Week before last, TOP CHEF had a challenge that involved cooking the “last supper” of a group of individual famous chefs. Fascinating idea. Someone then asked me on Twitter what my last supper would be and I popped off with “a southern breakfast.”
It’s not an easy challenge. I’m still running through the possibilities. I don’t think it would be something rich and gourmet (neither were most of the chef’s choices–they tended to want their childhood favorites). I might want macaroni and cheese and whole grain rolls. Or chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and banana pudding. (Hmm. I think that might be it).
What would you choose? I’ll draw a name from the replies and send you a copy of the Australian edition of THE LOST RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS, just because it’s a little different. Autographed, of course.
A last meal…the very last.
Have to confess, I’ve been watching “Top Chef” and I love it. My emergent favorite has become Karla, who I wasn’t sure about at the beginning, but as time went on, I simply began to adore her. Couldn’t help it. There is something about that tall, buggy-eyed lovable wonder that I just love.
I think Stefan’s amazing – a chef with an attitude – love Hosea and how couldn’t you, and I was really sad when Fabio had to leave but still, my girl is that girl, Karla.
I’m not a big steak person. Steak is okay but, well, you know, if the cut is off or it’s not cooked properly, it can be pretty nondescript. I don’t jump up and down for the steak and baked potato meal.
Love breakfast. Love it, love it, love all of it and maybe a blueberry pancake, bacon and scrambled eggs meal would be the ticket. Or a baked omelette…wow. Last meals are hard.
But, if I had one meal, only one left in the world, and I had to choose, I believe I would choose a roast chicken, stuffed with lemon, thyme and rosemary and seasoned with kosher salt and pepper. Along side, potatoes, roasted in chicken stock and herbs and a beautiful spinach salad and something really decadent and chocolate for dessert.
That might be the one. Yes, I think that is it.
That sounds beautiful, Yvonne.
Hmm all of this doesn’t go together, but I don’t think I’d be too fussed about a perfectly blended meal if it was going to be my last.
The elements would be the macaroni and baked beans my mom makes, along with her fabulous rice pudding later. A long, tall glass of mint iced tea. Either this dish of red kidney beans (called rajma in Hindi) made in the typical North Indian style, or a highly seasoned and spiced dish of chick peas – with rice. Ooh, or steamed rice pancakes with a coconut and vegetable stew. Or maybe a selection from the street food you get in Delhi. And (not or) blueberry cheesecake from one of my favourite restaurants here. Finally, a cup of freshly ground monsoon malabar coffee.
That’s a hell of lot of food/drink; and this is an edited, not to mention incredibly indecisive, list.
P.S. I’m vegetarian.
My last meal would be my Mom’s rotini and meatballs. I just can’t seem to make it taste like hers. AND DiCarlo’s Pizza, which is crazy good. For desert homemade german chocolate cake. Mmmmmm!
Tapsi, your list made me want to send Anthony Bourdain to you and have him do a show with you leading. I’m learning more vegetarian dishes.
Oh, Peggy, I forgot about German chocolate cake!
My father’s fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. My mother’s cornbread, with butter. Sweet iced tea. Banana pudding and strong black coffee.
Good bye sweet world!
I’d love to have a steak with a baked potatoe covered in sour cream and butter. With a caesar salad and for dessert a piece of peach cobbler with whipped cream on top!
This is very difficult. I have a few meals that are favorites and it was hard to decide. However, what made my decision was this – I was born into this world a Greek and I’ll leave it Greek. So, this would be my last meal:
Avgolemono soup (creamy egg lemon soup) with tzatziki dip and pita bread
Spanakopita (spinach and feta in filo dough) in lieu of a salad
Pastitsio (basically a Greek lasagna, but the ground beef has cinnamon in it – yummy!)
Coconut cake with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge over it all (Not Greek, but can’t pass this up and I like it better than baklava. I’d have to have chocolate at the end.)
*grin* I wouldn’t mind Anthony Bourdain at my last meal either.
Tony, oh yes. Sweet tea. There are just some things that are meant to be done a certain way.
Teresa, mmm. Peach cobbler. I’m surprised yours is the first steak.
RE: Bourdain. You and me both, girl. He did a show last night on New York corners that made me want to hop on a plane and go eat.
Barb, I *love* spanokopita. It’s such a comforting food.
I thought the same thing – how do you choose a last supper? Most of my food cravings have a lot to do with moods or what I haven’t had in a long time. And if it was my last supper, that would be the one time I wouldn’t be able to eat a bite. 🙂
So I may have to say anything prepared by Bobby Flay or Andrew Sutton. I love to be surprised by food.
Meatloaf, my own recipe, mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, fresh garden peas w/ butter, yeast rolls, again with lots of butter, peach cobbler and homemade ice cream (vanilla), sweet tea with lemon. As a second dessert, my friend Mary Ann’s coconut cream pie (she puts coconut milk in it!). As another dessert, maybe See’s candy chocolate truffles. Can’t have just one dessert!
I think my last supper would be all about junk food because my diet has been so limited and boring for years. None of this kind of food in it.
So I would stuff myself on gourmet pizzas, Lays potato chips and Fritos, crab dip, every kind of chocolate food immaginable, gelato, pies and cookies galore, and thick, rich chocolate milk. And creamy eggnog (non-alcoholic).
Ironic, but I was going to post this question on Facebook or Twitter at some point, just to quirk things up a little. 😉 I love Top Chef, and I loved that particular episode. It’s impossible not to feel hungry while watching that show.
My son said something wise at the dinner table last night when we were discussing favorite foods. “No one has a favorite food, really, because it depends on your mood.”
I think I’d like tapas with bold flavors and sauces, reflecting lots of different cuisines, followed by a bowl of rich chocolate gelato.
I enjoyed that Top Chef challenge. I thought it was one of their better ideas. My choice would be a traditional Thanksgiving meal with roast turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy.
It is hard to decide what it would be, and there are no wrong answers, are there. It’s all great stuff.
Therese, great minds think alike!