Monday, July 26, 2010

The Game -- The Last Supper

You know the premise -- you have one day left to live and you can eat anything you want for your last meal. There's even a book where famous chefs tell their dream final meal, usually something simple that Mama used to make.

I want to change the premise slightly. Just suppose that you know that next Monday you'll have an operation that will relieve your symptoms and probably extend your life. The downside is that after it you won't be able to eat anything that isn't liquid or pureed.

What would you eat during these few days? To make it easy for you, in the game you'll be able to digest anything up until the operation. After it, your nourishment will be taken care of through a tube into your intestine.

I've been making a list. Some things, like hot buttered popcorn, aren't possible right now. Others, like crispy fried chicken, I haven't eaten or wanted to eat for years anyhow, but there are still a lot of foods I'll either cram into the rest of this week or dream about:
  • fried oysters
  • a BLT with tomato fresh from the garden
  • anything with beans, maybe especially Gallo Pinto (a Costa Rican dish of rice and beans)
  • any cake or pie made by my son-in-law Rob
  • a portobello burger with barbecue sauce and blue cheese
  • a grilled vegetable salad, veggies from our garden
  • bruschetta
  • an old-fashioned toasted cheese sandwich
  • samosas, because we had them at our wedding
  • beerbutt chicken with lots of garlic
  • souvlakia with my special sauce
Well, you get the idea. What I'd like from you is more suggestions, because I'm sure I've forgotten some of my favorites, and I'd love to hear yours. I'm throwing it out to you -- what would you like best?

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

cheese pizza from Eddie's Pizzeria, Northport NY circa 1960's
big green salad with lots of fresh herbs (i.e. dill, basil) from Rosaly's
Garden, Peterborough NH
black raspberry ice cream on a sugar cone
grilled salmon
halibut salad sandwich, prepared by my aunt and eaten on the shores of
the Homer Alaska "spit"
linguine with red clam sauce at Terra Nova, Litchfield NH circa 1980's
oatmeal raisin cookies with walnuts (must be crisp and spicy)
fresh macoun apples from Norway Hill Orchard, Hancock NH
pecan pie made by my mother
ice tea brewed from scratch by my maternal grandmother

Sandy said...

Lucie, You seem to have omitted all things chocolate. I would add hot chocolate with Mexican chocolate. Sandy

Unknown said...

Could I eat at your house this week? Those sound great! I'd add strawberries dipped in sour cream and brown sugar, creme brulee, and my mother's home-made tomato soup. Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

1). my grandmother's hamburg egg patties (think meatloaf with raisins prepared like a monte cristo), really good bread & olive oil, spaghetti & sauce
2). doug's dogs. dang dey're delish. with chips.
3). fried clams
4). mac & cheese; fresh chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

This list could get really long, actually. Oh, SUSHI.

You'll have to report back to us and let us know what you end up having this week! love to you both...

Anya said...

Anthropology chicken. Glop, any kind. Jerry's latkes.

Anonymous said...

I would have:

a huge slice of pumpkin pie
meatloaf
scalloped potatoes
Nana's sugar cookies (they're these doughy, cakey, bricks of cookies that we used to make every Christmas. Then my mom died and my dad didn't have the recipe. Well, I DO! and I have a kid now, so I'm going to start making them every year again)
every single fruit and every single vegetable

Anonymous said...

I'd probably have some wine and a piece of cheesecake with coffee.

Roger Ebert has written a couple of blog posts about his life without food or speech. His post on January 6, 2010, "Nil by Mouth," describes his thoughts and feelings about not being able to eat food. He writes about his food cravings and food memories, but concludes that what he misses most is the loss of dining (and the company and conversation that accompany it), not the loss of food.

I've been following your blog for quite a long time, and I've enjoyed your writings. I hope your procedure goes well.

Unknown said...

Bob says blueberry pancakes with icecream on top.
I'd go with warm fresh bread. Or naan with seasoned olive oil to dip it in.
Apple crisp.

Anonymous said...

your Liberian gingerbread, even with bananas instead of plantains
saganaki and fried pita. A lot
apple bavarian torte
black cherry ice cream
elisabeth's chocolate tart
steve's watermelon soup
mango lattes
jerry's beer chicken, partly burnt
in your company

Katie :o) said...

How creative can those liquids and purees be after Monday? Bet you could get in some great bean dishes :o) Yummy soups!

Unknown said...

Sushi, definitely.
Lobster with butter.
Banana pudding encircled with Nilla Wafers.
Ben & Jerry's coffee Heath bar crunch.
Peking duck.
A perfect artichoke, perfect asparagus, perfect avocado, and a perfect peach.

Cristina Alvarez said...

How about Paella, Tortilla de patatas (spanish omelette) and a Gazpacho? Un beso Cristina

Unknown said...

Grilled swordfish or grilled salmon, served with new red potatoes and Kristina's sauce of 1/2 sour cream, 1/2 mayo and LOTS of dill.
Honeycrisp apples.
Blueberries and/or raspberries with half-and-half.
Perfect cherries, chopped and covered with a mixture of melted dark chocolate and a touch of half-and-half.
Sushi! Sake (salmon) for me; what's your favorite?
Aslam's gazpacho.
Aslam's Tuscan bean soup: cannelini + sauteed tomatoes & onions & black pepper/ oregano/ salt/ rosemary + bouillon cube + a touch of milk. Puree everything and serve with a dab of butter melting on top.
Aslam's rosemary beef -- in strips, marinated and grilled.
Mom's chicken and pears.
Ben & Jerry's mandarin chocolate orange ice cream, circa 1984, on a sugar cone.
Ben & Jerry's raspberry and Oreo ice creams (a small scoop of each), on a wafer cone and chocolate-dipped.
With your bruschetta, mix and match: prosciutto and very aged gouda, both sliced as thin as possible; also, avocado.
Aslam's guacamole.
Aslam's masoor dal, with chapati.
Margaret Mecham's sugar cookies, cut out with Zane and frosted with her special buttercream frosting. (I'm going to start making these every year, too -- thanks, Rach.)
--Jennifer Mukhtiar (nee Miller: Jan's daughter)

Margaret said...

I'm with those who mentioned chocolate:
-Chocolate cake with chocolate icing, chocolate cupcakes or just plain chocolate bars with hazelnuts.
-Ice cream: good choice, too.
-One of my favorite main courses in summer is spaghetti topped by a sauce made with fresh tomatoes, basil (both from the garden) and garlic (you could add arugula for extra flavor). So easy, so good.
-That reminds me: pesto made with arugula instead of basil is also yummy.
-Blueberries and raspberries, also for their content of anthocyanins and antioxidants.
Hmmm, from the looks of it, you will need a few months to get through this list!
All my best,
Margaret in Florence, Italy

grandma B said...

No body has mentioned a "corn bust" ! This is our families favorite meal. All you need is Utah corn (picked at it young perfection) slathered with butter of course and any yummy taste from freshly squeezed lemon to just plain old salt and pepper. Throw in some Utah tomatoes eaten warm from the garden and you have Heaven!

Unknown said...

I would like some thai food.
Green curry with chicken.
Prime rib dinner.
KFC (sorry Lucie)

Cybèle said...

Dutch pea soup (even though last time I had it, it gave me food poisoning - my own mistake!)
Lemon flan
Fish pie with haddock and prawns and eggs.

good luck for next Monday Lucie, will be thinking of you.

feresaknit said...

I'm a bit late to the feast but I'd choose

A traditional sunday roast -

Roast beef or lamb (what do I mean or it should be AND)
Jersey royal new potatoes
Dark green cabbage
Roasted potatoes
Yorkshire pudding
Gravy made with the meat juices
A little bit of mustard AND homemade mint sauce
Thinly sliced onions in white vinegar

Homegrown tomatoes

Baked cheesecake

Homemade custard

Midget gems

Have a wonderful weekend! :D

feresaknit said...

OMG - don't tell anyone I forgot a fundamental food

My Auntie En's parkin

How gorgeous this is is beyond words - If I don't think someone will truly savour it they don't get any - my mother in law has never had a sniff of it! ;D