The stars attending this year’s Golden Globes Awards, which are to be held in Hollywood next week, will be treated to an unusual foodstuff - gold.
In a nod to the awards' name and to add a touch of luxurious decadence to the meal served to the stars of TV and film in attendance, gold leaf will be used to decorate the food served on the night.
The edible gold, which is most commonly used in Asian cooking as a way of adding interest and decoration to a dish, will be added to the plates by Japanese chef Suki Sugiura. This is particularly appropriate as it is often used in Japanese cuisine.
Food-grade gold is called Vark and is often used in drinks and confectionery throughout Asia. However, it has also been a popular addition to alcoholic drinks in Europe for centuries, with more modern versions, such as Goldschläger, gaining notoriety as a strong and expensive drink.
The celebs on the red carpet at the Golden Globes won’t be drinking Goldschläger, however. They are being treated to Moët and Chandon’s 2002 vintage Champagne instead. The Champagne brand has been long-time sponsor of the event and keeps the bubbly flowing as the awards are handed out, which is probably a good thing if host Ricky Gervais is on the same form as last year…
Sugiura’s creation will be served to the film and TV stars as they sit around tables in what must be a much more enjoyable evening than the Oscars a month later. No theatre seating here… and the ceremony is nowhere near as long! As the head chef at the Beverly Hills Hotel, there are high expectation on Sugiura to deliver something memorable, and it doesn’t look like she will disappoint.
Combining classic Asian and Californian flavours, such as miso and sea bass, she is intending to create "global food harmony". She explained, "They produce some of the best miso in Japan. We bring it here to share with each other, to appreciate each other and to enjoy it together. It's East meets West - one world - at the Golden Globes."
The dessert will play centre stage, however, thanks to the addition of 23-carat gold leaf, which will decorate a chocolate, almond and honey crunch with caramel and strawberries. Pastry chef Thomas Henzi explained that thousands of dollars will be spent on the gold alone: "In today's market, Gold costs $1,600, $1,700 for an ounce, sometimes up to $2,000, so it's expensive. We're looking at $1.20 per plate just for the gold flakes. And we're preparing 1,500 plates!"
Henzi is right to point out how high
gold prices are and buying gold leaf for 1,500 does not come cheap - especially in light of the fact that it will be eaten! Anyone who doesn’t wish to see their gold go to waste should seek
cash for gold online. Any
scrap gold has a value these days and you might be shocked to find out how much your old gold jewellery could sell for.
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