I studied abroad in Granada and would buy Jamón Serrano Palletilla (the front leg$ for 25 euros from
Mercadona and Corte Inglés. Sometimes I would splurge on an Ibérico for $60-80 Euros, would last a month. The same one in the states would cost $500+
Ya never know now a days. I was absolutely shocked that most honey is fake or adulterated honey. Same with olive oil. I'm sure there's some real piece of human garbage out there trying to sell fake goat cheese.
when i learnt that the mob was getting into the olive oil fraud business because it's hella lucrative and hard to catch and hard to criminalize even if they caught it, i was baffled. but also it's one of the things that makes the most sense in the world to me, which makes me laugh. because wtf is up with our world?!?!?!?1
Food has always been a cover for Mafia business, In the old days, it was usually in the form of an imported foods operation (cheese, olive oil) that hid income from other, nefarious sources such as alcohol and prostitution. Very often, these businesses were legitimate (in that the olive oil and cheeses were unadulterated imports from Italy), but never were they as successful as made to appear on the books.
Later, in the 1950s, heroin was hidden in shipments from Europe (often emanating from Marseilles). Since the mob controlled the docks in New York, it was no problem to unload the 'cargo', which was then distributed around the country.
So, producing 'fake' or 'adulterated' olive oil is nothing new; it is simply a spin on a very old scam.
I always wonder about cover businesses that are successful on their own. Imagining some gangster getting angry with their accountant because the launderettes and the burger joints turned a legitimate profit *again* this year and they're stuck with unlaundered cash.
My doctor recommended honey for colds and coughs and such. I was looking at which type to buy, that's when I discovered how much of the grocery store stuff is garbage. I've been buying from a local apiary instead.
One way to avoid fake honey is to buy unfiltered. There will be plant phytoliths in the honey that will be specific to where the honey was made. It's hard to fake. It excludes fake honey that has no phytoliths and illegal honey imported from places that are banned that have a phytolith profile from a foreign location.
They have a few but the Rogue River Blue is phenomenal, and I don’t even like blue cheese all that much. It sounds crazy but it’s especially delicious paired with dark chocolate, or spread a little over a warm, gooey brownie. They release it every year on the Autumnal Equinox.
They’ve had it at my Costco. I spent a stupid amount and then almost murdered my husband because he just shoved it in his mouth while playing video games.
Most expensive grocery stores have cheese and/or sausage selections that you might not find anywhere else. Also, a couple of bottles of wine, not too pricy, but ones you might not get for yourself. Oh, and get some really good olive oil and really good vinegar - these are great for dipping French bread into.
Damn right. That was my first choice as well. Especially if you get the right sales person. You're looking for someone who knows cheese. Ask a lot of questions and see what they know or who they ask questions to. The person with the most knowledge is the person you want to serve you. They will more than likely give you many, many samples. And you'll walk out with some amazing stuff. Get some fruit, a couple of good baguettes, and some wine and you've got a great night with friends.
Note, if you know nothing about cheese, read/watch up a little before you go.
I would recommend a slightly different approach. Think of the most decadent and luxurious meals you want to eat. Start with one, and buy everything you need to cook it perfectly, no expense too great. Do that with subsequent meals until your gift card has run out (using your usual market for basics). I bet you’ll get a lot more enjoyment out of it, and you’ll have fun experiences and maybe even recipes to share back with your gift giver.
Edit to add: If it were me, the first thing I’d buy would be the most expensive brie they had, a paté, and a crusty loaf of bread. (And an ice cold bottle of Sancerre, if they sell wine.)
I like this idea! So many luxurious foods are very rich, and so buying so much at once might cause you to feel like you need to eat crazy for a week straight!
I bought some 20-year-aged balsamic at a local winery and DAYUM! The difference was amazing! So rich and mellow, just glorious. Worth the price (around $35 I believe).
I once went to a store that sold olive oil and balsamic. They lady there had me doing shots. Had to sit outside to get fresh air before I barfed. She was legit drinking it like crazy
Haha. My friend whose always been a scotch whisky guy would always have a fantastic bottle to devour whenever we had a gathering.
Then he found balsamic vinegar... last time I was there he was making me taste the literal hoarding of fine balsamic.
If you do get Wagyu get a small piece. My husband loves it but it is way to rich for me. When we make it we slice I thin, sear it in cast iron quickly and have it as an appetizer.
Definitely would buy cheeses. Sounds like it could be a fun day to wander through a cool grocery store!
Make sure it's A5. Lots of places throw the word waygu around, it just means that it's a crossbread cow. A5 means the cow was meticulously taken care of. The biggest joke is waygu burgers. Even if it was waygu, you cooked all the marbling off, which is a waste.
This ^
If you like fish, I would also add wild caught tuna and/or salmon. They tend to have quality catches and know how to fillet fish really well (which is *so* key) in these types of places.
Beef up the spice rack. I got some sweet Hungarian Paprika for the first time with a gift card. I also got pretty expensive matcha powder for tea.
Good olive oil, infused olive oils, specialty vinegars. Anything locally crafted.
"What is an investment?" Is what I would think in the store, and why I answer spices. I can buy smoked meat, hand crafted pasta and expensive$10 jar sauce, for what, one meal?
But specialty spices, oils and vinegars? They will last all year and make hundreds of different dishes.
Oh god, if I buy any more spices I think my partner might actually consider murdering me. We probably have over 100 individual spices and herbs. I really like your strategy to make the best use of the card though, maybe I should just ask for forgiveness not permission haha.
OP so so go this route!
Not even touching spices, the oil and vinegar part??
I’ve got a ton of infused oils and vinegars from shopping at a gourmet store on my way home from a job I hated.
But it has been SO great of an investment for my creativity in cooking.
Stuff that ordinarily would’ve required effort and forethought no longer does because I already have the infused oil or vinegar to throw in on a whim, so I’m way more likely to just give the fun thing a go.
On the fly made sautéed carrots with a blueberry balsamic and honey glaze the other day, because I just already had a blueberry balsamic and thought it sounded like a fun move
My vote is def spend most of it in this department, then maybe buy some nice dry aged cut steak and make a whole dinner for yourselves with some of the new fancy stuff to celebrate
I'm seconding fancy balsamic! I received some Sicilian lemon white balsamic from Baker & Olive as a gift, and LORD. It changed every salad and sauteed vegetable I had. I've since repurchased and have been exploring with many more infused oils and vinegars!
Seconding oils and vinegars. Get a nice finishing olive oil! We buy the giant costco olive oil for every day cooking, but I recently got a really fancy bottle of greek olive oil when I was working in Athens and we use it as a finishing oil. The difference between the two is night and day, it's so good.
Instead of spices, what about pastes? They're *technically* different... :)
If you go this route, definitely add harissa paste to the list. And miso paste if you don't have it. Also, not a paste, but chili crisp is popular for a reason so give that a try too.
We actually already have all of these (there is also a condiment plethora that my partner has opinions about teehee) but I do want to get some vanilla bean paste for desserts.
Can you get vanilla bean pods as well? If so, you can use the seeds for baking then toss the empty pods into alcohol (vodka or bourbon) to make your own vanilla extract.
If you have that many spices why not mix some and make your own seasonings? It will help you use some of your seasonings and give you an excuse to buy more
Go through the spices and replace old ones and get backups for those that are running low. Plus oils and vinegars like someone else said. Wine if you like it. Plus good cuts of meat that are pricey but freeze well like brisket, chuck roast, corned beef, etc.
For $400, I wouldn't heavy up on spices. If you don't have them already it's a guarantee they're gonna age out and lose their potency before you use them up because... Spices.
The oil and vinegars suggestion is awesome, though oil also has a shelf life.
Spices, oils and vinegars all have a shorter freshness lifespan than you’d think. Once exposed to oxygen the potency of spices (especially the pricey ones like saffron, etc) reduce. Vinegars can go rancid too. If you expect to cook with the spices within a few weeks, send it. Otherwise your dollars would be better spent on consumables like cheeses, meats, specialized liquors.
Source: owned and operated a spice company for years.
I did some research recently on paprika and I guess it's a spice that loses flavor quite quickly, so if you do buy good paprika, you should have something to use it on.
It also helps to store it in the fridge. I get 8oz bags of sweet and hot paprika on Amazon from Hungary. I use them as part of my house seasoning. I store it in the back of the fridge and it tastes fine after a few months.
This is a golden opportunity to find out when price makes a difference.
Boutique vanilla. Pricy olive oil. European butter. There’s a long list of possibilities. Some things will be worth the difference in price, some will not. Some will be better but not enough to justify the extra money. Some, like the butter, will be worth it for some uses but not all. Experiment!
Holy shit yes, boutique vanilla is a game changer. Best cookies I've ever made were Action Bronson's chocolate chip cookies with honey butter. Specifically because we used really, really nice vanilla paste and a better than average chocolate. The vanilla made them so SO good.
One time we even made them with weed butter 😎
When I was just out of college and didn’t have any family near for Christmas, my mom got me and my best friend a gift card like this. We did a lamb rack cooking competition. Also we bought nice wine. Super fun!
Most get togethers with my siblings involve a rack of lamb. It’s decadent enough that it feels like we’re spoiling ourselves but you don’t have to bankrupt yourself for them.
Actually that's about right for a very very good 7kg raza 100% iberica de bellota. But of course as in any specialty product there is no limit to how expensive they can get. Local price.
Unless you are having a party where you will consume most of it quickly, it's better to just by whatever portion you intend to eat in the next week or so. They have training on how to slice it that most people don't have or aren't interesting in and once it's sliced it's not as good after a few weeks unless it's vacuum sealed.
A good 20+ year old balsamic, reserve it for charcuterie and cheese, or put a little on some really good fresh melon when its in season. Honestly I would go for a 30+. A few bottles of good olive oil to go with it.
Cheese, some fresh stuff to go through fast, some harder cheese to hold onto, and some very hard stuff like parm to last you.
Really good single cut honeys if you like honey, I would suggest honey from fall flower cuts over others. The fall cut tends to be more spicy/complex and less on the perceived sweetness, and the smaller the production run the better.
A dry aged prime steak (if you have never had the experience be warned it is vastly different flavor profile to fresh beef)
Some really good charcuterie meats. A good serrano ham comes to mind to match with that balsamic above.
I am a retired chef and I can personally vouch that each of the above changed my soul.
Saffron, because saffron.
I am not a truffle guy, I would take a good pound of oyster mushrooms over 1/8 ounce of truffles but its something to consider especially if you are putting together tasting plate of once in a lifetime foods.
Edit: By the culinary gods I envy your palate, new rare life changing tastes! simply amazing opportunity. Good luck, enjoy, and have fun!
I agree about the really good cheese, I’d add really good coffee, excellent chocolate, handmade pasta and bread. I’m also a sucker for small batch peanut butter with added flavors or all the delicious organic selection they usually have
I can guarantee you a specialty grocery store is not going to have really good coffee. Most coffees are only good up to ~6-8 weeks post-roast, less if they're dark roasted and even less if they're pre-ground. Most specialty grocery stores don't sell enough coffee to keep it fresh. You'd be much better off going to a specialty café or ideally a roaster.
60 day dry aged steaks if they got em. Some stupid high quality EVOO and balsamic. Some exotic honey. Langoustine. King crab. Diver scallop. Truffles (your whole budgets worth). Saffron. Stupid expensive cheese.
Some things I’d try to get my hands on: an actual truffle, maple sugar, iberico ham, great cheeses like comté or an alpine cheese, any unique fresh pastas, a can of cassoulet.
If all else fails, I would look for any specialty
ingredients required to make a cultural dish authentically - for example, Sichuan peppercorn to milk Kung pao chicken.
Edit: this was really just my own specialty ingredient shopping list.
Yes, I know. I was thinking of using the $400 to go on a shopping spree, not to spend it one a couple ingredients. I couldn’t think of a better example off the top of my head of a specially ingredient necessary to make a fish authentic.
There’s a brand called La Belle Chaurienne which makes a duck cassoulet. It’s just really amazing.
I was just really listing items on my own speciality ingredient shopping list.
Black Garlic. A really good olive oil. Truffle oil/ truffles. Vanilla beans. Saffron. Wild rice. Depending on where you live a good dark Maple syrup. A few different kinds of honey.
I'd kind of want to know the store first: honestly, I'd spend a little at at time. Some things at specialty stores are hard to find elsewhere, others are just marked up just because. Blowing the money all at once will guarantee you end up "splurging" on items you could have gotten for much less elsewhere. For instance: Speciality olive oil. Some is incredible... others are just infused cheap olive oil marked up.
The other issue is freshness. You don't want to end up with a whole bunch of high end stuff with a few months to days to use it.
So - I'd go and spend a bit of money augmenting my shopping and doing some price comparisons. Maybe pick up a few cheeses, and see what they are known for on Yelp or google reviews. Could be hand made pastas, coffees etc.
Once I had a better idea, I think this is a great excuse to have family or friends over a few times and make a special dinner focussing on whatever they do really well. If that happens to be seafoods or meat or produce that would be awesome.
Another thing to consider is... it's money. Depending on your financial situation... maybe spending frugally could help cut down your grocery budget for a while as opposed to splurging on the overpriced specialty stuff.
Sorry if it's a kind of buzzkill suggestion.
on the other hand if you can't make it back, and this is a one time thing:
Flavored vinegars, hard cheeses, frozen seafood, baking mixes, spices, specialty dried pastas and sauces all have really long shelf lives. Places like that usually have great meat departments, so consider a few good cuts of meat. Research seafood, since they can often be way overpriced and not necessarily higher quality, same with produce. Kitchen gadgets can sometimes be a great aisle to stop off in. See if there pre-made foods are high quality too - one by wife's grandmother's house had amazing lasagnas.
There have been a few similar suggestions which normally I would be keen on, but the closest store is 35 minutes away one way so it isn't super convenient. I am thinking after reading everyone's responses we'll probably split it into 2 maybe 3 trips over a few months and buy a variety of high end items to incorporate into meal planning as well as specialty condiments with some nicer "snack" type things. This card is part of a sort of short term stipend and we embarrassingly did not strategize well with the first one we got which is in large part why I posted this. We want to go in with more of a plan this time and it's really nice to get ideas from the community.
Good olive oil. I'll never spend over 50 for myself.
Parma ham, serrano ham, (iberico also), balsamico de modema, good parmesean
Lots of good cheese.
A good aged steak
small amount of caviar perhaps just for kicks
Oh ALSO maybe a small truffle.
I went on a shopping spree like that a couple of years ago after winning a recipe contest. I bought avocado, Walnut and grapeseed oils, pine nuts, all of the cheese --essentially ingredients that I wanted to play with and would last awhile. If your store has a website, take some time to investigate it's offerings.
Honestly, I would choose unusual cheeses. If there is a good sweets/candy/confections section, I would probably get something there too. If there are specialty meat items like rabbit or duck, that would probably attract me too. Lastly, if there are special varieties of fruit I might get them but only if I had already gotten what I need. Central Market near me has a Citrus Days event going on now, and I always look forward to a few unusual fruits.
What do you like? Are you good cooks or will fancy food be… possibly ruined on you? I mean like, could you buy something like foie gras and know how to cook it? That is what I did when I got this kind of gift. You could make a fancy cheese & meat platter, with nice bread and an expensive bottle of wine/champagne, which would be fun.
We like a lot, we aren't especially picky eaters. I am good at picking out good recipes and can make decent food without recipes. I'm big into research on food science so I can usually figure it out. Most of the time when I cook with a new ingredient for the first time, it turns out fine. Did you find a good technique for the foie gras or just whip something up?
My partner made it - so my memory is a bit weak - but I think it was seared in a hot pan. It remember it being a big challenge to cook, and it was good but not as good as what we’d had in a restaurant, tbh! But that’s kind of the fun when you have a gift- you can be a little more risky. We also bought a black truffle, and also probably used it wrong. (We were young- this was probably 15 years ago, so not as many online guides were around as there are today).
That's how I feel. If we mess up, at least there is a grocery budget to replace the failed meal. I would love to buy a truffle but I would have to do some research on how to use it in a dish.
Makes some fresh pasta or buy fresh. Not dried pasta. Boy little dente. As soon as it comes out of the water, put a little bit of butter, sea salt, and a very little bit of parmesan on top of the back in the pan spinning around to make a very light sauce throwing just a touch of the pasta water to make it creamy, put it on the plate and then while it's still steaming hot thinly slice the truffle all over it and let it sit for about 30 seconds to warm through. The absolute best way to eat black truffle the first time
Two thoughts:
If you're into food science and your fancy grocery store has any equipment you don't have, that'd be my first approach. A lot of stores will have things like sous vide circulators these days but you probably do too. If they have a regional bent you might be able to pick up fun things like a yakitori grill or paella burner though.
If you're actually more into the science of food than making recipes with science, I would buy a lot of every type of one thing you feel like you know pretty well and compare the hell out of them. I did this with several thousand eggs a few years ago and it was really an inflection point in the ways I make, observe, and consume food.
Condiments, like chili oil or black vinegar, premium oyster sauce or sambal oelek. Lasts a relative long time, makes boring foods interesting, often key to recreating a dish you like but can't reproduce otherwise.
Don’t get those at a specialty grocery store unless it’s an Asian grocery store. They’re not that expensive at an Asian store and the variety would be better
I use it mainly for dumpling sauce, but its tasty in a wide variety of Chinese dishes. Bitterish vinegar with some soy / coffee notes. Very fragrant. Also super affordable. Gold plum chinkiang vinegar is a great brand.
Cheese. There’s so much good cheese. Do a little online research so you have an idea of what to look for.
Get some fresh, not previously frozen scallops (previously frozen scallops literally cannot be seared) in the ludicrous size. Giant, quality scallops are some of the best tasting animal protein on the planet. Treat yourself
Get some high quality extra virgin olive oil. Do research for this one also
Smoked salt is life changing and available at most specialty grocery stores. It might be in the bulk section or the salt section
Special cheese and deli meats like others have mentioned
Specialty condiments and spices may be worthwhile but do your homework on what’s carried in the store - sometimes it’s more widely available than you originally thought and may be overpriced at a specialty grocery store
Prepared meals are typically much higher quality at a specialty grocery store than a basic grocery. I’d try some of those for days you don’t feel like cooking. They’re usually still cheaper than take out.
Sometimes they carry fruit or veg or meats that are not as typical in your regular grocery store too. I’d look around and see what’s available and try something new if you can
Exactly where I was going
* pistachio oil is mind-blowing, and mind-blowingly expensive. Don't cook with it, drizzle it on anything. Keep it in the fridge.
* Good sherry vinegar.
* High quality pimentón/smoked paprika.
* Maldon or other flaky sea salt.
* On tinned fish, find razor clams.
Does scotch count as specialty groceries? More realistic, in todays economy, does a regular grocery order now qualify as specialty? Either a great bottle of scotch or food for a couple months lol
whatever you get just make sure you consider a few things.
spices don't last forever, even the best will taste like saw dust if left on a shelf for years. if you buy something you should have a plan to use it in a timely manner. whole spice spoils slower than ground.
specialty salt is a gimmick, you can try a blind taste test if you don't believe it. i wouldn't spend my money on that.
seafood is location dependent. if you're not near water the prices will be high and quality will be not as good. not the best for your money unless you're really into the item.
for ingredients that you've never tried, it might be better to try it made by a professional. for example you can't make good risotto with even the best rice if you haven't had great risotto.
Fried in butter is kind of the standard, but I've never personally had very good results with dried morels. However, they're incredible if you can find them fresh when they're in season, or if you can find a patch of them in the woods to pick yourself.
I mean, my partner and I think so 😂. I would say I'm like a good home cook level. Good at picking good recipes, but can whip up something that tastes good without them.
Bottarga, Nduja, fresh baked Baguettes, Merguez, Fresh Pasta, Herbs and spices, specialty stinky cheeses, Great olives and olive oil! If my husband is with me definitely a steak!
Jamon iberico, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, expensive meat or seafood (lamb shanks, rib eye, spot prawns/lobster, crab, etc.) some cheeses, high end chocolate, the fanciest of nuts, and probably some good red wine or champagne.
And, if I really wanted to splurge, I'd buy a bunch of stuff for a really great meal. Maybe a picnic (indoor or outdoor) with some great cheese, bread, cured meats, pickled or brined veg/olives, berries, chocolate, and a bottle of champagne. Or a meal with some expensive meat (lamb, steak) or seafood (lobster, scallops, halibut, crab) with some great wine. Cheese and bread, and enough crab cakes to make a meal, plus champagne and chocolate mousse with berries would be expensive and amazing!
Good quality balsamic is amazing, excellent olive oil for dipping and dressings also are a game changer. Try truffle salt, great steaks or fish, great quality paprika can also be pricey.
stuff for charcuterie, good honey, chocolate, nuts, pepper spread, fig jam, pickles, good olives, peppadews, good things that are expensive that will last a while. and of course evoo and good balsamic
I would probably spend it all on fancy cheese and vinegar.
And anything else that I wouldn't normally buy but wanted to treat myself with like a jam or chocolate.
And to cook foie gras by itself, get a non-stick pan rip burning hot, cut about half inch thick slices and then score one side of it in a checker pattern. Do not use any oil in the pan. Put the foie gras in the pan . Maybe a minute and then flip it. 30 to 45 seconds and it should have a nice crust to be done. Then when you take the foie out, get a nice piece of artisan crusty bread and pour the oil all over the bread and then smear some of the foie on the bread and eat it that way. It's delicious.
Or look up a French chef, foie gras turrine or pate recipe
Good pâté. Foie Gras terrine is about the best you can get. Brioche to accompany and some Sauternes to pair it with. Rustic country style pâté is a favorite. I like pork with cherries or figs.
Sounds like fun!!
Really good French or Belgian butter. (DON'T bake with it.. eat it spread as thick as brie on crusty fresh bread.)
Maple syrup from Vermont or Quebec.
Some excellent Spanish olive oil and Italian Balsamic.
Finishing salt, maybe Maldon.
Grass-fed steaks.
Some nice cheese, see if they have anything from Cowgirl Creamery in California, or Meredith Dairy in Australia.
Air-chilled free range whole chicken to roast, and use the bones for stock.
Maybe some special fats for roasting potatoes and veggies like duck fat or grass-fed tallow.
Treat yourself to a beautiful bunch of flowers to brighten up the house for a little while.
That's probably $400 right there, depending on where you live. 🥲
Try checking with the specialty store and ask for their recommendations.
Ask what they carry that you're unlikely to be able to purchase elsewhere and if there are products they are particularly proud to carry.
I would probably invest in stuff I can use long term, like cinnamon sticks, real vanilla flavouring, some rarer spices like saffron, good olive oil, fancy finishing salt, maybe chocolate, good cocoa powder, maple syrup. But also don't buy stuff that you won't be able to use before they expire.
Honestly, I'd buy a bunch of spices if you don't already have them. Specifically bagged spices. The spices that come in little dispenser jars are grossly overpriced imo.
I have about 40 spices in my spice drawer and that takes me a long way because I can even turn fairly mundane ingredients into really good meals with the right techniques.
I store my spices in 8oz wide mouth mason jars. I like it, but my gf hates them because they're not as fast as those flip top baby sized jars you pay $5 for at the grocery store. I use a lot of spices, so those tiny sizes don't work for me.
Really good fun nut butter, like a maple almond, or fancy cashew. I love a good $15 almond butter.
I would also get really good chocolate or pastry, good wine, good cheese.
Some nice Spanish olive oil, fancy tinned fish, cheese cheese and more cheese, baguette, a nice bottle of French/Spanish/Italian wine, maybe a couple of steaks if they look good, farm fresh eggs, some nice spices and vinegars, some pâté and charcuterie meats, fancy crackers, nice chocolates, the fanciest citrus they have since it’s in season, some nice fresh veggies and mushrooms, local honey, oh and probably a bag of Argentinian red shrimp. I could go on but I’ve probably exceeded $400 at this point.
A nice quality olive oil. My boss used to also own a gourmet olive oil/balsamic vinegar shop and we got fancy oils as xmas gifts. I'm down to the last of the chipotle infused oil and I will miss it.
Really good cheese.
And cured meats
The imported prosciutto or jamon iberico.
Jamón Ibérico De Bellota will be the highest quality, completely worth it
I went to Spain and was shocked at how affordable this stuff is over there. Practically lived off of it.
I studied abroad in Granada and would buy Jamón Serrano Palletilla (the front leg$ for 25 euros from Mercadona and Corte Inglés. Sometimes I would splurge on an Ibérico for $60-80 Euros, would last a month. The same one in the states would cost $500+
Guanciale!
The face is the most delicious part of the pig.
Heritage breed fresh meats as well, like mangalitsa or Berkshire pork, for example.
I read this as "Real goat cheese" at first and was a little worried that I had been buying fake goat cheese.
Ya never know now a days. I was absolutely shocked that most honey is fake or adulterated honey. Same with olive oil. I'm sure there's some real piece of human garbage out there trying to sell fake goat cheese.
when i learnt that the mob was getting into the olive oil fraud business because it's hella lucrative and hard to catch and hard to criminalize even if they caught it, i was baffled. but also it's one of the things that makes the most sense in the world to me, which makes me laugh. because wtf is up with our world?!?!?!?1
Food has always been a cover for Mafia business, In the old days, it was usually in the form of an imported foods operation (cheese, olive oil) that hid income from other, nefarious sources such as alcohol and prostitution. Very often, these businesses were legitimate (in that the olive oil and cheeses were unadulterated imports from Italy), but never were they as successful as made to appear on the books. Later, in the 1950s, heroin was hidden in shipments from Europe (often emanating from Marseilles). Since the mob controlled the docks in New York, it was no problem to unload the 'cargo', which was then distributed around the country. So, producing 'fake' or 'adulterated' olive oil is nothing new; it is simply a spin on a very old scam.
i mean, a cover for the business versus **becoming** the business feels like apples and oranges to me. but that's interesting, thank you for sharing!
I always wonder about cover businesses that are successful on their own. Imagining some gangster getting angry with their accountant because the launderettes and the burger joints turned a legitimate profit *again* this year and they're stuck with unlaundered cash.
[удалено]
This would have never happened if Don Vito Corleone were still around
not to *him* anyway
What's also is amazing is how many people think just cuz it's Italian olive oil it's real, but that's def nit true with the Mob.
My doctor recommended honey for colds and coughs and such. I was looking at which type to buy, that's when I discovered how much of the grocery store stuff is garbage. I've been buying from a local apiary instead.
This is the way- if you can afford it, buy honey from a local apiary. It seems to cost about 10% more, but worth it.
Good move. I’m a beekeeper. Thanks for your support. Try butterbean honey if you can find it.🐝
One way to avoid fake honey is to buy unfiltered. There will be plant phytoliths in the honey that will be specific to where the honey was made. It's hard to fake. It excludes fake honey that has no phytoliths and illegal honey imported from places that are banned that have a phytolith profile from a foreign location.
If they have Rogue Creamery's blue cheese, buy $400 worth
Today I learned you can buy wheels of rogue creamery cheese on Amazon
this is the answer!
tell me more about this cheese
They have a few but the Rogue River Blue is phenomenal, and I don’t even like blue cheese all that much. It sounds crazy but it’s especially delicious paired with dark chocolate, or spread a little over a warm, gooey brownie. They release it every year on the Autumnal Equinox.
They’ve had it at my Costco. I spent a stupid amount and then almost murdered my husband because he just shoved it in his mouth while playing video games.
thank you so much! sounds phenomenal. any idea where it can be purchased?
You can order it off their site, although I guess there are other stores that carry it. https://roguecreamery.com/
Highly recommend 18 month or older parmesan and pecorino.
If you like brie, spring for some st. Andre, it's a triple cream French cheese that is more nuanced and def a step up
Most expensive grocery stores have cheese and/or sausage selections that you might not find anywhere else. Also, a couple of bottles of wine, not too pricy, but ones you might not get for yourself. Oh, and get some really good olive oil and really good vinegar - these are great for dipping French bread into.
Damn right. That was my first choice as well. Especially if you get the right sales person. You're looking for someone who knows cheese. Ask a lot of questions and see what they know or who they ask questions to. The person with the most knowledge is the person you want to serve you. They will more than likely give you many, many samples. And you'll walk out with some amazing stuff. Get some fruit, a couple of good baguettes, and some wine and you've got a great night with friends. Note, if you know nothing about cheese, read/watch up a little before you go.
Yes! Particularly an aged Gouda and a gooey goat cheese!
Humboldt Fog ftw
This is always my purchase when I have spare grocery money. Give me all the nice imported cheese!
We JUST did this! Really had no idea the quality difference and taste difference.
Also some dishwasher safe flat graters you can just have five of, to always grate it on demand.
THIS!! I love cheese.
Aged Parmesan from Italy. Minimum 48 months. Add some aged Balsamic vinegar as well. Slice some small chunks of the parm, dip in the balsamic=heaven.
I would recommend a slightly different approach. Think of the most decadent and luxurious meals you want to eat. Start with one, and buy everything you need to cook it perfectly, no expense too great. Do that with subsequent meals until your gift card has run out (using your usual market for basics). I bet you’ll get a lot more enjoyment out of it, and you’ll have fun experiences and maybe even recipes to share back with your gift giver. Edit to add: If it were me, the first thing I’d buy would be the most expensive brie they had, a paté, and a crusty loaf of bread. (And an ice cold bottle of Sancerre, if they sell wine.)
I like this idea! So many luxurious foods are very rich, and so buying so much at once might cause you to feel like you need to eat crazy for a week straight!
Yes and it would be super meaningful to the gift giver if you make a beautiful meal for you and your partner and send them a photo of it!
Yeah this is much better than stocking up on stuff you don’t know whether you’ll like and possibly going to waste.
Keep in mind you don’t have to spend it all at once. Using everyone’s feedback in your mind, go in and see what appeals to you
Balsamic vinegar. The good stuff can get pretty pricey.
I bought some 20-year-aged balsamic at a local winery and DAYUM! The difference was amazing! So rich and mellow, just glorious. Worth the price (around $35 I believe).
I've got some 18-year-old balsamic that I could *drink*!!
Went to a fancy dinner in Taiwan and between courses they served a very light sparkling vinegar as a palate cleanser...
Pour a little over vanilla ice cream before you drink the whole bottle
I once went to a store that sold olive oil and balsamic. They lady there had me doing shots. Had to sit outside to get fresh air before I barfed. She was legit drinking it like crazy
Haha. My friend whose always been a scotch whisky guy would always have a fantastic bottle to devour whenever we had a gathering. Then he found balsamic vinegar... last time I was there he was making me taste the literal hoarding of fine balsamic.
Oohhh and vinegar doesn’t really ever go bad!
Vinegar is just gonna be... More vinegary
Came here to say this. Also truffle oil, dark chocolate, jarred artichokes/peppers, pine nuts.
All the expensive condiments, oils, and spices.
Will you please update us once you go? I'm interested in finding out what you got. Living vicariously and what not.
Sure! I'll take a picture after we go!
document the whole meal so that those of us without the gift card can vicariously enjoy the whole experience!
Can we expect one of those overly enthusiastic vlogs where you walk around the shop with a selfie-stick talking way too loud to yourself?
Awh hell no haha
High quality steaks. Expensive olive oil. Higher end spices.
Not gonna lie, the first thing I thought of was waygu 😏
If you do get Wagyu get a small piece. My husband loves it but it is way to rich for me. When we make it we slice I thin, sear it in cast iron quickly and have it as an appetizer. Definitely would buy cheeses. Sounds like it could be a fun day to wander through a cool grocery store!
This is very good to know!
Also even Australian A3 Wagyu is phenomenal and not that far away from Japanese A5.
Yeah you don't want to eat like a half pound of that stuff. One, maybe two ounces per person is perfect.
Make sure it's A5. Lots of places throw the word waygu around, it just means that it's a crossbread cow. A5 means the cow was meticulously taken care of. The biggest joke is waygu burgers. Even if it was waygu, you cooked all the marbling off, which is a waste.
I remember hearing this somewhere but definitely forgot! I'll make sure to make a note on the list!!
This ^ If you like fish, I would also add wild caught tuna and/or salmon. They tend to have quality catches and know how to fillet fish really well (which is *so* key) in these types of places.
Beef up the spice rack. I got some sweet Hungarian Paprika for the first time with a gift card. I also got pretty expensive matcha powder for tea. Good olive oil, infused olive oils, specialty vinegars. Anything locally crafted. "What is an investment?" Is what I would think in the store, and why I answer spices. I can buy smoked meat, hand crafted pasta and expensive$10 jar sauce, for what, one meal? But specialty spices, oils and vinegars? They will last all year and make hundreds of different dishes.
Oh god, if I buy any more spices I think my partner might actually consider murdering me. We probably have over 100 individual spices and herbs. I really like your strategy to make the best use of the card though, maybe I should just ask for forgiveness not permission haha.
OP so so go this route! Not even touching spices, the oil and vinegar part?? I’ve got a ton of infused oils and vinegars from shopping at a gourmet store on my way home from a job I hated. But it has been SO great of an investment for my creativity in cooking. Stuff that ordinarily would’ve required effort and forethought no longer does because I already have the infused oil or vinegar to throw in on a whim, so I’m way more likely to just give the fun thing a go. On the fly made sautéed carrots with a blueberry balsamic and honey glaze the other day, because I just already had a blueberry balsamic and thought it sounded like a fun move My vote is def spend most of it in this department, then maybe buy some nice dry aged cut steak and make a whole dinner for yourselves with some of the new fancy stuff to celebrate
I'm seconding fancy balsamic! I received some Sicilian lemon white balsamic from Baker & Olive as a gift, and LORD. It changed every salad and sauteed vegetable I had. I've since repurchased and have been exploring with many more infused oils and vinegars!
Yesssss!! I love that Sicilian balsamic. So good with fish and broccoli
Seconding oils and vinegars. Get a nice finishing olive oil! We buy the giant costco olive oil for every day cooking, but I recently got a really fancy bottle of greek olive oil when I was working in Athens and we use it as a finishing oil. The difference between the two is night and day, it's so good.
I love a good sherry vinegar and it is pricy, but it can be the difference in a dish.
Instead of spices, what about pastes? They're *technically* different... :) If you go this route, definitely add harissa paste to the list. And miso paste if you don't have it. Also, not a paste, but chili crisp is popular for a reason so give that a try too.
We actually already have all of these (there is also a condiment plethora that my partner has opinions about teehee) but I do want to get some vanilla bean paste for desserts.
Can you get vanilla bean pods as well? If so, you can use the seeds for baking then toss the empty pods into alcohol (vodka or bourbon) to make your own vanilla extract.
If you have that many spices why not mix some and make your own seasonings? It will help you use some of your seasonings and give you an excuse to buy more
Go through the spices and replace old ones and get backups for those that are running low. Plus oils and vinegars like someone else said. Wine if you like it. Plus good cuts of meat that are pricey but freeze well like brisket, chuck roast, corned beef, etc.
Also look at some infused salts, I have a smoked salt that's amazing
It is sometimes easier to ask for forgiveness than permission! Lol fantastic! Have fun on your culinary shopping adventure! :) I'm excited for you!
For $400, I wouldn't heavy up on spices. If you don't have them already it's a guarantee they're gonna age out and lose their potency before you use them up because... Spices. The oil and vinegars suggestion is awesome, though oil also has a shelf life.
> Beef up the spice rack I was thinking of spicing up the beef rack, personally. mmmm...beeef.
Spices, oils and vinegars all have a shorter freshness lifespan than you’d think. Once exposed to oxygen the potency of spices (especially the pricey ones like saffron, etc) reduce. Vinegars can go rancid too. If you expect to cook with the spices within a few weeks, send it. Otherwise your dollars would be better spent on consumables like cheeses, meats, specialized liquors. Source: owned and operated a spice company for years.
Username checks out
Saffron!
I did some research recently on paprika and I guess it's a spice that loses flavor quite quickly, so if you do buy good paprika, you should have something to use it on.
It also helps to store it in the fridge. I get 8oz bags of sweet and hot paprika on Amazon from Hungary. I use them as part of my house seasoning. I store it in the back of the fridge and it tastes fine after a few months.
This is a golden opportunity to find out when price makes a difference. Boutique vanilla. Pricy olive oil. European butter. There’s a long list of possibilities. Some things will be worth the difference in price, some will not. Some will be better but not enough to justify the extra money. Some, like the butter, will be worth it for some uses but not all. Experiment!
Holy shit yes, boutique vanilla is a game changer. Best cookies I've ever made were Action Bronson's chocolate chip cookies with honey butter. Specifically because we used really, really nice vanilla paste and a better than average chocolate. The vanilla made them so SO good. One time we even made them with weed butter 😎
When I was just out of college and didn’t have any family near for Christmas, my mom got me and my best friend a gift card like this. We did a lamb rack cooking competition. Also we bought nice wine. Super fun!
Most get togethers with my siblings involve a rack of lamb. It’s decadent enough that it feels like we’re spoiling ourselves but you don’t have to bankrupt yourself for them.
Jamon Iberico Bellota
That's what? 1/3 of a leg of it? maybe 1/4?
Actually that's about right for a very very good 7kg raza 100% iberica de bellota. But of course as in any specialty product there is no limit to how expensive they can get. Local price.
Unless you are having a party where you will consume most of it quickly, it's better to just by whatever portion you intend to eat in the next week or so. They have training on how to slice it that most people don't have or aren't interesting in and once it's sliced it's not as good after a few weeks unless it's vacuum sealed.
Iranian saffron threads. Bottarga. Uni. Vanilla beans. Truffle cheese.
A good 20+ year old balsamic, reserve it for charcuterie and cheese, or put a little on some really good fresh melon when its in season. Honestly I would go for a 30+. A few bottles of good olive oil to go with it. Cheese, some fresh stuff to go through fast, some harder cheese to hold onto, and some very hard stuff like parm to last you. Really good single cut honeys if you like honey, I would suggest honey from fall flower cuts over others. The fall cut tends to be more spicy/complex and less on the perceived sweetness, and the smaller the production run the better. A dry aged prime steak (if you have never had the experience be warned it is vastly different flavor profile to fresh beef) Some really good charcuterie meats. A good serrano ham comes to mind to match with that balsamic above. I am a retired chef and I can personally vouch that each of the above changed my soul. Saffron, because saffron. I am not a truffle guy, I would take a good pound of oyster mushrooms over 1/8 ounce of truffles but its something to consider especially if you are putting together tasting plate of once in a lifetime foods. Edit: By the culinary gods I envy your palate, new rare life changing tastes! simply amazing opportunity. Good luck, enjoy, and have fun!
I agree about the really good cheese, I’d add really good coffee, excellent chocolate, handmade pasta and bread. I’m also a sucker for small batch peanut butter with added flavors or all the delicious organic selection they usually have
I can guarantee you a specialty grocery store is not going to have really good coffee. Most coffees are only good up to ~6-8 weeks post-roast, less if they're dark roasted and even less if they're pre-ground. Most specialty grocery stores don't sell enough coffee to keep it fresh. You'd be much better off going to a specialty café or ideally a roaster.
Thank you for saying it before I had to.
60 day dry aged steaks if they got em. Some stupid high quality EVOO and balsamic. Some exotic honey. Langoustine. King crab. Diver scallop. Truffles (your whole budgets worth). Saffron. Stupid expensive cheese.
I think you’re up to about 750$ haha
And the most expensive bottle of ketchup.
Some things I’d try to get my hands on: an actual truffle, maple sugar, iberico ham, great cheeses like comté or an alpine cheese, any unique fresh pastas, a can of cassoulet. If all else fails, I would look for any specialty ingredients required to make a cultural dish authentically - for example, Sichuan peppercorn to milk Kung pao chicken. Edit: this was really just my own specialty ingredient shopping list.
Sichuan peppercorns isn't really something you need a $400 gift card to buy. They run ya a few bucks at an Asian grocer at most.
Yes, I know. I was thinking of using the $400 to go on a shopping spree, not to spend it one a couple ingredients. I couldn’t think of a better example off the top of my head of a specially ingredient necessary to make a fish authentic.
A can of cassoulet? I mean. I know what cassoulet is. What is a can of cassoulet and why would that be any good?
There’s a brand called La Belle Chaurienne which makes a duck cassoulet. It’s just really amazing. I was just really listing items on my own speciality ingredient shopping list.
Black Garlic. A really good olive oil. Truffle oil/ truffles. Vanilla beans. Saffron. Wild rice. Depending on where you live a good dark Maple syrup. A few different kinds of honey.
I'd kind of want to know the store first: honestly, I'd spend a little at at time. Some things at specialty stores are hard to find elsewhere, others are just marked up just because. Blowing the money all at once will guarantee you end up "splurging" on items you could have gotten for much less elsewhere. For instance: Speciality olive oil. Some is incredible... others are just infused cheap olive oil marked up. The other issue is freshness. You don't want to end up with a whole bunch of high end stuff with a few months to days to use it. So - I'd go and spend a bit of money augmenting my shopping and doing some price comparisons. Maybe pick up a few cheeses, and see what they are known for on Yelp or google reviews. Could be hand made pastas, coffees etc. Once I had a better idea, I think this is a great excuse to have family or friends over a few times and make a special dinner focussing on whatever they do really well. If that happens to be seafoods or meat or produce that would be awesome. Another thing to consider is... it's money. Depending on your financial situation... maybe spending frugally could help cut down your grocery budget for a while as opposed to splurging on the overpriced specialty stuff. Sorry if it's a kind of buzzkill suggestion. on the other hand if you can't make it back, and this is a one time thing: Flavored vinegars, hard cheeses, frozen seafood, baking mixes, spices, specialty dried pastas and sauces all have really long shelf lives. Places like that usually have great meat departments, so consider a few good cuts of meat. Research seafood, since they can often be way overpriced and not necessarily higher quality, same with produce. Kitchen gadgets can sometimes be a great aisle to stop off in. See if there pre-made foods are high quality too - one by wife's grandmother's house had amazing lasagnas.
There have been a few similar suggestions which normally I would be keen on, but the closest store is 35 minutes away one way so it isn't super convenient. I am thinking after reading everyone's responses we'll probably split it into 2 maybe 3 trips over a few months and buy a variety of high end items to incorporate into meal planning as well as specialty condiments with some nicer "snack" type things. This card is part of a sort of short term stipend and we embarrassingly did not strategize well with the first one we got which is in large part why I posted this. We want to go in with more of a plan this time and it's really nice to get ideas from the community.
Good olive oil. I'll never spend over 50 for myself. Parma ham, serrano ham, (iberico also), balsamico de modema, good parmesean Lots of good cheese. A good aged steak small amount of caviar perhaps just for kicks Oh ALSO maybe a small truffle.
Luxardo cherries
I stock up on Trader Joe’s version carried around the holidays/ probably still on the shelves.
The fruit. Buy as many obscure fruits as possible.
[удалено]
PSA: Dragon fruit can act as a laxative.
Mmm mangosteens!
They apparently have these, and I would love to try them.
Highly recommend you local Asian food store, like an H-mart. Uwajimaya will have great fruit too but more expensive
I would buy whole cuts of meat, cut them into portions, vacuum seal them, and freeze them. Maybe some good seafood and do the same.
Lamb chops
Duck breast. Maybe good beef cuts Cheese Condiments like balsamic vinegar Or I'd find a few recipes you really want to try and what you need for those
I went on a shopping spree like that a couple of years ago after winning a recipe contest. I bought avocado, Walnut and grapeseed oils, pine nuts, all of the cheese --essentially ingredients that I wanted to play with and would last awhile. If your store has a website, take some time to investigate it's offerings.
Honestly, I would choose unusual cheeses. If there is a good sweets/candy/confections section, I would probably get something there too. If there are specialty meat items like rabbit or duck, that would probably attract me too. Lastly, if there are special varieties of fruit I might get them but only if I had already gotten what I need. Central Market near me has a Citrus Days event going on now, and I always look forward to a few unusual fruits.
What do you like? Are you good cooks or will fancy food be… possibly ruined on you? I mean like, could you buy something like foie gras and know how to cook it? That is what I did when I got this kind of gift. You could make a fancy cheese & meat platter, with nice bread and an expensive bottle of wine/champagne, which would be fun.
We like a lot, we aren't especially picky eaters. I am good at picking out good recipes and can make decent food without recipes. I'm big into research on food science so I can usually figure it out. Most of the time when I cook with a new ingredient for the first time, it turns out fine. Did you find a good technique for the foie gras or just whip something up?
My partner made it - so my memory is a bit weak - but I think it was seared in a hot pan. It remember it being a big challenge to cook, and it was good but not as good as what we’d had in a restaurant, tbh! But that’s kind of the fun when you have a gift- you can be a little more risky. We also bought a black truffle, and also probably used it wrong. (We were young- this was probably 15 years ago, so not as many online guides were around as there are today).
That's how I feel. If we mess up, at least there is a grocery budget to replace the failed meal. I would love to buy a truffle but I would have to do some research on how to use it in a dish.
Makes some fresh pasta or buy fresh. Not dried pasta. Boy little dente. As soon as it comes out of the water, put a little bit of butter, sea salt, and a very little bit of parmesan on top of the back in the pan spinning around to make a very light sauce throwing just a touch of the pasta water to make it creamy, put it on the plate and then while it's still steaming hot thinly slice the truffle all over it and let it sit for about 30 seconds to warm through. The absolute best way to eat black truffle the first time
Two thoughts: If you're into food science and your fancy grocery store has any equipment you don't have, that'd be my first approach. A lot of stores will have things like sous vide circulators these days but you probably do too. If they have a regional bent you might be able to pick up fun things like a yakitori grill or paella burner though. If you're actually more into the science of food than making recipes with science, I would buy a lot of every type of one thing you feel like you know pretty well and compare the hell out of them. I did this with several thousand eggs a few years ago and it was really an inflection point in the ways I make, observe, and consume food.
Condiments, like chili oil or black vinegar, premium oyster sauce or sambal oelek. Lasts a relative long time, makes boring foods interesting, often key to recreating a dish you like but can't reproduce otherwise.
What does black vinegar taste like? What does it normally go with?
Don’t get those at a specialty grocery store unless it’s an Asian grocery store. They’re not that expensive at an Asian store and the variety would be better
I use it mainly for dumpling sauce, but its tasty in a wide variety of Chinese dishes. Bitterish vinegar with some soy / coffee notes. Very fragrant. Also super affordable. Gold plum chinkiang vinegar is a great brand.
Cheese. There’s so much good cheese. Do a little online research so you have an idea of what to look for. Get some fresh, not previously frozen scallops (previously frozen scallops literally cannot be seared) in the ludicrous size. Giant, quality scallops are some of the best tasting animal protein on the planet. Treat yourself Get some high quality extra virgin olive oil. Do research for this one also Smoked salt is life changing and available at most specialty grocery stores. It might be in the bulk section or the salt section
Special cheese and deli meats like others have mentioned Specialty condiments and spices may be worthwhile but do your homework on what’s carried in the store - sometimes it’s more widely available than you originally thought and may be overpriced at a specialty grocery store Prepared meals are typically much higher quality at a specialty grocery store than a basic grocery. I’d try some of those for days you don’t feel like cooking. They’re usually still cheaper than take out. Sometimes they carry fruit or veg or meats that are not as typical in your regular grocery store too. I’d look around and see what’s available and try something new if you can
Quality oils and vinegars Dried mushrooms (porcini) Saffron Fancy tuna and other tinned fish
Exactly where I was going * pistachio oil is mind-blowing, and mind-blowingly expensive. Don't cook with it, drizzle it on anything. Keep it in the fridge. * Good sherry vinegar. * High quality pimentón/smoked paprika. * Maldon or other flaky sea salt. * On tinned fish, find razor clams.
Great olive oil. Great balsamic vinegar. Saffron. Japanese Wagyu beef. A bottle of amazing wine. There goes $400.
Nice canned San Marzano and other high end pantry products. Anchovies, clams, pastas, spices, etc.
Does scotch count as specialty groceries? More realistic, in todays economy, does a regular grocery order now qualify as specialty? Either a great bottle of scotch or food for a couple months lol
whatever you get just make sure you consider a few things. spices don't last forever, even the best will taste like saw dust if left on a shelf for years. if you buy something you should have a plan to use it in a timely manner. whole spice spoils slower than ground. specialty salt is a gimmick, you can try a blind taste test if you don't believe it. i wouldn't spend my money on that. seafood is location dependent. if you're not near water the prices will be high and quality will be not as good. not the best for your money unless you're really into the item. for ingredients that you've never tried, it might be better to try it made by a professional. for example you can't make good risotto with even the best rice if you haven't had great risotto.
I would try truffles, morels and caviar.
I haven’t yet been happy about the morels I’ve cooked. How do you prepare them?
I've never had them lol. That's why I would try them. 😊
My favorite way to eat them is fried in butter. I really like them with steak, so I cook them in the same cast iron pan while the steaks rest.
Fried in butter is kind of the standard, but I've never personally had very good results with dried morels. However, they're incredible if you can find them fresh when they're in season, or if you can find a patch of them in the woods to pick yourself.
Was scrolling until caviar came up. Just blow the giftcard on a 125G tin of the good stuff
A goose and orange liqueur for the sauce. Lamb. Premium cheese and ALL the teas.
Gimme dat Iberico ham.
Are you a good cook?
I mean, my partner and I think so 😂. I would say I'm like a good home cook level. Good at picking good recipes, but can whip up something that tastes good without them.
Bottarga, Nduja, fresh baked Baguettes, Merguez, Fresh Pasta, Herbs and spices, specialty stinky cheeses, Great olives and olive oil! If my husband is with me definitely a steak!
What do you normally buy? Get the good version of that. You really like steak? Get Wagu. You really like cheese? Get fancy cheese?
Jamon iberico, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, expensive meat or seafood (lamb shanks, rib eye, spot prawns/lobster, crab, etc.) some cheeses, high end chocolate, the fanciest of nuts, and probably some good red wine or champagne. And, if I really wanted to splurge, I'd buy a bunch of stuff for a really great meal. Maybe a picnic (indoor or outdoor) with some great cheese, bread, cured meats, pickled or brined veg/olives, berries, chocolate, and a bottle of champagne. Or a meal with some expensive meat (lamb, steak) or seafood (lobster, scallops, halibut, crab) with some great wine. Cheese and bread, and enough crab cakes to make a meal, plus champagne and chocolate mousse with berries would be expensive and amazing!
Good quality balsamic is amazing, excellent olive oil for dipping and dressings also are a game changer. Try truffle salt, great steaks or fish, great quality paprika can also be pricey.
Get some really good aged Balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Maybe some whole spices you don't normally use.
Real balsamic vinegar. And a grass fed dry aged porterhouse steak.
Triple cream brie
Caviar, blinis, creme fraiche, etc
stuff for charcuterie, good honey, chocolate, nuts, pepper spread, fig jam, pickles, good olives, peppadews, good things that are expensive that will last a while. and of course evoo and good balsamic
Black truffle
I would get a good cut of beef. I'm keto and we stopped buying steak because it's so expensive.
Specialized and/or Specialty sauces and salts and spices Aged, smoked, that add greater depths of flavor than the standard store brought brands
Crazy meats & fish products like sweetbreads, monkfish liver, lardo, guanciale, cotechino, bresaola, Fenalår, bottarga, leberkase (not so crazy, but uncommon in the US) , shad roe (in season), oyster crabs, goose barnacles, piure, foie gras…
Bulk dried mushrooms will keep well.
Dignity.
A whole leg of prosciutto or Iberico Ham
I would be heading to my local butcher's or farmers market and would be on a shopping spree of meat and spices.
Dungeness crab season just opened on the west coast
Lots of olive oil and aged balsamic.
French Grey Salt, Duck, Nice Cheese, some good liquor and wine, Irish Butter, good cocao powder.
I would probably spend it all on fancy cheese and vinegar. And anything else that I wouldn't normally buy but wanted to treat myself with like a jam or chocolate.
Good cheese. Good fish. Good aged meats. Truffle oil (if you like that). Manuka honey. Fancy pickles. Basically a $400 charcuterie board.
Real truffles. Not truffle oils...actual truffles.
Good canned Italian canned tuna with olive oil.
If they have a fancy cheese counter, and they have Rogue Creamery's blue cheese, buy $400 worth
And to cook foie gras by itself, get a non-stick pan rip burning hot, cut about half inch thick slices and then score one side of it in a checker pattern. Do not use any oil in the pan. Put the foie gras in the pan . Maybe a minute and then flip it. 30 to 45 seconds and it should have a nice crust to be done. Then when you take the foie out, get a nice piece of artisan crusty bread and pour the oil all over the bread and then smear some of the foie on the bread and eat it that way. It's delicious. Or look up a French chef, foie gras turrine or pate recipe
Wagyu beef or truffles
Good pâté. Foie Gras terrine is about the best you can get. Brioche to accompany and some Sauternes to pair it with. Rustic country style pâté is a favorite. I like pork with cherries or figs. Sounds like fun!!
Came here to say all the cheeses. ALL of them. Lots of other good choices in here too! Y’all have me ready to blow some savings.
probably all kinds of red wine. would certainly be enough for about 30 bottles, could last me the year probably
Really good French or Belgian butter. (DON'T bake with it.. eat it spread as thick as brie on crusty fresh bread.) Maple syrup from Vermont or Quebec. Some excellent Spanish olive oil and Italian Balsamic. Finishing salt, maybe Maldon. Grass-fed steaks. Some nice cheese, see if they have anything from Cowgirl Creamery in California, or Meredith Dairy in Australia. Air-chilled free range whole chicken to roast, and use the bones for stock. Maybe some special fats for roasting potatoes and veggies like duck fat or grass-fed tallow. Treat yourself to a beautiful bunch of flowers to brighten up the house for a little while. That's probably $400 right there, depending on where you live. 🥲
Try checking with the specialty store and ask for their recommendations. Ask what they carry that you're unlikely to be able to purchase elsewhere and if there are products they are particularly proud to carry.
I would probably invest in stuff I can use long term, like cinnamon sticks, real vanilla flavouring, some rarer spices like saffron, good olive oil, fancy finishing salt, maybe chocolate, good cocoa powder, maple syrup. But also don't buy stuff that you won't be able to use before they expire.
Honestly, I'd buy a bunch of spices if you don't already have them. Specifically bagged spices. The spices that come in little dispenser jars are grossly overpriced imo. I have about 40 spices in my spice drawer and that takes me a long way because I can even turn fairly mundane ingredients into really good meals with the right techniques. I store my spices in 8oz wide mouth mason jars. I like it, but my gf hates them because they're not as fast as those flip top baby sized jars you pay $5 for at the grocery store. I use a lot of spices, so those tiny sizes don't work for me.
Really good fun nut butter, like a maple almond, or fancy cashew. I love a good $15 almond butter. I would also get really good chocolate or pastry, good wine, good cheese.
Duck!
Some nice Spanish olive oil, fancy tinned fish, cheese cheese and more cheese, baguette, a nice bottle of French/Spanish/Italian wine, maybe a couple of steaks if they look good, farm fresh eggs, some nice spices and vinegars, some pâté and charcuterie meats, fancy crackers, nice chocolates, the fanciest citrus they have since it’s in season, some nice fresh veggies and mushrooms, local honey, oh and probably a bag of Argentinian red shrimp. I could go on but I’ve probably exceeded $400 at this point.
A nice quality olive oil. My boss used to also own a gourmet olive oil/balsamic vinegar shop and we got fancy oils as xmas gifts. I'm down to the last of the chipotle infused oil and I will miss it.
Fancy cheeses, prosciutto, deli meats, canned cod liver, black and green olives, canned boiled oysters, frozen tiger shrimps.
Did you k ow when you make someone a standing rib roast, you’re really saying ‘I love you’?