I play this game often when dining out with my foodish friends. After grossly indulging in whatever gluttonous gourmet feast was placed before us, deeply buzzed on wine and cocktails, sitting back in our chairs to wait out the digestion, we ask one another, "If you were going to die tomorrow, what would you want your last meal on earth to be?"
Strangely enough, even when the group of dining companions is a group of professional chefs, people in the food industry, or hard core "foodies," the answers are usually very similar. There is no answer of a fancy sit down dinner with multiple courses of preciously presented dishes. Almost always, people answer with favorite comfort foods, foods that remind them of home, family, and the experiences they've had in this life.
A few weeks ago, Caley from ChewonThatBlog asked us at Slashfood what we would want for our "Last Supper." We don't seem to have much variety on our team, with a fairly even split on only a few things: Mediterranean (since pizza is Mediterranean, right?), seafood, and Japanese food. Our individual answers are below, but we'd love to hear what our Slashfoodie readers would want as their last meals on earth, too!
From Bob Sassone, our Guy's Guy:
"Pepperoni pizza. And lots of alcohol. With my friends, of course."
From Marisa McClellan, the newest addition to our Slashfood team:
"I would surround my dining room table with a bunch of close friends and put out a really great spread of cheeses, meats, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, olives, fruit and bread. After that there would be perfect chocolate chip cookies with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. "
From Joanne Lutynec, who takes the opportunity to laugh in her shellfish allergy's face:
"I would want my last meal to be a mountain of king crab legs, lobster tails, shrimp, scallops, etc. with lots of clarified butter and deep fried side dishes. I developed an intolerance to shellfish a few years ago, and though I still sneak it in every now and then, I really can't make a meal out of it anymore. And the deep fried stuff? May as well go out with a bang."
From Joe DiStefano, who rocks the lobster:
"My last meal on earth would involve a platter of freshly caught seafood, among other things. Here goes: an Everestlike raw platter rife with raw oysters,snow crab meat and other treats from the sea. Follow that with lots of heritage pork and beef and fresh picked veggies."
From Jonathon Forester, the culinary world traveler:
"I would love a whole day long Sushi, Sashimi, Kaiseki event where each piece of food, raw and cooked, was crafted by top Japanese food artisans for me, my family, and best friends, served to our individual tastes, and with the appropriate sake, shochu, tea, and other fine beverages for each serving.
Preferably this would take place outside, while we are comfortably lounged under the shade of an enormous tree in Autumn, as the leaves are blazing in all their jewel tones, and that spicy smell of autumn leaves with hints of wood smoke is in the air. As an accompaniment the best music would be that of a series of gentle water falls in a gurgling brook, tuned in the Japanese water garden style, and a soft breeze rustling the leaves on the trees, while occasionally soft classical music is played live in the background as a counterpoint. Of course there would be a spectacular sunset to rival the best I have ever seen, including the amazing and humbling ones I saw looking out over the Indian Ocean on Zanzibar and in the savanna in Tanzania in Africa. At night, candle filled paper lanterns of all jewel tones in all colors would be hung from the trees branches, casting their soft glow of contentment upon us."
From me, Sarah J. Gim, your humble editor, total chef -stalker, and correspondent on all things Delicious:
"Less important is what I eat, and more important is with whom. I'd love to sit down on my baby blanket spread out on the floor with Anthony Bourdain, Tyler Florence, Jonathan Gold, Govind Armstrong, Tom Colicchio, and Mario Batali and obscenely eat our way through an entire sushi bar's worth of fish. By the way, no rolls."
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-24-2007 @ 11:10PM
Christine said...
Ohhh - I would have to say I would be comfortably seated, enjoying a massive bowl of Macaroni and Cheese. Anything else extra is just icing on the cake.
Reply
7-24-2007 @ 11:12PM
andrea said...
I would have to have my friends, loved ones, and Radiohead perform an acoustic set With lots of wine and a nice joint. The meal would involve the following courses.
Steak TarTar, Yellow Tail Nigiri, Spicy Scallop Hand roll, Filet Mignon, Potatoes Au Gratin, Creamed Spinach and a Dirty Martini. Top it all off with a double espresso and a Creme Brulee.
I can die now.
Reply
7-25-2007 @ 2:04AM
Janet said...
Seafood, seafood, seafood. Caviar. A lobster with drawn butter and lemon juice. Some oysters.
Maybe some corn on the cob or sliced sweet garden tomatoes or cucumbers vinaigrette on the side for contrast, just a bite or two, and then more seafood.
And then a lemon souffle for dessert and espresso. And then I'd be ready to die, or at least as ready as I'd ever be.
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7-25-2007 @ 2:05AM
angiepakie said...
I would definitely request my mom's homemade Korean food... kimchee chigae, soondooboo, galbi, assorted banchans such as kimchee, keem, tofu, tonkatsu, jjajjangmyun, yeah, basically every single type of Korean food!!! :D
Reply
7-25-2007 @ 2:47AM
Ed said...
I think I'd go with Pizza, Beer, and Vodka. Maybe some nice bread sticks, and hey, maybe some cheesecake too, possibly Tiramisu.
(Don't have to die to try this out. Did Pizza and Beer last week. It was very nice.)
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7-25-2007 @ 3:47AM
Jessica said...
A thick slice of homemade whole-wheat bread drizzled in flax seed oil and spread generously with Jif extra crunchy peanut butter. Later, a double bacon cheeseburger from my favorite hole-in-the-wall burger joint and an extra-thick black and white milkshake (from my OTHER favorite burger stop), and after the appropriate nap and tummy massage, a big slice of chocolate fudge cake with ice cream. Take me home!
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7-25-2007 @ 9:52AM
kim haynes said...
my grannys fried chicken wings, collard greens with pork fat, yeast rolls, potato salad, and three slices of her homemade poundcake. washed all down with sweetened iced tea-four glasses.
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7-25-2007 @ 10:40AM
Erica said...
Country fried steak with mashed potatoes, baby lima beans, and fried okra; salad with tons of avocados and bleu cheese dressing; ham and biscuits; black and white cheesecake; chocolate-covered cannolis
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7-25-2007 @ 11:44AM
team gingerbread said...
Definitely a starter consisting of cambozola and smoked salmon, some calamari and some sort of soup, possibly Italian Wedding
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7-25-2007 @ 12:34PM
Nancyxhuang said...
Country deep-fried chicken with a helping of biscuits with gravy, southern greens (complete with pieces of ham), mac and cheese, with a sweet apple cobbler topped with luscious vanilla ice cream. Washing it all down with some syrupy sweet tea.
/death
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7-25-2007 @ 12:57PM
Adriane said...
I am seriously in awe of those people who can definitively pin down their last meal. I have a myriad of dishes and bites I love, none of which go together.
Comfort foods include pancakes with REAL maple syrup, homemade mac and cheese with cut up hot dogs,ice cream (primarily peppermint stick, dulce de leche, STRAWBERRY, mint cookies and cream..), an onion bagel with cream cheese, moroccan mint tea, a pile of fluffy mashed potatos or my mothers peanut chicken and/or iced tea. peanut butter.
Other loves include curry in its many forms, indian food! Thai food! (Thai iced tea-heaven), chai, egg and sausage sandwiches, smoothies, fruit salads, greek salad, cheeses and pates, grilled swordfish, lemonade, a big juicy steak (med-rare, please), a cheeseburger done to perfection, a loaf of crusty bread with really good butter, dumplings...creme brulee, s'mores, trifle, mantecado candy from Spain...etc etc...
I sound like a food beast! and I'm officially hungry. HA! I guess my point is that growing up in a food-minded atmosphere, many of my beloved memories spending time with family or friends has been centered around "the joys of the table", and each of those foods has more or less become intwined in my psyche as something that provides more than just a good taste.
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7-25-2007 @ 1:14PM
Simon Arch said...
This is not too terribly difficult. I'd want a nice hickory-smoked tri-tip with some lumpy mashed potatoes, roast beef gravy, green bean casserole and homemade Parker House rolls. I'd finish with a big slice of homemade rhubarb custard pie, and wash the lot of it down with Coca-Cola.
Come to think of it, I think I want that for dinner TONIGHT. :)
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7-25-2007 @ 9:55PM
Aytunc said...
I must admit I will go with Mediterranean fare also:
1. cold cut appetizers and some chevre with cold pinot grigio
2. Good fresh turkish shepards salad
3. anything from sea thats lightly cooked, but must be fresh with a cold zin
4. A nice medium kobe beef with syrah
5. Cream bruele cheesecake from Spago with espresso,
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7-26-2007 @ 5:55AM
Linda said...
I'd call D'Artagnan and order foie gras, every kind...sauteed, terrine, mousse...you name it. Then I'd put some really good figs on the side, perhaps add some pates and smoked chicken so there was some foie left for me. Then invite those I loved at that very moment to share.
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7-26-2007 @ 10:53AM
Rachel said...
My mom's Hawaii-style teriyaki for sure: beef teriyaki with homemade potato salad and sticky rice.
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7-26-2007 @ 1:13PM
CRS said...
Start with some deep fried goodies like shrimp, mozerella, and mushrooms. Then a mesquite grilled elk ribeye - rare, lumpy red skinned mashed potatoes, fresh spinach saute'd with garlic. Then a rich brownie with nuts and a scoop of cinnimon ice cream for dessert.
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7-26-2007 @ 4:27PM
looper said...
I would have to have my friends, loved ones, and Radiohead perform an live set. Add that to lots of wine and a nice joint. The meal would involve the following courses.
Steak TarTar, Yellow Tail Nigiri, Spicy Scallop Hand roll, Filet Mignon, Potatoes Au Gratin, Creamed Spinach and a Dirty Martini. Top it all off with a double espresso and a Creme Brulee.
I can die now.
Reply
8-02-2007 @ 4:04PM
Caley said...
Thanks for playing everyone!! We had a lot of fun with this Last Supper meme. In addition to our blog, Chew On That, You can see the results here:
http://www.recipe4living.com/Common/Article.aspx?id=56052
Reply
8-18-2007 @ 7:22PM
SB said...
Last supper can only be shared with the one I love.. An endless supply of fantastic sushi and big slabs of sashimi, followed by an incredible evening of sex with my husband! That would be heaven on earth..
Reply
8-19-2007 @ 9:46AM
deanj said...
Kobe steak, and lots of it.
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