“One restaurant in Sri Lanka serves up a $14,500 FRUIT and CHOCOLATE sculpture that comes with a gigantic gemstone.”

National Geographic 5,000 Awesome Facts, Fact # 8 of 35 on Decadent Desserts

According to https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna20955415, this dessert is the world’s most expensive dessert for $14,500.

It is made with “gold leaf Italian cassata with Irish cream, served with a mango and pomegranate compote and champagne sabayon enlighten.”

Italian cassata is a traditional Sicilian dessert, consisting of a round sponge cake filled with sweetened ricotta, liqueur, chocolate chips, and candied fruit. It is then iced and decorated with candied fruit and almond paste. (https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2010/04/cassata-easter-cheesecake-recipe-moms.html)

This fancy dessert is called “The Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence” and can be found at the Fortress resort in the city of Galle, Sri Lanka.

It is decorated with a chocolate carving of a fisherman clinging to a stilt and comes with an 80 carat aquamarine stone.

Stilt fishing is a somewhat ancient practice in Sri Lanka that started during World War II when food shortages and overcrowded fishing prompted some fisherman to try fishing on the water. They first used broken down boats or downed aircraft but then started erecting stilts in the coral reefs. (https://www.wired.com/2014/08/florian-muller-sri-lanka-stilt-fishing/)

Unfortunately, the impact of the Tsunami was devastating, leading to the destruction of a significant portion of the Indian Ocean coastline and severely affecting the traditional fishing methods employed by local communities. The widespread destruction not only reduced access to fish using this age-old method but also dealt a heavy blow to the livelihoods of the fishermen who relied on it. Additionally, the aftermath of the disaster has left a lasting impact on the cultural practices associated with stilt fishing, turning it into a fading “sport” where the stilts are occasionally rented to actors for the entertainment of tourists visiting the area.

So far there has not been anybody that has ordered this dessert even though they’ve gotten calls about it from all over the world, including Japan.