The Fountain of Youth

Café Ikon
£15 per person

An event inspired by Don Juan Ponce de Leon, Govenor of Puerto Rico, who in 1513 set out on a voyage of discovery and conquest. His goal was to discover the Fountain of Youth, a spring in Bimini rumoured for centuries to have healing powers.

Despite bathing and drinking the spring water, Ponce de Leon and his crew experienced no magic rejuvenation and so instead gathered food from the local vicinity, thinking it might carry the famed healing properties. Giant frogs, scallops, river shrimp and alligator were all used as ingredients to prepare the very first American meal: a Floridian paella known as The Fountain of Youth.

Artist Sergio Vega prepares a paella in honour of this first American meal. Crocodile meat, marinated in white Rioja, is seared alongside scallops, river shrimp and frogs legs. Yellow squash and mushrooms are sauteed with garlic, onions, red peppers and carrots. This is all cooked with Valencia rice, shrimp broth, jalapenos, saffron, paprika and cumin.

Many of those who have eaten this meal have experienced a sense of rejuvenation and unusual stamina lasting several days.

Menu Tropicalissimo

Drink
Passion fruit caipirinha (Sagatiba Cachaça*, passion fruit, lime, sugar)

Main course
The Fountain of Youth (Crocodilian paella)

Dessert
Pina Colada sorbet (Pineapple sorbet with coconut cream and spicy dark rum)

* Drinks kindly supported by Sagatiba