Knowledge Base > Barton Seaver - How To Plan the Perfect Picnic

How To Plan the Perfect Picnic

Barton Seaver - How To Plan the Perfect Picnic

This event was on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 at 11:00 am Pacific, 2:00 pm Eastern

Join us for a live event that’s sure to make your taste buds sing – it’s a picnic party like no other! Don’t forget to bring your appetite, your sense of humor, and your best checker… Read More.

Recorded

Question:

Do you have a trick to make spring rolls ahead of time so they don't end up rubbery?

— Star Pelsue

Answer:

Well in advance of this, uh, started, we read that question and my colleague Katie, my business partner, uh, is also my eldest godmother and just an incredible human being. Hey Katie, hope you're listening cuz you really are awesome and you make our world better in our lives possible. Uh, Katie was saying that when she ran catering for the preeminent chef, Jose Andres, uh, when they ever did, uh, catering with those rolls, they would, they would make them ahead of time, not too far ahead of time, but then wrap them in moist paper towels, uh, to just keep that moisture there. It can't be too moist less the, the rice paper absorb too much and disintegrate. It can't be too little less, they become rubbery. But also, you know, I think that they can be a little rubber. You don't wanna be too much, but you're outside the environment sort of begs for a little bit of leeway and forgiveness on slight flaws, uh, in food. I wouldn't even call them flaws, but just sort of, it, this wouldn't be the optimal way to serve them inside in the kitchen when you could just make them fresh. So there's that. So I wouldn't call 'em flaws, but it, you know, being outside sort of begs a little bit of that leeway and forgiveness for you to do that. So just a little bit of that rubbery CREs. Fine. Great. So long as there's something inside, you know, crisp cucumbers, nice shredded julienne, carrots, uh, bok choy, you know, uh, hama, whatever it is, something in there to, to add that counterpoint to that slight rubberiness to it, um, is perfect. And then there's also the, Hey, why don't you just make 'em there? Okay. Uh, you can certainly do that if you can find some fresh water to bring and, you know, just a plate to dump a bottle of water onto. And there you go. And hey, that's kind of fun and people can do it themselves. And it becomes kind of a make your own station. Don't complicate it unnecessarily. You probably don't want to do this at the beach. Just say, um, so there you go.
Barton Seaver

Barton Seaver

Chef, Educator, Author

bartonseaver.com