Vietnamese wraps are the perfect meal to roll out at summer gatherings

SALAD DAYS / Vietnamese wraps are the perfect meal to roll out at summer gatherings

Along with sweet peaches, fat figs and truly ripe tomatoes, I await the arrival of fresh herbs at the Asian vendors’ booths. As the days lengthen, the piles grow in size and variety, toppling over one another in fragrant abundance. One bunch of each ends up in my bag, a summer splurge I enjoy while I can.Most of the herbs will find their way into my favorite summer treat: Vietnamese salad rolls. Crisp, cool greens are the perfect wrapping for those herb sprigs, along with crunchy slivers of vegetables and a savory morsel that provides the heart of the salad roll. Punctuated with sweet-tart pickles and dipped into nuoc cham sauce, salad rolls burst with flavor on the palate, yet remain light on the stomach.