The Pulp Fiction Food Factor: Ever buy a food item because of its high price?

[the_diego]

All the time. It’s the curiosity that forces you. And yeah, I tended to do that when I’m was dating. Well, with my wife, we order our favorites regardless of the price.

[Shalmanese]

@pulykamell

I once bought my brother a $20 bottle of tonic water because: a) I needed a Christmas present (this was only one part of the present) b) He likes tonic water and c) I was wondering what in the hell $20 tonic water could be like. I never got a chance to try it, but, apparently, quite good and concentrated.

Similarly, I first got into IPAs back in 2003 or 2004, when my cousin and I were at a bar and there was a $20 bottle of beer available. I had no idea what in the hell a $20 bottle of beer could taste like, so we ordered it. (Well, he ordered it, since I was feeling cheap that day.) It was Three Floyd’s Dreadnaught Imperial IPA. It was one of the most amazing beers I’ve ever tasted and smelled. I’ve never come across a beer since that has won me over like that, and even the current incarnations of that beer just aren’t the same. I eventually grew tired of the Imperial IPAs (well, not completely, but my tastes have long since gone in a different direction), but, wow, did that brew just open up a whole new world of beer to me. I had no idea flavors and smells like that were possible from beer.

Are you talking about tonic water or tonic syrup? Because a bottle of tonic syrup can make about a gallon of tonic water, making it somewhat of a less absurd purchase.

[pulykamell]

@Shalmanese

Are you talking about tonic water or tonic syrup? Because a bottle of tonic syrup can make about a gallon of tonic water, making it somewhat of a less absurd purchase.

Sorry for the late response. I’m not exactly sure if that was it, but something along those lines. It was supposed to be stretched a bit, but I don’t remember it making quite as much as a gallon.

[swampspruce]

On a trip we spent $39 for a jar of mustard, after trying it with a charcuterie platter and an incredible Rose from a winery in S.Ontario. It was worth every penny, best mustard I’ve ever had.
Same goes for the cheese we had with it, Bella Vitano. $11/ 100g seems like a lot to spend on cheese but if you can find it, try it. Blows Reggiano and Asiago out of the water…

[delphica]

@pulykamell

Anyhow, the flavor I would describe as rich, creamy/buttery, and a bit earthy. I don’t know what food I could possibly compare it to. Also, I prefer the goose version to the duck. The goose is a bit more buttery and delicate, to my palate. When it comes to foods that are generally considered bourgeois “delicacies,” it’s my favorite. Delicious stuff.

When you said “earthy” I realized the taste reminds me of mushrooms. It’s not the SAME taste, but I think that quality of it is similar to the earthiness of mushrooms.

[delphica]

@pulykamell

I agree that a good American pilsener-style beer is tough to find. Victory has a good one in Prima Pils, but it definitely has its American characteristics (which I think is good), with a more forward hop profile, but not too crazily so.

I love that Prima Pils, and I recently tried North Coast’s Scrimshaw Pils and thought it was pretty good. There’s another one I like a lot, Penn Kaiser.

[blondebear]

I’ve bought Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee a couple of times. One bag was really really good, the second time it was nothing special.

[nevadaexile]

I had a $75 porterhouse steak for two in NYC at Peter Luger’s in Brooklyn. While it was a great cut of meat, I have had steaks just as good for 1/3 the price at chain restaurants.

They weren’t,however, Peter Luger’s.:dubious: