This delicacy, known as gambas rojas de Dénia, can only be found between this Valencian city and Ibiza at almost 2,000 feet underwater. These bright red crustaceans have distinctly sweet-tasting heads, which is just the flavour that makes them so sought-after.
The price of Dénia red shrimp has skyrocketed. The Dianense delicacy, in its most exclusive category, has reached historic market prices.
In fact, it is unattainable, not only because of its value, but because it always ends up in a just a few hands. To find them you have to investigate, since they do not reach all local kitchens.
Apparently, the fight between the largest restauranteurs to get their hands on this delicacy is precisely what is causing prices to rise so much. However, what is not normal is that in autumn they reach 415 euros per kilo (that a restaurant paid last week.) The invoice, published by Siete Caníbales, confirms that 1,32 kilos of red shrimp from Dénia, cost a staggering 547,80 euros!
It is an excessive price at any time of the year, although it would not be as surprising in summer or Christmas.
Last week’s Dénia gastronomic festival attracted a large number of people willing to pay unusual prices for the much-discussed red shrimp They went to acquire it almost as a souvenir, thus creating a new, and brief, scenario: a luxury gastronomic tourism whose souvenir is the shrimp, and who are in a way responsible for bids that increase the price of a product with an already overpriced yes huge. Which does not justify the price that has normalised the rest of the year.
Source and cover photo: Denia.com
