This is the world’s most expensive rice. But what does it taste like?
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CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter, Unlocking the World, delivers the latest news on destinations, aviation, food and drink, and accommodation. This week’s highlights include the world’s most expensive rice, a chaotic scene at Rome’s Trevi Fountain, and the escalating issue of hotel bathroom door situations.
The World’s Most Expensive Rice
Kinmemai Premium has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the most costly rice globally. What makes it stand out? Keiji Saika, 91-year-old president of Toyo Rice Corporation, explains that only 1,000 boxes of this Japanese rice are produced annually, priced at around $73 per box.
Top-class, award-winning rice varieties are chosen for flavor and texture, then rigorously tested for enzyme vitality and “life force,” according to Saika.
One chef described the grains as “diamonds” in appearance, but the true test lies in taste. Read the full story to discover how it fared in culinary evaluation.
Bear Meat Cuisine in Hokkaido
At Les KaneKIYOs restaurant in Hokkaido, Japan, Chef Kiyoshi Fujimoto has made bear meat the star of his dishes. With rising bear attacks in the region, Fujimoto has focused on bear meat cuisine.
He told CNN that diners find the meat “less gamey than expected,” with a “refreshing taste.”
Trouble at Rome’s Trevi Fountain
A new $2 fee for throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain has sparked some uncooperative behavior since its implementation on Monday. Paying visitors had to dodge tourists who flung coins over barriers, disrupting the usual quiet of the historic site.
Restrictions at the Dolomites Church
In the Italian Dolomites, the Instagram-famous church of Santa Maddalena now faces new restrictions. During peak season, it attracts up to 600 visitors daily, prompting authorities to limit access to curb day-trip tourism.
The Winter Olympics also began this week in the Dolomites and northern Italy. One essential Italian ritual for visitors—whether athletes or tourists—is the unwritten rules of Italian coffee.
Here’s our video guide to understanding this tradition.
CNN Sports: Inside the Olympic Village
CNN Sports offers the latest updates from within the Winter Olympic Village and showcases remarkable athletic achievements.
Great Escapes: Trapped in a Scottish Castle
In the latest episode of our “Great Escapes” series, two American sisters found themselves locked in a Scottish castle. Niki Ghofranian and Ritta Nielsen visited Dunstaffnage in 2019 but never anticipated testing its fortress capabilities.
They arrived past closing time, with gates padlocked and their single cell phone losing battery. Ghofranian climbed the castle walls and spotted a child running from nearby woods.
“Tell your mom we’re locked in the castle,” she cried out. “Go get your mom!”
Another Dramatic Rescue
The sisters’ ordeal wasn’t the only dramatic moment covered by CNN recently. Last week, a 13-year-old boy swam for hours to shore after his family was stranded, demonstrating incredible determination in their rescue.
