# Desert island food **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 27, 2003, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563 "2003-11-27T11:27:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563/1 "2003-11-27T11:27:10Z")
If you were marooned on a desert island for twenty years, and there were a miraculously unlimited supply of a single, freshly-prepared foodstuff or dish, on which you had to dine for the rest of your time on the island, what would you choose to eat? Please also explain why. For me, it would be _heung so ngaap_ (crispy aromatic duck). I pick this firstly because it’s unbelievably tasty, but also because it covers so many different flavours - the duck is savoury and salty, the plum sauce is sweet and fruity, the scallions and cucumber are fresh and crisp, and the pancake is floury and soothing. In fact, I think I could eat this for the rest of my life anyway, breakfast lunch and dinner. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563/2 "2003-11-27T11:46:39Z")
Hmm, my choice would probably be different tomorrow, but at the moment I would probably choose Thai minced chicken with red/green chilis, garlic and basil (I forgot the Thai name) with some tom yam soup on the side (if that’s not cheating). I love spicy food, this dish combines that with other great flavours; the sweetish smell that’s emitted from the basil, the garlicy taste… mm… There had better be extra supply of toilet rolls, though. ---
**Author:** ![Chavardz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Chavardz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chavardz)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563/3 "2003-11-27T11:50:02Z")
How about a power boat made of cheese puffs (those things are indestructible anyway) Seriously, I’d take tacos. There are so many varieties (I’m talking about the mexican kind, not those horrible things taco bell sells). They’re already a basic staple of mine, so I don’t think there’d be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563/4 "2003-11-27T15:51:06Z")
How deserted? Something in wooden crates, cans preferably. Chili would be a good staple, or vegetable beef soup. Build a raft out of the crates, and take some cans for the trip. What can I use for a sail? How about two liter bottles and candlelight? I could make a sail out of plastic by melting them together. Or, Medeterranian diet. Whatever. Greek salad with anchovies would beat starving, and be fairly balanced. I’d be sick of whatever by day 2. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563/5 "2003-11-27T15:53:13Z")
Well, “miraculous” and “freshly-prepared” - the food would just materialize in front of you, say. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563/6 "2003-11-27T17:56:27Z")
Paella wouldn’t be bad, as long as it was proper Valencian paella and I got an endless supply of lemons to go with it. It might even constitute a sort-of-balanced diet. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563/7 "2003-11-28T09:21:00Z")
I’ve thought long and hard about this one. I originally thought that a full English would hit the spot - good pork sausages, smoked crispy bacon, couple of fried eggs, mushrooms, baked beans and fried bread. Delicious, and the cholesterol would kill me off fairly quickly, and put an end to the mind-numbing boredom and soul-destroying loneliness. But then I realised that, even with the addition of a fried tomato, I’d probably end up with scurvy, which wouldn’t be very nice. So I’ve decided instead to go for a nice chicken Caeser salad. Much more nutricious, and contains most of the vital food groups. I can’t believe I’ve put so much thought into this. I need to get out more… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563/8 "2003-11-28T12:03:51Z")
Coconuts; I’d take coconuts, man! Imagine being stuck on a desert island without the possibility of ever tasting a coconut again. Seriously though, I’d take oak-smoked mackerel, granary bread, butter and strong horseradish sauce. Simple, but something I don’t get tired of. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/desert-island-food/215563/9 "2003-11-28T22:05:23Z")
Rice krispies and 1% milk with a side of Dairy Ease pills. I’ve been known to eat a whole box of Rice Krispies in one sitting. Absolutely love them. Only setback is that I’m lactose intolerant so it might get a little uncomfortable without the dairy ease.