Spring Forward

This is what always happens. I get home from work and, before my coat is even off, I'm in motion, attempting to put together some semblance of a meal. Why the urgency? Not sure exactly, but it somehow feels like the exact opposite of what I have been doing all day, and that is a relief.

Anyway, sometimes I am feeling hot-meal-elaborate, and I have no problem with the idea of standing over a hot range for hours on end. Other times, I feel like the very last thing I could POSSIBLY think of doing is something that involves heat. I know, I know -- it's the dead of winter, and heat should be a good thing, but, well, not last night. Cold meal to the rescue! (It seems so much less appetizing to call it "raw.")

It's been warm-ish here (meaning, um, like 30 degrees instead of 4 degrees) and, suddenly, my body has decided that it's spring. I can only imagine my discouraged, frowning brain on the day that the "real" winter temperatures decide to come back. Alas! Until then, though, it's spring, which means real vegetables, not frozen ones, and crunchy, earthy things. Considering, of course, that it is still winter after all, I did the best that I could. Spring rolls! Blood orange cocktails! Off we go!


Perfect blood oranges are a dime a dozen these days, which is just great news for this drink. One orange, maybe two, plus vodka. We're partial to Svedka these days, although the Christmas vodka has been delicious (thanks, Mom and Dad!) -- but any kind will do. Some simple syrup is next. Ginger-infused simple syrup is DELICIOUS in this drink. If you happen to have some laying around, you are very lucky. I however, did not. I had moldy simple syrup (mmmm!) in the fridge, so we used powdered sugar instead. Ice down your glass! Shake it all up and pour it down your throat right away! Drink as many as you can, but for god's sake, keep yourself under control. You have spring rolls to make!


I only had the smaller spring roll skins (ugh, MUST they be called "skins"?), and not the large ones, so nimble fingers were necessary. Note: considering this, it's of the utmost importance that you drink at least TWO cocktails before starting this intricate procedure. Also, I suppose it's important for me to agree that, yes, I seem to have quite the affinity lately for skin-like food wrappings.

First, ingredients. Make do, folks, make do. I was out of the thin glass noodles, so I opted for the wider ones, which was fine. Soak the noodles, chop up carrots, lettuce, cabbage, scallions, cilantro, and off you go! Omelet bits are also delicious in these, or perhaps tofu of you're into that sort of thing. Or chicken, or bean sprouts. Or sausage! Anything that is small enough to fit will probably taste alright. Prepare bowl of boiling-ish water (honestly, there's no need for it to be so hot, but I do love a challenge) to soak the wrappers in.


Then, soak 'm two at a time (extra strength!) and then, when they feel like, er, skin, smack 'em down on the table and insert your items.

In they go...


Fin!

Serve with all the sauces you have. I made a soy-garlic-ginger-Sriracha sauce, plus used a sweet and sour sauce (the kind from Trader Joe's is great), a creamy peanut sauce (why on earth did I stow twenty gallons of this in my fridge? Why did I make so much? Sheesh.), and the best one, the peanut sauce from Magic Kitchen (best Thai restaurant ever). There is a reason that my dad buys this sauce for me in gigantic (um, I mean, obscene) amounts. It's that good. It goes on everything. It would make sawdust taste delicious.