WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE CHRISTMAS DINNER: £125,000 FOR ONE GROUP OF FOUR.

Turkey, potatoes, Brussels sprouts and a handful of tangerines are on most people's supermarket shopping lists this Christmas. But then chef Ben Spalding isn't most people.

On his list this year you'll find dry ice, caviar, truffles, Wagyu beef heart, gold leaf, a £37,000 bottle of Champagne that pre-dates World War One (served, naturally, in diamond-studded champagne flutes), a limited edition Japanese watermelon costing £2,600 and beans of coffee berries excreted by the Asian Palm Civet cat.

Spalding has set himself the task of creating the world's most expensive Christmas dinner, available for just one group of four for an eye-watering total of £125,000.

Launching today and available exclusively from luxury site veryfirstto.com, the pricey four course meal uses some of the most expensive ingredients on the planet.

Also on the menu is Almas caviar (£5,000), the world's most expensive fish eggs; a 150-year-old balsamic vinegar; the world's most expensive melon, the Yubari King from China (£2,500); and a whole white truffle (£3,500) and saffron.

The traditional Christmas turkey is given a decadent makeover for the third course. Using Dodine of rare breed turkey with Wagyu beef fillet and heart (£5,000), the centre piece to the Christmas dinner is wrapped in £6,000 edible 50-carat gold leaf, sprinkled with Akbari Pistachios (£5,000).

Dessert is served on a gold Ugandan vanilla plate and includes whipped Kopi Luwak (£3,000), beans of coffee berries excreted by the Asian Palm Civet cat; and Densuke watermelon (£2,600), a seedless fruit grown only on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, where up to 10,000 watermelons are produced every year.

The luxurious meal will be prepared by Spalding, one of London’s rising stars of the restaurant scene, and proceeds from the meal will go to a charity of his choice.

Spalding, currently head chef at John Salt, has completed residencies at some of the top restaurants in the world including Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck, Gordon Ramsay's Royal Hospital Road, and Per Se in New York.

Known for his alternative approach to fine dining, Ben and his team will create this memorable feast for diners at their home on Christmas day.

Very First To founder, Marcel Knobil said: 'This menu is certainly for expensive taste-buds but it will be an unrivalled gastronomic delight.

'It fits perfectly into our remit of enabling individuals to be the first to know about, and have, newly launching luxury products and experiences.'

By Martha de Lacey published in "Daily Mail", London, December, 6, 2012 as "World's most expensive Christmas dinner costs £125,000 (but would you eat beef heart wrapped in gold, and cat poo coffee?)" . Digitized, adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.