{"id":983,"date":"2021-09-10T12:15:34","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T17:15:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/activefit.gmail.net.pk\/?p=983"},"modified":"2023-06-08T11:13:15","modified_gmt":"2023-06-08T16:13:15","slug":"avocado-summer-rolls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/activefit.gmail.net.pk\/?p=983","title":{"rendered":"Avocado Summer Rolls"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chris and I went out to dinner last night with an older couple\u2014friends of Chris\u2019s parents\u2014who live in a posh apartment with a great view of Central Park. Ordinarily, we trek out to their place in the Upper West Side, but Chris wanted to switch things up, so he suggested they come to our neck of the woods instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, our part of Brooklyn and their part of Upper West Side aren\u2019t so very different. Both have tree-lined streets and a neighborhood-y feel and slightly less bustle than, say, Midtown or the Villages. But where they have Columbus Circle and doormen galore and hordes of tourists and expensive restaurants that primarily service said tourists, we have cash-only dive bars and small yoga studios and cafes that fit, like, 10 people max and our local Mexican spot (replete with all the usual cheesy decor).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Brooklyn juxtaposed with their Manhattan is like\u2026 is like the opera to a movie theater. A glass of pinot noir to a pint of whatever\u2019s on tap. A white tablecloth dining experience to burgers, fries, and a beer. So it only made sense that we take them to our favorite burger joint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally, they take us to a fancy restaurant where we get to feel pampered by waiters who fuss over our seats and bring out our courses with flair. So you can understand why I was a bit nervous about taking them to such a low-key establishment. I\u2019m not saying it was a hole-in-the-wall, because it wasn\u2019t at all, but it had that whole rough-hewn, rustic look that\u2019s so popular among Brooklyn restaurants these days, including the dreaded communal table. As luck would have it, that\u2019s where we were seated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m building this up, aren\u2019t I? Ultimately, they loved the resutarant. We ate and talked and talked and ate, and had a wonderful time. Afterwards, we walked by the mom \u2018n\u2019 pop ice cream stand where they bought a mint chip cone to share, fighting for the last few bites. It was a great evening, and I think that whatever impression they had had of Brooklyn has been amended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And rightly so! Despite the picture I paint, this neighborhood has<\/em> come a long way. My landlord\u2019s son told me how it had been a contested zone between rival gangs back in the 80\u2032s. And apparently, the Mafia\u2019s reign was still going strong up until, I dunno, the 70\u2032s. And before all that, a gazillion years ago, it was farmland. Now, we live around the corner from a gourmet cheese shop, across the street from a high-end clothing boutique, and down the street from a newly-opened Blue Bottle Coffee. Times have changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These summer rolls have nothing to do with my story except I\u2019ve been going gluten-free recently and had to break my ban last night. I guess I didn\u2019t want to be the debbie downer who ordered the salad while everyone else was gorging on burgers and fries, you know? These summer rolls, on the other hand, are<\/em> gluten-free (with the exception of the hoisin sauce, but you can buy a gluten-free version<\/a>), and vegan too I guess, and maybe even raw? The rice noodles are cooked, it\u2019s true, but you can easily leave them out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since summer has officially kicked in\u2014beginning with some minor humidity this week\u2014I\u2019ve been feeling the urge for fresh vegetables and herbs. And what could be more perfect than the trifecta of cilantro, Thai basil, and mint? Nothing, that\u2019s what. NOTHING. These summer rolls are filled to the brim with earnest plant matter, and are one of the tastiest (and easiest!) foods I\u2019ve made recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I realized in my last post that I\u2019d somehow toggled off the comments. Sorry about that! I don\u2019t know whether or not they\u2019ll be turned back on when I publish this post, but if not, I\u2019ll try to figure out how to turn them back on. If you have any questions, feel free to email me!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AVOCADO SUMMER ROLLS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Makes 12
Adapted from all over the place, but mostly Gourmet Live and Chow<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feel free to play around with proportions, but don\u2019t skimp on the avocado! Its taste will be overwhelmed by the other ingredients if you don\u2019t use enough in each roll.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/strong>:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n