The U.S. mass upperclass is taking ostentatious consumption to new levels: eating gold and silver. They're shavings that are sprinkled on top of food and in drinks. The purpose? Pure show, like parsley, but about 1,000 times more expensive. They say it was popular in Renaissance Italy, which is hardly an endorsement. "Borgia me with some of that gold spray." WaPo Link.
Sold through Internet catalogues, high-end culinary outfitters and select gift stores, edible gold and silver come in sprinkles, petals and leaves. The silver is allegedly pure. The gold is 23 karats (almost pure and very soft and malleable; jewelry and wedding rings are typically made of 14 to 18 karats; the gold is mixed with other metals to give it strength). . . .
Edible gold and silver are tasteless. The shavings are served in and on chocolates, cocktails, coffees, pastries, soups, salads and even entrees, like riso oro e zafferano , a gold and saffron risotto. Some chefs like to swaddle a whole chicken with gold leaf -- and eat with relish both foil and fowl. Silver is also big on finger foods. When one thinks of sushi, one can now think metallic shavings on raw mackerel. . . .
Another consumable metal purveyor, Tobias Freccia, founder of EdibleGold.com, says the price points for these products are actually rather down-market. "Our strategy is to bring it into the home-use market," he says. He envisions not $75 gold martinis but a sprinkle of silver at Starbucks. A book of 500 gold leaves may cost $495, but a 100mg shaker of the precious metals sells for $19.95. "The idea is this is a product that the wealthy can have," he says, "but you can have it, too."
