The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) has been challenging our taste buds for years with its wild food creations and oddball pairings. But no matter how bizarre, we are always intrigued by their latest offerings.
From cricket hot dogs to cake poutine to deep fried chicken feet, it feels like we've seen it all. But the CNE proved it can still throw us for a loop when it unveiled that two of its biggest food highlights of 2018 include edible gold.
The first is the Golden Burger by Bacon Nation. If its edible gold bun doesn't impress you, its sheer size sure will. In addition to its shimmery aesthetic, the burger is a mouthful, containing a five-ounce beef patty topped with maple and peameal bacon, Canadian cheddar, onion rings, jalapenos and all the fixings.
The second highlight is Gold Ice Cream by Eative: a vanilla milk chocolate ice cream bar covered in a 24-karat edible gold leaf.
Edible gold has been an on-and-off trend for years, but started making a comeback again in early 2018. In an interview with Vogue, New York-based pastry chef Alessandra Altieri likened the food trend to that of fashion.
"It's right in line with the fact that yellow gold is back in fashion," Altieri said in 2015. "Gold on desserts was a lot bigger in the late '90s and early 2000s. Just like fashion trends, you can run the risk of your desserts looking dated."
Considering the buzz over Gen Z yellow, we shouldn't be surprised gold food is regaining popularity.
So what exactly does edible gold taste like? A few of HuffPost Canada's editors tried the CNE's fancy treats. The verdict? Edible gold tastes like nothing.
The shimmery decor is simply for show and, naturally, for the 'gram. Even the CNE's press release admitted this, saying Eative's Gold Ice Cream is "sure to be an Instagram superstar!"
So what are some other CNE 2018 food highlights? Check them out below.
Chocolate Banana Steakclair
A chocolate éclair doughnut stuffed with steak, provolone cheese, banana slices, chocolate sauce and whipped cream.
Shook Noodles
Ready-to-go ramen tossed with your choice of toppings and sauce with a poached egg.
Deep Fried Ferrero Rocher
Ferrero Rocher chocolate wrapped in cookie dough and deep fried.
Mexican Style Street Corn
Roasted corn brushed with spicy mayo and rolled in two types of Cheetos and parmesan cheese.
Hong Kong-Style French "Toast" Curds
Deep friend cheese curds topped with peanut butter, condensed milk and a slab of butter.
SanFran Friar Fritter
A veal and porchetta sandwich topped with jalapeno poppers, jalapeno peppers, coleslaw, sandwich toppings and SanFran's signature sauce.
The Cold Pocket
A sweet bun filled with Sweet Jesus ice cream and other toppings.