Monday, April 12, 2010

Yeah I Thought So

The moral of this story is that I should just listen to my own advice.

Thanks to CPQ over at Carpool Queen's Blog posted a recipe for Summer Rolls.  You can find the evil post here.  Now don't get all upset at me for calling her post evil, because it is evil in the oh-so-good way.  You know like the evil brownies sitting in the faculty room with a sign that says "Help Yourselves". 

Anyhoo...her summer rolls looked oh so good, only had a few ingredients, and she claimed they were quick and easy.  Well sister, sign me up. 

Except one little thing...

As I told her in her comment section I equate trying to make a food that is culturally unique, to someone who cannot sing attempting karaoke.  While it seems like fun and a good idea, it only turns out embarassing for all involved.

Well this Sunday I could not get her summer rolls out of my head.  I was in the mood for these rolls, so since it is my normal grocery day I decided to jot down the ingredients and check my cupboard.

Let's see...

Red bell pepper - check
Lettuce - check
Zucchini (I think she used cucumber)...I don't like cucumber but I love zucchini so - check.
Edamame - check
Rice paper - uhhh nope put it on the list

Now I live in the greater Los Angeles area, not Hoboken Montana, so I wasn't worried about finding rice paper.  I even figured that my local everyday grocery store might just have it...after all when I looked at the brand name of her rice paper I noticed that it was made in Los Angeles...right??

Wrong!!

My local grocery store...didn't have it...

Trader Joes...didn't have it...

A produce store that prides itself on its large ethnic selection...didn't have it....

OK...now I am obsessed determined...I must find rice paper and eat summer rolls for lunch.

Thankfully Rich was very encouraging and we went home and called the Whole Foods Market.  "Oh yes", they said..."psh...of course we have that"...(This was after the inital call was transfered to the meat department)

Whole Foods Market...didn't have it...

Ok now this is getting ridiculous challenging.

I wasn't wavering in my desire to have summer rolls for lunch even though it is kinda past lunch by this point, and Rich was not wavering in his support to help me have summer rolls for lunch.

One more stop.  I knew of this Asian Market "just a little bit farther up the road".  I am sure they will have them...Right??

Right!!! 

Phew...that was exhausting.



They were awfully yummy and really hit the spot. 

My advice to you is this...if you cannot sing don't attempt karaoke, but if you are not asian you can go ahead and try to make these summer rolls.

Just make sure you have rice paper near by....oh and don't assume that just because you live in a large metropolitan area, with very diverse cultures, including lots of people who regularly use rice paper, that you will easily find it.  Because you know what assume means.

Your welcome

More Later

- A Ro

5 comments:

  1. oh how i wish i could share those. yum! we got our flights booked for LA, i'm so excited. we will probably do the hollywood thing, since we are newbies and all. any tips?

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  2. I'm beyond shocked that you couldn't find rice paper at all those places. I'm feeling pretty cosmopolitan in little old Raleigh right about now.

    BTW, Maggi makes a spicy sweet chili dipping sauce that is phenomenal with those.

    In case you want to drive all over creation looking for it.

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  3. okay now I'm feeling the need to make summer rolls. How funny you couldn't find rice paper in Calif? Maybe its easier to find in a less diverse area because less people are using it? Hmmm...well in any case, they look yummy and I'm glad your perseverance paid off.

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  4. I think I saw those in some store not too long ago - but I had no idea what I might do with them so I just walked on by...

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  5. so theres an asian market right by my house. a) it definitely has rice paper b) my mom and i LOVE to go there and spend WAY too long looking around at all the food, buying too much of it and attempting to be asian. thank goodness i know have an asian roommate to teach me her ways ;)

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