You may have seen it featured on the world’s most expensive dishes that went viral last year. You can expect any food that has a ridiculously high price tag to be coated or dusted in some form of edible gold. But what is edible gold? Edible gold is just what it sounds like – pure gold (likely between 22 and 24 carats) and either flaked, layered, or wrapped onto food.
History
Edible gold dates back in time and it could be found in many regions of the world and of different ages. The online encyclopedia reveals that the earliest evidence of the use of edible gold was among the ancient Egyptians, almost 5 000 years ago, where the use of gold was well known in many fields.
The Egyptians also used the gold for mental, bodily, and spiritual purification because they believed it to have divine properties, and the alchemists of Alexandria developed various medicine and elixirs with drinkable gold, which they believed restored and rejuvenated the body.
Researchers reveal that ancient Egyptians were not the only ones to use gold as a decorative food and beverage garnish; it could be found also in the eastern countries such as Japan, China and India, mostly for medicine or mysterious elixirs made by court physicians.
Have you read the latest IOL Food Digital magazine? Read it below
The mere thought of eating gold leaves or flakes might sound like a luxurious affair. But you would be amazed to know that eating gold extracts is not just an exquisite affair, but it is believed that this super-expensive metal has some amazing health benefits. It is advisable to consult your doctor or a dietitian first before incorporating gold into your diet.
According to experts, consuming gold in little amounts can help the skin glow. They say it purifies the blood by removing toxins and can prevent skin disorders. It can also help with fertility.
A 2017 report in “Scientific Reports” notes that: “For thousands of years, the traditional Indian Ayurvedic approach to healing involves the use of incinerated gold ash, prepared with a variety of plant extracts and minerals depending on the region.” This gold ash is known as Swarna Bhasma and it can allegedly be useful for those looking to conceive.
Over the years, people have moved beyond the traditional uses of edible gold to include them in a variety of dishes. From chocolate to French fries – you name it. Edible gold is now everywhere. In 2021 we reported on a number of expensive edible gold dishes that we had come across. One of the dishes is breyani from a restaurant in Dubai that comes with edible 23-carat gold. Photos of the breyani have been doing the rounds on social media.
Called the Royal Gold Biryani, it is available at an Indian restaurant called Bombay Borough. Said to be the world’s most expensive dish, it comes with a hefty price tag of R4 000 and is decorated with gold. It is served on a giant platter, served by two waiters wearing golden aprons. It weighs 3kg and reportedly takes 45 minutes to cook and assemble.
The same year, Serendipity3, an NYC restaurant, set a Guinness World Record for making the most expensive fries ever. Created by the restaurant’s creative director and chef Joe Calderone and corporate executive chef Frederick Schoen-Kiewert, the Crème de la Crème Pommes Frites cost an astounding R2 800. The fries, which are made from Chipperbec potatoes, are first blanched in Dom Pérignon Champagne and J. LeBlanc French Champagne Ardenne Vinegar before being cooked three times in pure goose fat from south-west France.
After they are cooked, the fries are seasoned with Guérande truffle salt, which is hand-harvested from Guérande, France, and then tossed in Urbani summer truffle oil. They are then topped with shaved pecorino tartufello cheese that is made of milk from sheep on the clay-rich hills of the Italian region of Crete Senesi. The fries are also topped with shaved black summer truffles from Umbria, Italy. Served on a crystal plate, the fries are finally finished with 23-carat edible gold dust and a sauce on the side.
Related Video