or fresh ground in some specialty stores
Best jam (imported) – Bonne Maman (French) 13 oz Jar – $ 5.99
Saffron – Spanish pure 1 oz $ 117.86 (use sparingly)
Worchester sauce – Lea & Perrins 10 oz Bottle – $ 5.00
Salad dressing – (if it’s not in the refrigerated section, you can just forget about it) 12 oz jar or bottle of Marie’s or Litehouse $ 3.75; Along the same lines, Hellman’s Mayonnaise and Heinz Ketchup still rule
Mustard – (no list would be complete without this author’s favorite mustard, sometimes eaten straight from the jar) – Gray Poupon Dijon (8 oz jar) – about $ 3.00
For many shoppers, priorities dictate which of these items are purchased. For some, nothing less than premium baking ingredients, for other premium cuts of meat or fish, and for coffee fans, a higher-priced roast will be chosen over typical supermarket brands. But let’s not forget that Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, drove an old pick-up truck, and Warren Buffet lived in the same house in Omaha for almost 60 years. Seven-figure executives often dine on fast food. It’s about priorities. What’s in your pantry?
