Food On The Go Alternatives
by: Tyler Hansen

So you’ve got one hour in the grocery store, and one in the kitchen, plus transportation – let’s get moving. A great way to whet someone’s appetite to eating and enjoying is to get something into their stomach right away, this doesn’t have to be anything sizeable, just enough to hold them over. Kumamoto oysters with fresh orange juice and a bit of rubbed tarragon will be striking enough to make them sweat a bit, while the orange juice is homey enough to keep them from running for the bathroom (or nearest bush). A tiny amount of tarragon works beautifully with citrus juices, orange in particular, and the application of orange zest will add a tinge of bitterness to cut the sugar in the juice itself. The trick with this dish is making it stable enough to take from your kitchen to the park. Central Americans have been using this tactic called ‘ceviche’ to prepare raw fish and shellfish for meals and still keep it completely food safe. Incorporating the high acidity of the orange juice directly with the oysters makes a food environment that is extremely unfriendly to the growth of bacteria, buying you up to two hours, plenty of time to make it to the location and enjoy. Time to prepare and pack: 10 minutes.

Something substantial to fend off hunger without sinking in the stomach - you guessed it, salad. Tuna capriccio over arugula and green beans with a caper dressing makes licking a stamp look easy. The only trick part is getting the tuna just right, so put away your non-stick pan and go for the heavy, old-school cast iron or anything with great heat conductivity. By getting the pan as hot as possible before you add the fish you are in effect creating an environment perfect for searing. Once you put the tuna in the pan, leave it alone for a minute or two, there’s no need to flip it right away, even if it is producing a little smoke and a lot of noise; trust me, the bark is worse than the bite. After two minutes, loosen the fish and flip and allow it to cook on the other side for about another minute and a half. Once both sides are properly seared, remove the tuna from the pan and let it cool on a plate. Leave the pan on the stove and turn it down to a medium heat, it will come in handy in a bit. When the steak is cool enough to touch, put it on a cutting board and find your sharpest knife. Try to get very thin slices, this shouldn’t be hard because the meat is still rare inside and the flesh will hold itself together. The dressing is no-fail, but remember to apply it only to the greens, not the tuna. Time to prepare and pack: 20 minutes.

This Asian-inspired crispy chicken is a knockout, follow the recipe and the results will taste juicy and flavorful instead of dry and bland. Put two quarts of water in a large pot and when the water is boiling, quickly drop the bok choy in for about four minutes, then remove it and keep it warm by placing it in the microwave. (That thing has to be useful for something). While the water is boiling, add your udon noodles and cook for about eight minutes or until they are al dente. You should be able to get the first frying of the chicken breasts out of the way, saving you a nice chunk of time. Since it would most likely be easier to serve this entrée and accompaniments cold, dropping the bok choy and noodles into some cold water will kill the heat without affecting the flavor. When packaging, pour some of the leftover liquid in the pan over the bok choy for a ton of added flavor. Time to prepare and pack: 25 minutes

Instead of ending the dinner with a heavy, molten-flourless-lava-quadruple-chocolate-soufflé with an intense whole cream coronary attack, a different and delicious path is cheese. Additionally, cheese and wine not only make a perfect dessert but an interesting one as well, again giving your guests something to keep their attention by making a participatory environment in lieu of a passive, uninspiring atmosphere. The hard alpine cheeses are very pungent and work great with the mineral tones and acidity found in champagne or sparkling providing a match made in heaven. Mo?t Chandon White Star label is reliable, conversation-inducing, and affordable. Goat cheeses are very sour but provide some creaminess once they have had the chance to spend some time on your tongue. There is a particular by the name of Purple Haze out of Cypress Grove’s farm in California that blends lavender buds and fennel pollen into the mix, forming a truly unique and beautiful cheese. Mer Soleil Vineyards has a thick chardonnay that cuts through the cream of the Purple Haze and has enough multi-prismatic fruit and flower tones to complement the lavender and fennel. Finally, a bit of Explorateur brie. And no, this brie is not one that requires baking like that foul Prèsident. Super creamy and very mineral-laden, the Explorateur is a foolproof standby that is not only easy to find, but easy to serve. I recently tried a triple-cream brie with Alamos Malbec and it blew me away. It is certainly a peculiar match, but the smokiness in the wine and earthiness of the cheese fight beautifully together. Also, all of these wines are available in half bottle sizes as well; so unless you’re from Milwaukee, it might be best to go for the 375’s.

Time to prepare and pack: 5 minutes (Seriously… cutting cheese and opening bottles, it doesn’t get easier than that – and leave the plastic cups at home and bring real wine glasses, the difference of flavor and presentation is entirely worth it).

A painless, easy meal, and quick as well; an excellent gourmet picnic. Play your cards right, keep the conversation interesting, don’t chew with your mouth open, and your guest will most likely reciprocate the favor at Como Park or on a blanket at Lake Harriet next Saturday. And I don’t want to hear it, I’m sure you have something to wear.