People associate food not only with flavor, but with the experiences that also accompany it.
I may not be a connoisseur of fine dining, but my palate knows enough when something is absolutely delicious.
When food nails it, it can be a major aphrodisiac.
If you take me on a date to the Cheesecake Factory and feed me a whole Dulce De Leche Caramel Cheesecake, I'm all yours.
While desserts are my inherent weakness, I must admit that there is something else that tops even the sweetest baked good I've ever had. It was salmon.
A few years ago, I went to a salmon bake on an isolated location near Juneau, Alaska, where I had the best salmon ever. Hands down.
My friends and I gathered at a lodge where we all gorged on all the fixings along with the main event – a melt-in-your-mouth glazed piece of salmon – that was prepared on their massive backyard grill with a view of the majestic Taku Glacier as a backdrop.
It was so good, grizzly bears were known to gather at the grill long after the guests have started feasting indoors.
The salmon was exceptional, but the experience of being immersed in nature with a very limited amount of people somehow made the feast more delectable.
Now that my mouth is watering again, let's turn to you.
Redditor sungoldd wanted to know about other people's experience with food and asked:
"What was THE MOST delicious food you've eaten in your life?"
Roadside BBQ
"Pulled pork sandwiches from these 2 old dudes who would park their smoker on the side of the road. They were retired and cooked for fun so they didn't have a set schedule. They'd just get bored some days and start cooking. I've yet to find any better bbq."
Nothing Beats "Grandpa's"
"I only eat barbeque from old black dudes. Grew up in Tennessee and learned very quickly that old black men are master chefs for barbeque."
"It's not even close."
"One place, called Grandpa's, would even do barbeque turkey sandwiches. Jesus Christ I've looked my whole life for something that good ever since."
Iberico Ham
"This particular version of Iberico Ham when I was in Spain. Straight up just melted in my mouth without chewing."
Thailand Dream
"Once in Thailand (Koh tao) with some friends, we asked some fisherman to join their boat, they let us. Even had rods and everything."
"They said we could have the fish we'd catch."
"After some red and yellow snappers and 2 eels, we got a biggggg fish (about 1 meter long,groundtype, don't know the name unfortunately). After a whole day we got back into the harbor, we said that they could keep all the fish except for the big one. (We also left cash for their effort that day)"
"So we walked extremely excited to the city center to ask if anyone could prepare us that fish.
Almost the 1st restaurant we asked said it was no problem.
We said: Prepare it as you would like to eat this fish.
We sat down and the fish came in 3 different styles.
Im not a big fish eater but boy o boy that was the best damn fish I ever had in my life."
"We left a lot of cash at the restaurant for their effort as well."
"That was my most impressive meal ever, not only the taste but that whole day was glorious, and the best island experience I've had."
No Other Frybread Comes Close
"I'm Native and I have to say hands down my great grandmas frybread. To this day almost 30 years after her death I have found no frybread that even comes close."
"Thanks for all the up votes. I know my great grandmother is beaming right now. She was 108 when she passed away so she had many many years to perfect her frybread."
The Freshest Catch
"I was camping on the Cabot Trail, a long long time ago."
"We saw this out of nowhere seafood 'shack.' So I ordered a lobster roll, guy comes back and tells me 'I can't believe it, we actually don't have anything fresh, if you're not in a hurry you can wait we should have some in a bit.'"
"We weren't in a hurry, we just sat and had a few drinks and some appetizers."
"I don't know if he actually went out and collected some from traps, or if there was just a truck coming in or something with it."
"But what I had was this glorious meal with the juiciest lobster literally spilling out of the bun onto the plate that melted in my mouth."
And Speaking Of Lobster
"The first real date with Kay, we had a picnic where I made gazpacho, lobster salad on a roll, and champagne. That clinched the deal. We were married for nearly 25 years before she died."
"Edit: After the picnic, we were driving back to work and she asked if I had a toothpick. I gave her the one from my Swiss Army knife. She picked the lobster flesh from her teeth, then tossed the toothpick out the car window. I married her anyway."
Thanksgiving Sandwich
"I lived in Orlando, Florida and there's a place near downtown called Pom Poms. They mostly make specialty sandwiches which are all made from super fresh ingredients."
"They have a sandwich called the 'Mama Ling Lings Thanksgiving.' It's: Turkey, Gouda, Stuffing, Ginger Cranberry Chutney, Mashed Potatoes, Cream Cheese with a side of Gravy."
"It is the best sandwich I have ever eaten. It tastes like the best Thanksgiving dinner you've ever eaten."
"Check the place out if you're ever in Orlando: https://pompomsteahouse.com/menu/pressed-sandwiches/"
Peachy Keen
"A peach. Picked off a tree at a friend's house, still warm from the sun. I have never tasted something so gloriously delicious before or since. Juice running down my hands, the epitome of peachness."
Nothing Can ComPEAR
"Went on a Baltic cruise a couple years ago - and on a stop in St. Petersburg, we went to this restaurant/live Russian folk music spot."
"For dessert, we were served a baked pear. I'm not even sure I'd eaten any pear in my life let alone a baked one. I can't remember what was on the pear if anything. Everyone at the table was just in awe at how delicious they were. Will never forget."
– masu94
First Meal With Dad
"4 years ago I was in Florida with my family. It was my 1st time meeting my father. I was 40 at the time. I got a bowl of seafood mac and cheese with crab, scallops, shrimp and some kind of fish in it. The restaurant was on a river with manatees in it. Eating a meal with your dad for the 1st time is delicious on a whole new level. But the meal itself...still totally killer."
Burnt To Perfection
"The day I first saw Star Wars back in 1977. I was twelve and spent the day with my new step-brothers. After the movie we went to a restaurant on the Tacoma waterfront called Clinkerdagger, Bickerstaff & Petts. It wasn't so much the dinner (it was good) but the dessert was Burnt Custard (Creme Brulee). My God, it was good I still remember it 43 years later. No other Creme Brulee has come close."
Peaches Are Sensual
"Peach bread pudding at Tartine in San Francisco."
"My husband and I were there visiting friends 4 years ago, heard Tartine was good and stopped in to sample some of their pastries. I don't even have much of a sweet tooth but my husband said he'd never had bread pudding, so I ordered us a slice."
"I took one bite, and my eyes rolled back in my head. It was a completely involuntary action. The bread pudding and peaches hit my mouth and my body had never experienced anything that good before. My husband still talks about that bread pudding and how it f'ked his wife right in front of his face."
Authentic Sushi
"I had sushi in Japan at a small but amazing sushi bar. There is a whole art and etiquette involved in making, serving and eating really good sushi that I never appreciated until then. Nothing else has ever compared."