PrintCook the Book: 'My Last Supper'
If you're a food lover, you've asked and answered the question. Many times. You reevaluate your answer every so often, refining it with each meal. At Serious Eats, we even include it as a field in everyone's profile page: Last bite on earth?
My Last Supper is a book that takes that meme to the people you'd most want to hear from on this subject—50 of the best-known and most-loved chefs in the world. It's a beautiful book—almost equal parts portraiture, interview, and cookbook. Each chef is photographed by author-photographer Melanie Dunea in an environment that befits his or her personality, accompanied by an interview with Dunea, and, toward the back of the book, a recipe.
Win 'My Last Supper'
We'll be excerpting a recipe a day this week as part of our ongoing Cook the Book feature. The first of those will be up shortly, but for now it's time to let you in on how you can enter to win a copy of this book. Simply tell us what your last meal story is. What would you eat, with whom, and where?
Winners will be chosen at random from among the commenters, and comments will be open until noon ET, Monday, March 17. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.
Comments are closed: 302 Comments:
it would definitely be some of my dad or grandmother's home cooking and def to be eaten with loved ones and family.. !
sassysprite at 2:04PM on 03/10/08
A huge platter of potato pierogis slathered with loads of butter and fried onions.
hicoffice at 2:12PM on 03/10/08
a fresh baguette with fresh goat cheese, some fresh fruit.
hrwalf at 2:22PM on 03/10/08
This is one of my most hated questions. I am never, ever able to come up with a satisfactory answer. There are just too many foods I adore.
I guess I might set up a buffet line for myself with about 30 items I truly love, and just graze my way through until the final moment strikes... mac'n'cheese, perfect omelet, French onion soup, fried chicken, sushi, several kinds of soup, colcannon made with kale, freshly baked crusty bread with Danish butter, beef stew, sauteed mushrooms, lots of wine, sweetbreads, french fries AND onion rings, perfect tomatoes still warm from the vine, pancetta wrapped prawns, plums and apricots right off the tree... and on, and on, and on....
LoCo at 2:29PM on 03/10/08
A Shackburger and a small bowl of cacio e pepe on the side, with a pitcher of Asahi Super Dry to wash it all down. For dessert, a plate of Oreos and a dunking-ready glass of skim milk.
kangatron at 2:29PM on 03/10/08
Seems like every time i go on a strict diet i always get that last giant burger in before the lock down of agony.
Tenbucc2 at 2:35PM on 03/10/08
I would just want my mom's home cooking (and of course, she would make all my favorites) and to be with my parents, brother, husband, and my four best girlfriends.
mrsbao at 2:36PM on 03/10/08
home-smoked brisket, TX toast, and tons of desserts with my wife, daughter and our friends
feelgood at 2:42PM on 03/10/08
I would go to town at the farmer's market and a good grocery store (something like Rainbow, in San Francisco) and spend an entire day (or few) cooking up a mad storm, invite all of my best friends and then go at it. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of pasta and rice, for sure.
mballena at 2:44PM on 03/10/08
a steaming bowl of pho, mounded with basil and cilantro please!
chlamers at 2:45PM on 03/10/08
hangar steak with bone marrow bordelaise and twice cooked fries with my wife and kids
syoung68 at 2:45PM on 03/10/08
Fresh, crusty bread, large chunks of parmesan, a ripe persimmon, and grilled prawns like I had in Barcelona.
Mm.
Yes.
onalark at 3:00PM on 03/10/08
An English country picnic with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.
louiseb130 at 3:03PM on 03/10/08
My mom's curry. I've had many kinds of curry throughout my life (Japanese, Indian, Thai, etc.) Nothing beats my mom's Cambodian style curry eaten with a loaf of warm fresh crusty French baguette. And of course I'd eat it with my mom and dad.
veGieSatan at 3:07PM on 03/10/08
tacos from Mi Madres, some barbecue from Smitty's, pies baked by my mother and grandmother, vegetables raw from the garden, eaten in the backyard with room mates and friends, playing horseshoes and drinking Lone Star beer.
intheyearofthepig at 3:10PM on 03/10/08
I would be with my husband at Sol Toro Restaurant, an outstanding Mexican restaurant, in the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. I would order their Cheese Enchiladas with creamy green sauce and also tableside guacamole for 4, since we could easily eat that much. I would also have non-stop margaritas.
cdziuba at 3:10PM on 03/10/08
Today, I'd say a perfect ribeye, gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce, caeser salad, breads and an wonderful cheese course.
Cary at 3:13PM on 03/10/08
I think it would be a long list of favorites
my moms chicken soup
pita bread fresh baked from my fav middle eastern restaurant
fried chicken from frankenmuth
eggplant Parmesan
hot buttered noodles (from frankenmuth too)
maple donuts
creme brule
peanut butter cookies...
umm this could be endless
monmon16 at 3:16PM on 03/10/08
Maybe paella. Or else ribs. Fried chicken? A rib eye.
I have no idea.
Regardless, I'd eat it with my family.
wisekaren at 3:26PM on 03/10/08
An afternoon at the buffet line at Bellagio.
tech9803 at 3:26PM on 03/10/08
I would probably have about 15 desserts. I would go alone, I think it's too maudlin to have company in this scenario.
karen r at 3:27PM on 03/10/08
I'd want Heston Blumenthal cooking for me. I'd just give him the list of thinks I want to eat and let him prepare it anyway he wanted:
Pork Belly, Mackerel, Duck, Beef Short Ribs, Brussels Sprouts, Turnips, French Fries, Champagne, Caviar, Truffles, Wild Mushrooms, Strawberries, Chocolate, Cheese, and Eggs
I'd eat with my wife, Alton Brown, Jeffery Steingarten, Micheal Ruhlman, and Heston.
arbeck at 3:28PM on 03/10/08
I would have barramundi with my husband and a few close friends while watching the sunset at Uluru.
toastworthy at 3:34PM on 03/10/08
I would start with roasted bone marrow and sea salt, then eat a soft-boiled egg with buttered toast fingers, gorge myself with some Korean bbq and panchan, then top it off with burnt caramel ice cream and lychee.
threedogkitchen at 3:41PM on 03/10/08
With my fiancée in our kitchen. A total glutton feast of all my favourite things, because how could I ever decide? There are far too many tasty things in the world to choose from.
Peasantwench at 3:46PM on 03/10/08
I'd want to start with a fresh corn with she-crab bisque (from The Hominy Grill in Charleston), followed by some braised short ribs (Jerry's in Soho) and in-season tomatoes with sea-salt, and for dessert, i would want a pumpkin-bread-pudding with chocolate chips. To seal the meal shut, I'd have a cup of lapsang souchong tea and a burnt caramel with sea salt chocolate (from The Chocolate Room in Park Slope).
sassyradish at 3:47PM on 03/10/08
Mom's mac and cheese.
ricedream24 at 3:50PM on 03/10/08
cottage ham and string beans with my grandparents, at my house.
jknepfle at 3:51PM on 03/10/08
I would want my last meal to be a big family dinner as prepared by my grandmother, with turkey, stuffing, mashed carrots/turnips, perogies, cabbage rolls, etc and pie and ice cream for dessert. I would love to enjoy the meal with my entire family as I did when I was younger, with the addition of my husband of course.
lunge at 3:54PM on 03/10/08
A beautifully charred porterhouse with my parents at Peter Luger. That also includes as much cheesecake and creamed spinach as my little stomach can take.
pupilindenial at 4:01PM on 03/10/08
A big juicy hamburger with a cold beer and chocolate brownies for dessert on an island getaway with my husband.
drala625 at 4:06PM on 03/10/08
everything my grandmother has made for our family - pork chops, spaghetti, chocolate cake...that's only the tip of the iceberg!
PoignantTuna at 4:16PM on 03/10/08
Perhaps a burger from Mike's in Blacksburg, VA. Or if I want to go out in style, a Luther Burger or Hamdog. Or maybe a good supply of really good wings. Definitely good beer. Maybe some really good Lexington barbecue. Too many choices!
jbramley at 4:19PM on 03/10/08
Duck confit with potatoes and a little green salad from Au Gamin de Paris. I dream of this meal!!
EKR33 at 4:23PM on 03/10/08
Nachos. With homemade guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. Extra fresh. And I'd eat it on the Warren Dunes Beach that gave me so many happy memories as a child.
Sarajahii at 4:23PM on 03/10/08
Having grown up in a small northeast city that was predominantly catholic, the first thing that comes to mind is the classic friday night fish fry.
I also wouldn't mind one of everything on the menu at Tilth.
8ptstars at 4:24PM on 03/10/08
Tacos from the Japanese lady who lived across the street from where I grew up. She used to fry them with chop sticks in an electric skillet in her garage.
sarahlynn at 4:25PM on 03/10/08
Oysters. Oysters and champagne, with friends and family, of course!
AnneBird at 4:26PM on 03/10/08
My Mom's chicken soup and a filet mignon with bernaise sauce.
kitsy160 at 4:26PM on 03/10/08
Just a couple of the options I've considered:
* Tacos from La Super Rica in Santa Barbara w/ my hubby, followed by a bike ride to the beach
* Sublime cheese, pate, baguette, wine, and chocolate on the deck of a French canal boat floating down the Canal du Nivernais, enjoyed with family and friends
jenberger at 4:33PM on 03/10/08
Two croissants. Coffee and cream. In Paris.
brooklyndoughnut at 4:33PM on 03/10/08
a cheeseburger with Elvis on Mars
agordon10 at 4:39PM on 03/10/08
It's hard to imagine I'd actually enjoy the food, what with knowing I was gonna die really soon, you know? That said, I'd want plain, uncomplicated food that required nothing from me. I'd want my 3 favorite things to eat - cappellini with a little too much of Marcella Hazan's Tomato and Butter sauce, spicy fried chicken wings, and grilled medium-rare skirt steak w/lime juice and lots of cilantro. If I had room for dessert, I'd probably go for rum raisin ice cream.
chisai at 4:40PM on 03/10/08
Minced squab at Tommy Toy's in San Francisco. Haven't been there since, he passed 2 weeks ago. But, damnit. It's my last request. They better bring him back from the dead. It'd be awesome just to see the look on my friend Alana's face when the corpse walks in greeting us by name.
Oberst at 4:44PM on 03/10/08
Some quality pizza with my brother in either New York City or perhaps Tokyo.
Wanderful at 4:46PM on 03/10/08
It would have to be a spring meal, perhaps because spring is on my mind right now? Roast chicken with morels, asparagus, stuffed artichokes or maybe sauteed with sherry vinegar and thyme, fantastic bread, rhubarb crumble or confit with ice cream for dessert.
Eilen at 4:49PM on 03/10/08
lobster, with plenty of drawn butter.......
starsmom at 4:51PM on 03/10/08
the family holiday meal,
a good quality ham,
mashed potatoes with butter & salt,
green beans, home grown, mixed with butter fried bread crumbs,
hot rolls with butter
and any pie or cake my mother would have made.
javal at 4:53PM on 03/10/08
I'd have a lobster and scallops with my wife. If I lived through that (I'm allergic to fish and seafood), I'd have a pan-fried perch with lemon and call it dessert.
beanish at 4:53PM on 03/10/08
Sushi and ginger ice cream with my boyfriend.
daisy at 4:56PM on 03/10/08
A platter of smoked fishes-namely sable and belly lox, with cream cheese, really good water bagels, Jersey tomatoes, hot tea to drink, and my husband and kids by my side.
Lyds1 at 5:04PM on 03/10/08
A nice cup of tea with a slice of Rose Levy Beranbaum's Cordon Blue cheesecake, with blueberry coulis. I'd share it with my husband and special guest, Gordon Ramsay.
Natalie at 5:13PM on 03/10/08
I could not live without fresh lobster rolls, New England style, with buttered toasted rolls, fresh lobster, lemon juice, parsley, mayonnaise, minced shallots, fresh minced dill and spices. Melted butter is poured on top of the cooked lobster salad once it is in the toasted roll and it is briefly broiled. Yummy!
krussell133@comcast.net
kimberly joe at 5:13PM on 03/10/08
First off: don't tell me it's my last meal.
I'm a coward, and my reactions (asking everyone to check their watches every few seconds, bitterly debating the existence of a caring Diety, bursting into maudlin tears between courses, etc.) would tend to cut down on everyone's fun.
Second, the only meals that I've ever had which I never wanted to end have been AYCE sushi at Yuka, a small and shabby sushi parlor on the Upper East Side of New York.
I would eat with my friend JC, who knows all my favorite things and would do the ordering for us. Because part of the magic would be to have my favorite things appearing out of nowhere, without even a verbalized request..
We would have salmon, tuna, eel, mackeral, loads of rice, loads of everything. The Diet Cokes would also be unlimited.
Best of all, when I reached for the last piece of o-toro and then remembered my manners and asked JC if he wanted it, he would say, as he always does,
"That's not the last piece. We can always order more."
annien at 5:18PM on 03/10/08
There are so many yummy things in life. I wouls have a hard time choosing. But one wouldcertainly be mexican Chicken and Rice soup with fresh avocados floating on top. Can you say mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
dolphinlady706 at 5:19PM on 03/10/08
Eating my Mom's fried chicken with mashed potatoes and apple pie with my Mom!
susan1215 at 5:23PM on 03/10/08
I'd like to have my last meal on a trip with Anthony Bordain somewhere
where they serve all those fiery hot pepper foods I can't seem to find
anywhere in my real life.
patschraier at 5:27PM on 03/10/08
So hard to pick my last meal! It would have to end with a stupendous dessert though--a multi-layered chocolate cake with raspberry jam and ganache. And I think prosciutto, lettuce, and mango on baguette with mayonnaise would suit me just fine. And I'd probably eat with my mother and closest friends.
Christina at 5:28PM on 03/10/08
It would have to be fresh ceviche, guac and still-warm tortilla chips on Rolandi's beach in Isla, Mexico, with my husband and never-ending buckets of ice-cold Leon. I'd drift away happily on the warm sand.
Not a bad way to go.
sheldel at 5:37PM on 03/10/08
This may sound weird...but I am severly gluten intolerant, so my last meal would have to be gluten items I've not had in forever and cannot replace with my own cooking.
It would be a vast list, and I might just take bites of some of it.
A ripe tomato sandwich on squishy Wonder bread with Duke's mayo and salt.
Two Varsity Chili Dogs (mustard and onions) with two orders of onion rings and a peach pie
Three (okay, four) over-steamed Krystal hamburgers.
Four HOT Krispy Kreme donuts.
Oh, and a real Coca-Cola on crushed ice.
And I'd want to invite all my family and friends who'd like to come join me. I'd set up a buffet for all of them...
.
GingerCM at 5:42PM on 03/10/08
fresh pasta with homemade alfredo sauce, a salad of home-grown heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozerella with basil, fresh baked bread with creamy butter, glass of montrechet and, on the side, an order of ana sortun's fried mussels from oleana.
kdjmom3 at 5:51PM on 03/10/08
Definitely a tough question to answer, as part of my answer would be tied to the time of year! Must-haves: people I love, great red wine (I'm currently on a Malbec kick), a lot of laughter, and great music in the background. Oh, one thing I can pin down-small plates, as I always prefer to eat that way anyway! Then I get to have a little of EVERYTHING. ;-)
Curlz at 6:04PM on 03/10/08
Baked Pasta with 4 cheeses or a 4 cheese rissotto with an avocado salad and pan con tomate.
MadelynRodriguez at 6:32PM on 03/10/08
A traditional Thanksgiving dinner at a large table, surrounded by friends and family, all of whom are just drunk enough to be pleasantly buzzed but not so drunk that any fights break out.
Actually depending on which of my friends or family members was doing the fighting, a good brawl, whether verbal or physical, might even enhance the experience...
slloyddouglass at 6:32PM on 03/10/08
BBQ and beer with my family.
mnsteph at 6:33PM on 03/10/08
Cevapi
MajaMeza79 at 6:38PM on 03/10/08
Japanese handrolls w/ family.
musicalpandibear at 7:00PM on 03/10/08
since money would no longer be an object, I'd live the dream and take all of my closest friends to Per Se. Of course, I'd have to know my death date 2 months in advance to make the res...
hotspicytastesgreat at 7:03PM on 03/10/08
My last meal would have to be with the one person that is most important to me on the beach ;). First course, Crab cakes(with some lobster in there just because) topped with a apple-mango chutney. Second Course, a very THICK steak of prime rib(no need to add anything else). And for dessert, Chocolate covered strawberries(i just love them)
Stankind at 7:09PM on 03/10/08
super fresh sashimi, beef tataki, unagi don
pho
peking duck, yi mein, har gow, sui long bao (xiaolongbao), lo bat go, coconut pudding, almond pudding
satay, mee goreng, roti canai, a variety of laksa
roast bison, prime rib, a great steak
macaroni and cheese
chunk of good quality brie
fresh sourdough bread
lots and lots of dark chocolate
And as that is way more food than I could eat in one sitting, I would invite all my friends and family to share it with me at home.
anonymoose at 7:10PM on 03/10/08
I would need a whole buffet...it would definitely involve Reese's Cups, lobster, some sort of pasta and lamb, and salad.
kmg852 at 7:15PM on 03/10/08
Any of my mom's home cooking
rugbyspartan at 7:26PM on 03/10/08
baked brie
pasta carbonara
ribs
cupcake
gkang at 7:30PM on 03/10/08
If i was eating it tonight, I'd have roasted brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower (i've been big on the roasted crucifers lately)... and maybe some incongruous sushi and pan con tomate.
preferably with my boyfriend and family, at home.
darjeeling_tea at 7:34PM on 03/10/08
I would eat with my husband, and we would eat his family recipe for homemade ravioli; for dessert we would have paris brest.
dettling05 at 7:47PM on 03/10/08
Uh, probably a buffet with all my favorite foods:
fried chicken
eggplant
sushi
snow crab legs
everything my mom's ever cooked (highly unrealistic, I know)
baby back ribs
mangoes
scrambled eggs
bacon
This could go on and on and on...
cochon at 8:11PM on 03/10/08
A mock opening with a new place in town "Chester" I had the pasta, my husband had the chicken.
banquetbabe at 8:19PM on 03/10/08
mac and cheese, very gooey and comfy. Peanut butter/hershey kiss cookies, and cupcakes with lots of frosting. I'd hope that I'd have company like with my kids and grandkids and it would really be cool if tom sellac came by
teechbiz at 8:21PM on 03/10/08
Absolutely no doubt whatsoever as to what I'd have for my last meal and with whom I'd share it. Shwartz's Smoked Meat on Rye slathered with their mustard and oh yes - a side of french fries, a dill pickle and a very cold Coca Cola. With whom would I share it? Of course it would have to be Michael Symon in order to not only enjoy the food but also to enjoy the super company.
drbehavior at 8:22PM on 03/10/08
Thanks for the offer--the book sounds great. My all-time favorite meal as a kid is still pretty great:
Barbecue Chicken
Baked Potatoes with all the fixings
Green Beans (preferably cooked with bacon and onion)
Chocolate Pudding
If it's summer, add fresh corn on the cob, sliced beefsteak tomatoes with fresh basil, and peach pie with plenty of cinnamon
My grown-up tastes might season differently, and maybe change to another chocolate dessert, but the basics are still the same.
geekbearinggifts at 8:23PM on 03/10/08
Oops! Forgot to tell you where and with whom! At home, surrounded by friends and family, of course!
geekbearinggifts at 8:25PM on 03/10/08
I'd recreate the dinner we had for my sister's wedding on St. John USVI, where they hired a private chef to make surf and turf, with the best chateubriand (sp?), and lobster I've ever eaten, and I might need to throw in some McDonald's french fries, brie en croute, bacon wrapped jalapenos, and Cooks Illustrated New York Style Cheesecake.
Only difference would be the addition of my friends to our family, but the house, the ocean, the weather, and the fun would all be the same!
p.s. this book is worth a read through if only for the mostly naked pic of Anthony Bourdain!!
bobcatsteph3 at 8:43PM on 03/10/08
roasted crispy duck with wild rice, fresh baked rolls like my grandma used to make and turtle cheesecake for dessert. I would eat with my family.
gypsy58 [at] hotmail [dot] com
gypsy58 at 8:48PM on 03/10/08
For my last supper, I would dine with my boyfriend Rob on the porch of his ranch house just west of Fort Worth. We would enjoy the sunset over his dad's vineyard, and sip a tasty homemade white wine over our feast. The menu would include:
-A fresh loaf of French bread with creamy butter
-A steamed artichoke with lemon garlic butter
-A salad of mixed greens, my Baps' home grown tomatoes, avocado, red onions, cucumber, cheddar cheese, homemade croutons, & ranch dressing
-A Grilled Rib-eye (Medium Rare), served with grilled shrimp
-A Slice of Chocolate cake with Mascarpone Icing and Fresh Berries
ekrenek at 8:59PM on 03/10/08
why last meal?: unnecessary...maudlin...
how 'bout favorite meal - or meals - there are too many to imagine only one!
gorzd at 9:02PM on 03/10/08
I would dine on a fresh seafood feast on the beach. For dessert I'd have a wonderful mix of fresh tropical fruit with vanilla bean ice cream.
fangirl at 9:14PM on 03/10/08
pasta with a sauce of diced tomatoes and crumbled hot Italian sausage. I'm not sharing, so I'll be eating alone ;)
billsimoni at 9:16PM on 03/10/08
Filet mignon, mashed potatoes, green beans and end with Key Lime pie at home with my family.
turtle33 at 9:32PM on 03/10/08
I want this to be several years from now, something morbid about not specifying that.
Let's go with Paula Deen. Since I'm dying anyway, I might as well eat one of her artery clogging deep fried catastrophes. I'll share it with Sally Struthers, Ann Wilson (of Heart), Beau Bridges and Delta Burke.
ky2here at 9:33PM on 03/10/08
judging by the batch I made the other night, few things have the rich depth of a nice pot of beef bourguignon :-)
jd7979 at 9:36PM on 03/10/08
A medium-rare ribeye, sauteed mushrooms, a big pile of crisp fries, and a nice green salad. With my husband.
jessie at 9:50PM on 03/10/08
On the beach with a loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou. my beloved husband.
CarolHarrity at 9:58PM on 03/10/08
any place I can spend quality time with my faily is great for me
rosidentevil at 10:29PM on 03/10/08
A few weeks ago, I made what was probably as good a meal as any for a last meal. Homemade baguettes, light and with a chewy crust. Sweet onion jam. Beet salad with toasted almond vinaigrette and dill. Confit goose legs. Braised red cabbage with chestnuts (using goose fat from the confit, of course). And freshly dried local kidney beans, with plenty of thyme (also cooked with goose fat). I ate with my family, in a wonderful atmosphere.
If that had been my final meal, I don't think I could have complained.
Nicholas H at 10:53PM on 03/10/08
Either fugu or In'N'Out.
madball911 at 11:12PM on 03/10/08
Wow, great question. I would have our traditional Thanksgiving meal, to include my whole family, even those that have passed (most importantly my Mom).
pootieposh at 11:45PM on 03/10/08
i'd like to sit outside on the tip of ile st louis, preferably in may, while gazing across the seine at the flying buttresses of notre dame, and eat a ham and cornichon sandwich on baguette with plenty of sweet butter, followed by several scoops of berthillon ice cream with raspberry coulis and creme chantilly, and then a perfect cup of coffee.
nice last request for a jewish girl, huh.
cybercita at 11:56PM on 03/10/08
Full spread korean meal with all the sides. some om-rice, bulgogi (beef and pork) and of course some kimchi. Some grilled hamburgers with all homemade condiments and finally my dad's chocolate cake with homemade vanilla ice cream.
The meal would be outside on my grandfathers mountain with all my family, friends, cooked by me and all the guests.
bobfole at 12:13AM on 03/11/08
1994 Scream Eagle Cabernet (it's my last meal, so let AmEx come after me...) a platter of amazing sushi, duck confit, a "real" caesar salad, pom frites, slow-smoked beef ribs, gellato, and a cheese plate. A great port to finish it off.
cooksultant at 12:29AM on 03/11/08
i've leafed through this book, and I tend to have the same feeling as a lot of these chefs ... simple, pleasurable meals from the past. i think I'd like a juicy steak med rare off the grill with just-picked sweet corn, no salt or butter. we'd be visiting my dad and that is what he'd make on a hot summer day. i'd want my family and closest friends to be there, with the meal in the late afternoon and a soft breeze blowing.
Littlebluesiren at 1:26AM on 03/11/08
my mom's charro beans, red pork tamales, spanish rice, a simple tossed salad, green chile chicken enchiladas, hatch green chile rellenos, tostadas compuestas, chunky guacamole, that salsa my uncle makes with the shrimp & avocado, all the salsas my family makes for that matter, some panicitos, a little herra dura, some bohemia beer...
notchumofo at 1:26AM on 03/11/08
a torta and a tarte tatin
tortor at 1:50AM on 03/11/08
Grandmas crab sauce and pasta (after i played with the crabs still alive in her bathroom tub) my mother and her ten sisters and two brothers and all there families. my brookl;yn sunday of my youth...then dessert wine and pinnochle
Kenzo at 3:46AM on 03/11/08
I'd have Mom's chicken soup, fresh bread, cheese and wine, right here at home with my family.
AsTheNight at 7:08AM on 03/11/08
My dad's prime rib, my mom's raw fried potatoes and some steamed asparagus. For dessert, Mom's cherry squares. We'd eat on the picnic table in the backyard of our old house. Hopefully the lilac tree would be in bloom.
Rottenmom at 8:27AM on 03/11/08
Cheesecake and cinnamon ice cream with Rose McGowan and Christina Ricci.
spanklin at 9:36AM on 03/11/08
Hmm. . . I would eat my favorite Korean foods (sundubu, galbi jim) with my family at home. Home could be any place wherever my family is.
PattyCho at 9:52AM on 03/11/08
Since it's my last meal, death must be imminent, therefore I would eat chocolate in all its intoxicating forms to help ease me over to the other side. I would eat it with every woman I've ever admired from afar, on a secluded beach on the island of St. John.
drmagazine at 9:57AM on 03/11/08
After all these years of watching carbs, calories, and salt & sugar intake, I'd simply sit with my whole family out on the back deck on a fine summer evening and pig-out with honkin' big bowls of ice-cream covered with chocolate sauce and caramel and nuts and berries and bannanas and whipped cream and....!!!!!!
raspberrypicker at 10:00AM on 03/11/08
Hmmm... my meal wouldn't be very cohesive. It would have to include bacon, chicken nachos and chocolate mousse with whipped cream.
Most of all it would have to be eaten with my family and my best friends, MarySue, Katrina and Laura.
jenjw4 at 10:26AM on 03/11/08
My family and I would go to one of the all inclusive resorts in Mexico, and pig out.
idahomom at 10:27AM on 03/11/08
It would have to be a rare porterhouse steak, baked potatoe smothered in real butter and sour cream, and asperagus. Dessert would have to be cheese cake, any style, with cherries. Of course, eaten with my family.
tish123 at 11:12AM on 03/11/08
My dream last supper would be a great aged filet with lobster sitting across the table from Johnny Depp. My real world last supper would be any meal surrounded by friends and family
mkboldin at 11:12AM on 03/11/08
I would want my mom's meatloaf and to eat with my whole family
vmkids at 11:18AM on 03/11/08
My Mom's and Grandma's homemade noodles. I would would want to eat with both of them so we can argue over who made the best noodles.
greenwolf at 11:23AM on 03/11/08
my mom's cheesecake
hedgehog at 11:24AM on 03/11/08
tojo's sushi bar in vancouver, with my mom
kylad at 11:27AM on 03/11/08
Locavore style -- going out to a farm and eating whatever they have freshly harvested or slaughtered that day. Or, going to Maine and eating fresh lobster dipped in garlicky butter sauce with crusty bread.
misch1516 at 11:31AM on 03/11/08
Do you mean what would I eat if it was my last dinner on earth. Probably everything in sight because I would no longer have to worry about gaining weight. But if I knew it was my last day I would be so busy telling my family how much I love them, I would have time to eat
pcbdolphins at 11:39AM on 03/11/08
a big artisanal cheese course with fresh bread, a few cold, dry martinis, and maybe a bit of lobster; with my DH; in S.F., perhaps.
turnipcake at 11:41AM on 03/11/08
stuffed cabbage rolls with my hubby.
dove1960 at 11:43AM on 03/11/08
Chicken fried rice, no wait!. Hot dish (sometimes called goulash (Americanized) by heathens) with a Kosher dill, a warm slice of buttered, fresh baked whole grain bread and a pint of porter. Then I may slump over with a contented smile.
hungrylikethewolf at 12:44PM on 03/11/08
My last meal would be a huge feast, with family and friends and pets. We'd have music, dancing and drinks of all kinds. I'd serve my Mom's chicken and dumplings, flour tortillas just off the comal, carne guisada, refried beans, Spanish rice and barbacoa (preferrably from the little taco shack down the street from my Abuelo's home in San Antonio) with corn tortillas and salsa. I'd beg Rosario's in SA to set up a parrillas table, too, with lengua and sweet breads and tripas.
There would also be a table covered in newspaper with a mound of boiled crawfish, shrimp, corn on the cob and red potatoes, a tribute to my years growing up in Northeast Louisiana. I'd also have Johnny's Sweep the Kitchen pizza and pitchers of coke. Next to that is the table with oysters on the half shell, still kissed by the waters that nurtured them that morning, crackers, hot sauce, lemon and lime wedges.
On the other side of the banquet would be a bun bowl from Pho Grand in St. Louis, the one with grilled pork and chopped egg rolls on top, and a huge platter of spring rolls with fish sauce and peanut sauce. I'd have a dessert table with bunuellos, Mom's pecan pie, creme brulee, chocolate cake and homemade peach ice cream. I'd top it all off at the end of a long day of feasting with a fried egg on toast sandwich with thick sliced bacon, tomato slices and sharp cheddar cheese.
Just because I've never had it, I'd also like to try foi gras before I check out.
socialkim at 12:59PM on 03/11/08
Hmmm.... I'd try to incorporate all my favorites, but it would be tough. I'd start out with an array of yummy cheeses and fresh bread, then have a really good greek salad with lots of olives and feta, then a bowl of pasta with a rich marinara and fresh parm, a plate of of my favourite frites with garlic aioli, finished off with dessert of cheesecake (my husband's mint chocolate version) and decadent ice cream with lots of toppings (such as nuts, hot fudge, dulce de leche etc) and cappuccino. I would eat this with my husband at home, since its my favourite place and my favourite person!
psychsarah at 1:04PM on 03/11/08
I'd take some friends, some great champagne and a really great French pastry chef to the best sushi bar in Kyoto
And ask them to provide some of the best fresh fruit in Japan for dessert
then I would make sure that the very last thing I.d tast would be chocolate, wild strawberries and lots and lots of champagne
gala2 at 1:19PM on 03/11/08
If we're saying anything goes... I think I'd have to take a trip to Rome with my husband and few friends. I'd like a table set up inside the Pantheon so that I could "dine with all the gods". I'd like fried anchovies from L'Angletto (just around the corner). Some bruschetta with goose lard from Armando da Patheon. Some stuffed zucchini flowers from Ditirambo. The olive oil and breads from Myosotis with some of their gnocchi. Saltimboca from L'Angletto. A luscious dessert from Ditirambo, anything will be fine. And wine, wine and more wine...
MargieinDallas at 1:47PM on 03/11/08
If today, then I'd pick deep-fried soft shell crab on the beach in Florida, ice cream in a piaza in Venice, and mussels & frites in Belgium.
pookywookyster at 1:49PM on 03/11/08
Oh my god, so much pizza. And gelato.
surplusj at 1:53PM on 03/11/08
I would have all things potatoes, lasagna, salad and a huge German Chocolate cake. My guests would be George Clooney, President Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Danny diVito to provide some laughs, Bon Jovi to sing my favorite songs and author Gail Fraser who writes one of my favorite book series and I would request the dinner to be at George Clooney's Italian villa.
jenni_purrr at 2:13PM on 03/11/08
I would eat my favorite food - my homemade deep-dish chicken pizza with fresh grated parm and vidalia onions, in my favorite place - my own kitchen, with my favorite guys - my husband and my little guy. Sappy but true. And we would have 3-day chocolate cake for dessert!
nobodyleaveshungry at 2:22PM on 03/11/08
My mom's Korean bean paste tofu soup and a bowl of rice. If I'm feeling bad, it always makes me feel better. I I'm feeling sick, it makes the germs go away.
Even though I can't make it like her, when I feel homesick, I make some and it reminds me of home. I would have it with my family and make sure my dogs are there too, so they can get some rice.
cconaway at 2:33PM on 03/11/08
My last meal would be at "Golden" corral with my family, and I would eat as much of everything I could in the 12 hours that I'm there.
LIDARKSIDE at 2:41PM on 03/11/08
My mom's kimchi jigae, my dad's baked ham, my brother's grilled steaks, my grandmother's fresh baked bread with homemade butter, radishes fresh from the dirt, and some Maldon salt and my aunt's banana grapenut ice cream (cause if it's my last meal, i'm eating dairy - lactose intolerance be damned!). It would all be served outside by the lake house on a table that would be full of homemade banchan.
iluvbacon at 2:56PM on 03/11/08
a chimichanga on an ice floe with Einstein!
stevebillings at 3:04PM on 03/11/08
Paella, with my husband, on the coast of Galicia.
chriswick at 3:05PM on 03/11/08
My last meal would be a big plate of homemade gnocchi with a meat sauce that has spare ribs, meatballs, sausage and braciole in it.
Knight3076 at 3:08PM on 03/11/08
Porterhouse, lobster, fries, and salad.
bojabb at 3:36PM on 03/11/08
Hawaiian pizza, garlic breadsticks, and some cold beer.
bettyjoan at 3:54PM on 03/11/08
with my husband - Prime rib, salad, baked potato (with sour cream), wonderful fresh bread (with butter) and dessert would be fresh picked strawberries and cream
bison61 at 4:21PM on 03/11/08
An In'N'Out burger, a couple pieces of barbeque chicken pizza, and pecan pie with a huge dollop of whipped cream.
abs294 at 4:22PM on 03/11/08
Oysters on the half shell, ceviche, seared tuna, and lots of sushi. On a beach in St. Thomas at sunset with my husband.
watersign at 4:38PM on 03/11/08
Whenever I go out to a restaurant I order the same thing: a burger, med-rare, american cheese with a side of mayonnaise. This is not because I don't like other foods, but because there is just never a time when I don't want a burger.
I'd like to think that I'd request something fancy or indulgent, but all I'd really want was a big juicy burger, charred to perfection with a side of Hellman's.
schwartz at 4:42PM on 03/11/08
chinese food.
mango at 4:49PM on 03/11/08
Where is not important, but a nice seaside patio would be nice.
With whom, my son, boyfriend and extended family.
The meal - medium grilled t-bone steak, lobster with drawn butter for dipping, baked potato with all the toppings, mixed spring green salad and crusty french garlic bread. Dessert, White Chocolate Cheesecake with White Chocolate Brandy Sauce
slcrose at 4:51PM on 03/11/08
Lobster and chocolate! I'd eat it with my fiance. We would eat it on our deck accompanied by our dogs.
timberlea at 5:14PM on 03/11/08
Go to Johnny Carino's restaurant with my husband and have bowtie pasta.
deedleweedle at 5:16PM on 03/11/08
2 double doubles from In'N'Out
thotfulspot at 5:33PM on 03/11/08
Alaskan king crab legs with melted butter.
schnitzel at 5:51PM on 03/11/08
Japanese curry and rice, the way my mom makes it!
abstract_duck at 6:00PM on 03/11/08
General Tso's chicken w/ white rice. Mandarin Kitchen, Elkhart, Indiana. My trusty USAToday.
apgood at 6:12PM on 03/11/08
italian beef with peppers on a italian roll and cheesecake for desert
sandy89 at 6:28PM on 03/11/08
It would have to be mom's cooking with all my family.
mchow at 7:34PM on 03/11/08
Pizza (my all-time favorite) with my husband on our wonderful back porch. Divine.
zekebamm at 7:35PM on 03/11/08
turkey with chestnut stuffing, roasted sweet potatoes, lots of cranberry sauce, and an assortment of pies. I'll skip the leafy greens.
tracker at 7:52PM on 03/11/08
I'd would have dinner with my late wife at our favorite diner.
mousitch at 7:52PM on 03/11/08
Greek Easter soup -- Mayeritsa -- made very traditionally with lamb inaards and spring onions. No dill please! And who would I dine with? My family, of course!
cookbookchick at 7:59PM on 03/11/08
I'm not sure, but it would have to have a poached or fried egg. And lobster. Yea, delicious.
Rocky at 8:30PM on 03/11/08
Bacon Cheeseburger, Eggs Benedict, dry aged Ribeye and rice pudding with lots of whipped cream.
bessfour at 9:11PM on 03/11/08
No question; steamed clams, oysters on the half-shell, prawns sauted in garlic butter, grilled filet of sole, and piece of grilled halibut, steamed, smoked black cod, roasted corn on the cob and boiled new red potatoes with butter and parsley. I'd buck the wine trendies and be drinking a robust red with a very rustic loaf of Italian bread torn randomly and dipped in melted butter and a good olive oil. Dessert would be a fresh, warm blueberry pie with a scoop of truly vanilla ice cream melting over the top. Where, on the beach; eastern shore of Puget Sound looking back at the San Jaun Islands and the Cascade Range. With whom? Family; all are true seafood lovers. Not a faker in the bunch...
czken at 9:23PM on 03/11/08
Jack Salmon on German homemade dark rye slathered in Frischs tarter sauce. Mile high pile of onion straws and buttermilk pie enjoyed with Maggie Smith and Patricia Routledge.
MoninGrammie at 9:23PM on 03/11/08
It would probably have to be, prime rib fixed by my son, Yorkshire pudding from my mom, twice baked potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, and my sister-in-laws cranberry pudding with butter sauce, good wine, coffee, dark chocolate with all my family, even those no longer with us.
windjunkie at 9:49PM on 03/11/08
At first I was thinking our annual Meatfest with all our closest friends where we do nothing but cook great dishes all day and drink root beer...but to be honest....I'd still hands down have my last meal with my family, at our family table in the house that I've grown up in since I was 4, and have traditional Chinese hot pot, the way my mom and I always prepare it. And preferably around the time of Chinese New Year, because then my mom and I usually will have fried some of those sweet/year cakes as well.
uninorth at 10:39PM on 03/11/08
Stuffed shrimp with crabmeat, rice pilaf and peas at home with my dog and cat!
janetfaye at 11:13PM on 03/11/08
blackened potstickers
club chicken tacos
anything with boursin cheese
memphis bbq
beef brisket
a huge, honkin' antipasta platter
tiramisu
kahlua creme brulee
peach macaroon cobble
Graeter's Coconut Almond Fudge ice cream
Erinay77 at 11:23PM on 03/11/08
Lobster with drawn butter, shrimp cocktail, lump crab cakes, caesar salad, freshly picked silver queen corn on the cob, beefsteak tomato slices, crusty bread. Strawberry shortcake and grasshopper pie for dessert. I'm with Bill, my daughters & granddaughter and we're dining onboard our boat on the Chesapeake.
PerkyMac at 11:59PM on 03/11/08
I would have to have a dinner party with my whole family--everyone I grew up with, but only see at Christmas now. Probably need a ton of food, every Korean dish known to Korean-man; all the different versions of fried chicken that I love (Mom's, Ukrop's, mine, Martha's Mahogany Chicken, Lee's and even the Colonel's) with all the sides (potato salad, mac & cheese, buttermilk biscuits, corn on the cob, collard greens, greenbeans, mashed pot with gravy); Thanksgiving turkey dinner with stuffing and gravy and sweet potato and collard greens; seared foie gras; sweet breads; duck confit; clam chowda; dim sum from Mr Pings or Full Kee; panfried dumplings; Mary Angela's steak & cheese combo with everything plus hot pepper rings; a dragon roll; pho; bun; raw oysters and champagne; blintzes with sour cream and caviar; and all the fried softshell crabs and different styles of crab cakes that I can eat before I go into anaphalactic shock!
For dessert: the brownies from elementary school; Sam Irving's Key Lime Pie and her Pecan Tassies and her Hummingbird cake; real strawberry cake; Mom's lemon cake, but it needs to taste like it tasted when I was a kid; a cold glass of milk to wash it all down.
I'd like to taste any year Petrus, 97 Screaming Eagle, any year HauteBrion, '61 ChevalBlanc, d'Yequem, a '62 port. I'd like to taste the Pepsi from when I was 5 or 6 and I'd like to see the grease ring spreading in an arc from whatever was on my lips at that moment. I'd like to taste the coffee I would steal from Grannie's morning coffee as it sat cooling on the kitchen counter.
I'm not really a glutton, ok, maybe I am. I don't think my last meal is possible...it seems I would eat into eternity...
wookie at 1:42AM on 03/12/08
A seafood extravaganza at a Cantonese place in Hong Kong.
winkyj at 2:22AM on 03/12/08
My last meal would be a grandma pie from Albert's pizza in Copiague on Long Island. When I think Of pizza this is what I think of. The first pie I had when I was little so of course everything else is judged against it. I have to drive four hours just to get some good pie
Djmutik at 3:42AM on 03/12/08
A buffet of celebration
Seared foie gras
Cracked crab salad
Steamed lobster
Chateaubriand
Cheese plate
Molten Chocolate cake
Wedge of apple pie ala mode (might as well go out on 2 desserts!)
all paired with wine
The finale - a steaming cup of black coffee
Oenonome at 6:12AM on 03/12/08
Avgolemono soup. Nothing else.
I'd eat my last meal only with my children and we'd discuss how to make the soup. And how they must carry on the tradition of preparing it for friends and loved ones who are sad or under the weather. If I'm about to die, my last meal is a good opportunity to make sure this culinary legacy will live on in my DNA.
Susquehanna at 8:09AM on 03/12/08
Simple sushi preperation. Fresh uni, hotate, saba sashimi, ankimo, salt water eel, otoro, soft shell crab, oyster, aji.
damnlamb at 8:13AM on 03/12/08
Pasta with fresh pesto made with basil from my garden, caprese salad with more basil, really good olive oil, and mozzerella so fresh it's still warm, and a ton of grilled vegetables from my garden (seeing a trend?). For dessert I'd have every flavor of ice cream available, but with extra amounts of Peppermint Stick, my favorite.
aes411 at 8:47AM on 03/12/08
My last meal would be chocolate moose dessert with a glass of milk. Yum!
laur_uic at 10:00AM on 03/12/08
Panini Burger from Bar Toto in Brooklyn, NY with a super-thick chocolate malt.
apisoni at 10:43AM on 03/12/08
a very extreme chocolate dessert!
Emelie at 10:47AM on 03/12/08
First, I'd fly to Germany. Then I'd eat at a little Bavarian restaurant, maybe with a mountain view, and order turkey with spaetzle and chanterelle mushrooms and lots of gravy and probably some green beans, since I've been on that kick for awhile. And dessert - maybe a brownie sundae, which is very American and not German, but one of my favorites.
woodenspoon at 10:48AM on 03/12/08
It would have to be a big slab of prime rib with fresh horseradish, garlic mashed potatoes, pea salad and a chocolate lava cake. :-)
mhazelb at 11:07AM on 03/12/08
Id want a worldwide food tour for my last meal! And Id have it with all of my family and friends!
dansan826 at yahoo
dansan826 at 11:47AM on 03/12/08
My last meal would be comprised of chocolate--every course (all 20 of them) would have to include chocolate. It would be beautiful.
Mareseatoats at 12:19PM on 03/12/08
If I know it's my last meal, something hearty, really flavorful but simple-BBQ, burgers, beer, that sort of thing. If it's a more a leisurely experience, subtler and/or more complex dishes with expertly picked wine pairings would be in order.
iyamapotato at 1:30PM on 03/12/08
My last meal would come from a fabulous rib restaurant nearby. I'd have baby back ribs, a lobster tail with drawn butter, salad with Green Goddess dressing, warm bakery rolls with whipped butter, decadent cheesy potatoes au gratin, spicy cole slaw, and a tin roof sundae for dessert.
elysek at 1:46PM on 03/12/08
Eggplant Parmesan, broccoli with mushrooms and onions, mashed potatoes & gravy, lots of chocolate for dessert.
lisaghenne at 2:13PM on 03/12/08
Kimchee and rice with my husband in Hawaii (where we live).