The world’s most luxurious donut
The Manila Social Club, a Brooklyn restaurant led by Chef Björn De La Cruz, has become one of the most popular culinary niches in New York, thanks to an excellent offer of Filipino cuisine.
But, the real reason Manila Social Club has turned into a worldwide sensation is a successful gastronomic concept. They serve an exceptional dessert called “The Golden Donut”; the most expensive in the world, at a price of $100 per unit. It comes with a thin layer of 24 karat gold and it is filled with a delicious purple yam mousse and Cristal champagne jelly. The Golden Donut is made only by request on Fridays.
The sweet idea came to De La Cruz while having a regular donut with a glass of champagne. This original pastry has crossed borders and many gourmands who visit the Big Apple make a stop at Manila Social Club to taste this unique dessert.
Iberian Ham Beer
Cerex, a boutique beer producer from the small town of Zarza de Granadilla (Caceres, Spain), is the brainchild of two young agronomists whose love for innovation led them to create a premium beer called Andares. It is an India Pale Ale: full bodied, voluminous and with a bitter-sweet, balanced flavor. It is the first beer made using Jamón Ibérico de Bellota from Extremadura (Iberian ham from Extremadura), one of the most coveted Spanish hams. Water, barley malt, Iberian ham, hops, and yeast are the only ingredients, and due to the laborious and expensive production process, the first edition of 60 bottles was limited and numbered.
Each Andares bottle includes a wax seal and comes in a wooden box containing the typical ham holder (jamonero). The label shows its Spanish origins and has an imprint of an Iberian hog. The first edition was so successful it sold out within days of its launch. The price per bottle is $54. The second edition is coming soon.
Cerex will present the Andares beer at events and global gastronomic shows as the Superior Taste Award, in Brussels, Belgium, next June.
French caviar from Aquitaine
Sturia is the flagship brand of Sturgeon, a leading French caviar producer. The company, founded near Bordeaux 20 years ago, pioneered sturgeon farming in France, and currently produces excellent caviar sold worldwide while promoting the influence of French gastronomy around the world.
The Sturgeon Hatchery runs through the town of Guyenne, in the Aquitaine region, and is considered the largest in Europe. Sturia is delicate, smooth, tasty and fragrant caviar, which goes well with chilled vintage French champagne, or premium Polish vodka. ■
