Basura: Meditation on last meal while on death row

“We’re all dying, except for the dead.” Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer

A friend posed a question I thought interesting.  “What would you request,” she said, “if you were on death row, and you could have anything for your last meal?”  Her husband answered right away.  “Meatloaf,” he said.  “Mashed potatoes, with lots of butter and salt.  Creamed corn.  And mixing bowl of ice cream.”

She was unsurprised.  For herself, she said, “Just ice cream.  Lots of it.  Different kinds.  Chocolate sauce.”

I spent some time thinking about my responses.  Such a situation would be unique.  Cost wouldn’t be part of the consideration.  Most of us factor in some level or another of health consciousness as we think about eating.  I’ve even heard that some people try to avoid overeating – but that wouldn’t come into play in this imaginary scenario.

I suspect, with reasonable confidence, that Mrs. Basura would opt for steak of some kind; probably a tenderloin filet.  She might want to add a few shrimp, too, or perhaps a lobster tail.  Key lime pie might well be her finishing touch.

Since I’m the one at the computer, I’ll throw out some ideas that came to me.  I’d start with gazpacho.  It’s a cold, vegetable soup, with ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic, olive oil and vinegar, and served with croutons.

Then I’d want some walleye.  Yes, fried is just fine (you can call it sautéed if you want; I think sautéed is merely a fancy-schmancy way of saying fried.  Perhaps sautéed means lightly fried, with supposed healthful advantages.   I wouldn’t care either way).

Follow that with some pulled pork, served with Carolina style BBQ sauce, both kinds, the mustardy and the vinegary, served on either side of the pork, and supplemented by the traditional plastic squirt bottles of the sauces.

Unlike the guy who likes the meatloaf, I do like vegetables.  I like asparagus, and I like broccoli.  We eat those items often.  And I’d want them for the big send-off meal.

My starch selection would have to be corn on the cob, buttered and salted.

Somewhere in the proceedings, let’s have some berries.  Blackberries, raspberries, Michigan strawberries.

I’d want some blue cheese, and some Swiss cheese (perhaps fondue) and some sharp cheddar.

Am I still hungry for dessert?  No.  Of course not.  But maybe a chocolate brownie, in a bowl with mint chocolate chip ice cream, and some of the dark chocolate sauce on top.  Slathered on top.

But enough of this fantasy.  Now it’s time for me to put dinner together (a rare respite for Mrs. B).  Should I have written this while hungry?  Maybe not.  But loyal readers, rest assured if you’re concerned about my health.  Dinner tonight will be at least OK, and I’ll likely to make it to, and even through, tomorrow.

Readers are invited to kick in with their own ideas on the subject, with a full menu, or just a specific choice of a yearned for indulgence.