pizzaWhen it came time to compile our culinary bucket list, anything was game, from street meat on the corner to the finest offerings at a four-star restaurant. Our list includes the usual suspects -- caviar, decadent desserts, in-season produce at the peak of freshness -- and some surprises, too. 

If today were your last on this earth, would your tummy be satisfied? Or do you have some eating to do? Without further ado, our list of 50 Things to Eat Before You Die ...

1.    Chicago-style deep dish stuffed pizza with every topping imaginable 

2.    Caviar (local and sustainable, of course!) 

3.    Fried chicken and waffles

4.    Just-picked, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes with fresh basil and mozzarella di bufala on crusty bread.

5.    Perfect scrambled eggs with crème fraiche and chives

6.    French press coffee with real cream

7.    Champagne and strawberries

8.    Steak tartare and fresh arugula with a drizzle of oil

9.    Hot dog from a street cart with all the fixings

10.  Authentic Vietnamese pho soup with beef, rice noodles, sprouts, fresh herbs, and sriracha (perfect for when you're feeling under the weather!)

11.  Spicy tuna sushi roll topped with avocado

12.  Fried soft shell crab

13.  Mayo-rich lobster roll

14.  Baklava (Middle Eastern filo pastry filled with walnuts and honey)

15.  S'mores by the campfire

16.  Churros dipped in melted chocolate

17.  Bagel with cream cheese and lox

18.  Ice-cold sake

19.  Sweet potato fries fried in truffle oil

20.  Anything with truffle salt

21.  Escargot drenched in garlic butter

22.  Beignets right out of the fryer, dusted with powdered sugar

23.  Real strawberry ice cream

24.  Fresh-caught, head-on prawns over homemade pasta (preferably eaten in Italy)

25.  Chocolate-filled croissants with cappuccino on a Sunday morning

26.  Pork belly

27.  Tandoori lobster with garlic-butter naan

28.  Tiramisu

29.  Honeycomb

30.  Kansas City-style BBQ ribs dripping with sauce

31.  Salted caramels

32.  Fried Twinkie

33.  Homemade cannoli filled with ricotta

34.  Nutella-filled crepe with fresh strawberries

35.  Full-fat eggnog dusted with freshly ground nutmeg

36.  Greek yogurt with honey and fresh raspberries

37.  Southern-style shrimp and creamy grits

38.  Mexican grilled corn with lime, crema, and chili powder

39.  Fresh-made guacamole with blue corn tortilla chips

40.  Grilled summer peaches with brown sugar

41.  Fried green tomatoes

42.  Big Mac

43.  Baked Camembert

44.  Homemade gnocchi in tomato cream sauce

45.  Butter lettuce from the farmers' market drizzled with balsamic vinegar and a few drops of really good olive oil

46.  Just-made glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut

47.  Mussels steamed in ale

48.  8-hour (or longer!) braised osso bucco

49.  Duck fat French fries

50.  Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with Gorgonzola


Who's hungry?

Which foods do you think should definitely be included on this list?

 

Image via Maveric2003