An interesting chat broke out at my gym a few nights ago based around the question, “Let’s say the world IS ending this Friday the 21st…what is your last meal?”

The answers were varied and ranged from family favorites to lavish desserts, but the one answer that fascinated me was, simply, “rice”.

I thought “rice” was a strange answer to this question, but after I thought about it for a little while, I realized it was quite an amazing answer. 

Rice is a food staple around the world. It is found in many warm, cozy, comforting dishes like risotto, chicken and rice soup, paella, red beans and rice – maybe something your mother or grandmother prepared for you. Rice can be used in cold dishes like salads, sushi, or rice pudding. Rice can be processed to make wines and spirits. Rice is a common thread in folk legends and oral traditions/storytelling in many cultures. Rice is even a precious commodity to certain reality show contestants.

According to Wikipedia:

“Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa (Asian rice) or Oryza glaberrima (African rice). As a cereal grain, it is the most widely consumed staple food for a large part of the world’s human population, especially in Asia and the West Indies.”

The smallest of children eat rice.

The oldest of our respected elders eat rice.

The richest individuals AND the poorest individuals eat rice.

Rice is global. Rice is a connector.

Rice is simple, easy, nourishing, comforting…

…and a fine last meal indeed.