Uberfluff

Last night's episode of Top Chef featured a pretty interesting challenge, where the contestants were charged with making the preferred last meal of some very famous superstar chefs (like Jacques Pepin, Wiley Dufresne, Lidia Bastianich, etc.)  Almost without exception, the last meal picks were simple (if artful) dishes like roast chicken, eggs benedict, or shrimp scampi.  And two of the chefs (Pepin and Marcus Samuelsson) picked last meals that hearkened back to childhood memories.  (Pepin chose the roast squab and peas that were part of the celebratory meals of his youth, while Samuelsson chose the salmon, potatoes, and spinach that defined his childhood in Sweden.)

The interesting thing about it to me is how the last meal choices are both surprising and common sense at the same time.  If you don't give the question much thought, you might think that the last meal choice of a foodie would be about the most decadent fine cuisine available.  But I'm not sure that's what any of us really want in a last meal.  I think it comes down to emotion, nostalgia, and comfort--that's why so many of the choices in the Top Chef episode evoked childhood meals.  And I would probably go the same way myself.  Though it's not my #1 favorite food, my last meal would be adobo the way my mom makes it.  (Pork, really crispy and garlicky, not at all soupy.  With white rice and maybe some spinach on the side.)  There may be other dishes that I would want for special occasions or as dining experiences, but nothing speaks more to me about home and comfort than adobo.  (And I don't really like Filipino food all that much--this is more or less the only exception, and I don't even get to  make it very often because it makes the house reek of vinegar and garlic.)

So, what would you pick for your last meal?

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