The MiniatureCube weblog
Mmmmm bagel.
Mmmmm $1000.
Both equally delicious, both weigh about the same and both make you feel content on the inside.
Trading one for the other? Probably not so much.
The Westin Hotel in New York City, is selling a $1000 bagel in the latest of what has become something of a trend in NY, selling super premium food items at super premium prices. The Bagel comes smothered in a white truffle cream cheese and goji berry infused Riesling jelly and topped with golden (real gold!) leaves.
Interestingly this practice can be traced back to the humble beef burger. As we moved into the 20th century and restaurants ceased to be the province of the middle to upper classes, the American population began to see a larger and larger selection of food types becoming available. This increase in selection was the marker of competition. Restaurants sprung up offering foods from all around the world, cooked in all manner of styles to entice clientele into their establishments. Soon enough, clientele in most major markets had been exposed to almost every style of restaurant known to man, from Mongolian to Sushi. Now restaurants in whatever food niche they are in have to compete by redesigning an existing dish (The Taco Salad) or by price (Fast Food) or in some other more interesting way, which leads us to the humble beef burger.
It takes something truly interesting to grab the average Americans attention beyond a cursory glance, and a 15pound burger might just do it! Dennys Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, PA began offering this two person ‘belly buster’ back in 2005 and its been a huge hit ever since. If two people can wolf it down in under 3hrs its theirs for free! For everyone else this 15 pounds of meat, 25 slices of cheese, a head of lettuce, three tomatoes, two onions, plus massive quantities of mayo, ketchup, relish, mustard, and peppers is a mere $30.
Other interesting food choices have popped up across the country, but the super premium food choices appear to have trumped everything else by offering something that is truly the domain of those with large disposable incomes. Few people can afford to spend $1000 on a simple bagel, especially one that for all its delicious toppings is over in a few brief moments. Even fewer people will want to spend that much on a momentary taste bud explosion. But perhaps, just maybe a few people will be willing to spend a little more than average for something truly unique, and when that day comes I may be one of those few, re-mortgaged house cash in hand, standing in line, waiting to experience a $3000 Taco Salad.
Posted by thetruth at 15:26pm
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