Nothing worth eating could ever be described as "to die for." Hell, the best food in the world makes you grin-like-a-fool glad to be alive. Why would you want to die for perfectly seared foie gras? The duck/goose has already done that for you. (Which is why my silly hometown has gone out and banned foie gras in restaurants--because, you know, it's fowl abuse. But isn't cole slaw cabbage abuse?) Example: Stephan Pyles poblano-asiago soup with scallops salpic�n topped with a smoked tomato foam head. I had it in a glass cylinder. I also had it with lobster. The flavors are unimaginably arousing: Smoke, spice, cream, sweet, luxury. Bang out half a dozen of these with different sea specimens in a dinner-service revolver and you'd have a hell of a six-shooter—still more abuse. --Mark Stuertz