Looking at the last meals of death row prisoners can be a fascinating exercise. With that in mind, I thought I’d put together my own final feast. I didn’t want to make it an open-ended buffet, so I limited how many items I could pick in each category. After many hours of agonizing over the options, here’s what the Sip Advisor would prefer to be munching if my ultimate indulgence was due:

Mains (3):

I decided to break this down into three categories, each one satisfying an entrée I particularly enjoy. First, in the Asian food phylum, I went with a poke bowl over items such as chow mein or fried rice with any number of proteins. I find the ingredients of a Poke Bowl to be so fresh and satisfying. Like I’m eating well for a rare occasion. Speaking of proteins, it’s a tough decision to select what would be the feature of my bowl, but I think I’d have to go with salmon over tuna. Second, I needed to have some sort of sandwich, opting for a club sandwich (fried chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato), complete with pickles. The sandwich narrowly beat out selecting a burger. Third, a true top dish needed to be picked and I went with lobster tails. I’m not sure there’s a more decadent dish on earth than buttered lobby!

Sides (4):

This was the most difficult category to figure out. Some of the indecision came from figuring out what exactly qualified as a “side”, as well as enjoying many accompaniment dishes. My criteria for being a side was whether the dish generally appears on the starter or appetizer section of menus. I also used this category to make amends for some of the items that got squeezed out of the mains group. Curly fries poutine and Caesar salad were no brainers, followed by sliders to make up for my neglect of burgers above. The final addition I’d make is gyoza, which have become a favourite appy dish of mine in recent years. Missing the cut was chicken strips, as despite being an all-time favourite starter of mine, I’d get the crispy chicken portion settled in my club sandwich.

Snacks (2):

Truth be told, I created this category so I could slip a couple more side dishes into the meal! My 40^th birthday party was potato chip themed, so you better believe they would play some role in my last meal. If I had to narrow down which flavours I could have, that would be a tough choice, but I’d be happy with a mix including Pink Himalayan Salt, All Dressed, Sour Cream & Onion and Barbecue being among the chosen options. One final note on the chips, they must all be ripple/ridge/wavy or I would send them back! I’d also like to have a bowl of Trail Mix on hand, comprised of Smarties/M&Ms, peanuts and cashews. I guess you can throw some raisins in the mix, but not nearly as much as companies overfill their bags with.

Desserts (3):

The Sip Advisor loves completing any meal with something sweet. My first choice would be some Chocolate Chip Cookies, preferably made by Ma Sip, who has been providing me with amazing baked goods since I was a wee little sipper. Next up would be something I’ve only been introduced to in recent years, Chocolate Babka. Lastly, I’d want some sort of chocolate bar, but narrowing which one down is incredibly difficult. Among my all-time favourites are Snickers, Twix, Wunderbar, Peanut Butter Oh Henry, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Let’s take all those preferred choices and melt them into one super bar! A couple European faves, Black Forest Cake and Raspberry Danish, fall just outside being selected.

Beverages (2):

This was perhaps the easiest category, as I don’t regularly drink a large variety of things. Therefore, my first pick would be my favourite simple cocktail, the one I’m synonymous with and drink regularly with friends/family, Spiced Rum and Dr. Pepper (aka The Sip). My second choice would be an easy drinking Amber Ale, which pairs perfectly with a number of the food items I’ve curated. Narrowly missing the cut is plain ol’ water, which as much as I love, isn’t what I’d want to go out sipping.

Sauce/Dips (Unlimited):

I’m a big sauce/dip guy and I feel like this is the one category where infinite selections is okay. A few I’d definitely want on my palette include Ranch, Honey Mustard, Hotiyaki (mix of hot sauce and teriyaki), Sesame-Soy, Truffle Aioli, and Honey Garlic.

Cocktail Corner: The Last Sip

• 1.5 oz Spiced Rum
• 1 oz Root Beer Schnapps
• Top with Lemon-Lime Soda
• Splash of Honey-Yuzu Lemonade
• Garnish with a Lime Wedge

Where the hell I would put all this food, given I typically eat half of my meals and save the other half for the following day, is anyone’s guess. My stomach would just have to find the space. The interesting thing about this Sip Advisor original recipe is that the inclusion of Root Beer Schnapps is an homage to the first soda I ever enjoyed. The rest of the ingredients are adult favourites of mine, making for an all-encompassing Sip Advisor experience!