Got $1,000? Why Not Try a Golden Opulence Sundae? (drizzled with Amedei Porceleana chocolate)

www.dailyolive.com ^ | February 10, 2006

[Liz]

I know. It sounds crazy: $1,000 for an ice cream sundae?

But, the sundae is The Grand Opulence Sundae from famed Serendipity of New York City and it's made up of the best of the best.

According to the restaurant, they sell approximately one a month, so apparently, quite a few people have some money to indulge in such opulence.

The Golden Opulence Sundae, the "World's most expensive sundae", was created to celebrate Serendipity's 50th Anniversay last year.

Made with "5 scoops of the richest Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream infused with Madagascar vanilla and covered in 23K edible gold leaf, the sundae is drizzled with the world's most expensive chocolate, Amedei Porceleana, and covered with chunks of rare Chuao chocolate, which is from cocoa beans harvested by the Caribbean Sea on Venezuela's coast.

The masterpiece is suffused with exotic candied fruits from Paris, gold dragets, truffles and Marzipan Cherries. It is topped with a tiny glass bowl of Grand Passion Caviar, an exclusive dessert caviar, made of salt-free American Golden caviar, known for its sparkling golden color. It's sweetened and infused with fresh passion fruit, orange and Armagnac.

The sundae is served in a baccarat Harcourt crystal goblet with an 18K gold spoon to partake in the indulgence served with a petite mother of pearl spoon and topped with a gilded sugar flower by Ron Ben-Israel."

...Visit Serendipity's website www.serendipity3.com for more information.

[IronJack]

Here's the last one who dated you

Awwwww, you went to our web site.

----what was it 15 years ago you had your last chicken wing date?

Something like that. Now I just hang around the soup kitchen on minestrone night. Some of those gals don't keep too tight a grip on their crackers.

[Liz]

OMG, 50 cents for a brewski? Are you sure it's actually beer? Could be doctored up kool-aid.

[Liz]

Have a dip.

[IronJack]

None of that fancy stuff fer me. I'm a saltine kinda guy.

[starbase]

I don't know if you two are joking or bashing each other, but this does work both ways. I took a date to an upmarket restaurant in downtown Portland,OR, she ordered the second most expensive item on the menu, then we went to Les Misreables (my treat, of course).

When she emailed me to ask me out on a second date as her guest she suggested the Movie Bar, where you can drink 1$ beers while you watch 2$ out-of-circulation movies.

So it's not a one way street.

[Moshikashitara]

Hmm, that's true. Like.. books? Manga? Durable pans? (Pots and pans these days are horrid. We have some pans close to/over a decade old that are in better condition than some of the things bought withing the past 3 or 4 years.) Blankets? Pillows? Uhhhmmm :D

But $1000 for books and manga would put me over the moon! Little bookworm that I am, lol!

~Moshi-chan

[swheats]

That sure is pretty. But they appear to be cheating on the scoops. what they use a mellon scooper?

[Liz]

I'll take your everyday chocolate goodies like these.

Makes you want to tear open a Hershey bar with your teeth, doesn't it?

[uglybiker]

I have better suggestions on what a guy could spend $1000 on for me.....;)

Hmmmmmmm....(he said flashing a devilish grin)

With a $1000 bill I could buy an elegant dinner for two...

A suite with jacuzzi (with complimentary champagen and chocolate covered strawberries)...

And have enough left over for a case of whipped cream! (he said flashing another devilish grin)

[durasell]

Not in NYC you couldn't...

[Aliska]

Oh all right, boy is this thing yellow. I cut it out of an Old Women's Day mag I think. It's the kind that gets chewy. Now a caution, if you cook it too hot, too fast, it curdles a little, and you can't cook it too slow. A heavy old aluminum saucepan like Club alum or similar is best, about 2-quart. Here we go.

THICK HOT FUDGE SAUCE

The old-fashioned kind that thickens when spooned on ice cream.

4 tablespoons butter (use real) 4 squares (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate 2/3 cup boiling water 2 cups sugar 1/4 cup light corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla

Melt butter in heavy 3-quart (I think I always got along with 2-quart but it bubbles up) saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and let melt. Stir in water, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook WITHOUT stirring until sauce is thickened, dark, and glossy, about 8 minutes (I set timer). Stir in vanilla.

Serve hot (let cool a little or it melts too much) over ice cream. Makes about 2 cups. NOTE: Store any leftover covered in refrigerator. Reheat over very low heat (can use small pan). If sauce should become grainy, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water.

If anyone has a better one, I'm open, but it's got to be the bitter chocolate and prefer not to use cocoa for that.

There used to be a national chain of restaurants that served something similar, can't remember the name of them. I miss Baskin Robbins. We don't have any around here any more.

[IronJack]

I take it there WAS no second date then ...

[Liz]

None of that fancy stuff fer me. I'm a saltine kinda guy.

Your residence is simple, too. When are you gonna put 'er up on cinder blocks?

[Tribune7]

Do you get to keep the goblet & spoon?

[the invisib1e hand]

That sure is pretty. But they appear to be cheating on the scoops. what they use a mellon scooper?

it's not about value...

[uglybiker]

Vegas is cheaper.

Cleaner, too.

[Liz]

THICK HOT FUDGE SAUCE The old-fashioned kind that thickens when spooned on ice cream.

Is there any other kind?

[Liz]

Yes, you get to keep the works.

[durasell]

Last time I checked, suites at joints like the Venetian (actually my personal favorite Vegas hotel) were over a grand...

[Tribune7]

I'd take this and save $998.