Food prices

I’ve noticed each time I’ve come back to Australia just how expensive things have become – especially here in Western Australia with the mining boom. Though there’s no good reason why that should have made us more expensive than major cities on the east coast. But it has. Restaurants, groceries etc – and it’s very much a major talking point here with everyone.

This morning I visited The Re Store – a very well know Italian specialty food store. I was looking for Chestnut Puree to make a cake that I make regularly in France. The Re Store stocks food from a few European countries, France included. And here are a few things, with prices (including the puree that I bought!) that caught my eye ....

• a 715g tin of Cassoulet AU$40.50 (about €33) and not even containing duck, only sausage.
• chestnut puree AU$10.10 (€8)
• and Black Truffles AU$2995 per kilo (€2400)! I went to a few truffle markets in France a few years ago and I think the highest price then was around €1200 per kilo.

 Admittedly the Australian dollar is very strong, and the Euro is not doing well at the moment, but it’s still a little alarming.