In the days and weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, I'm not shy about putting in a call to my local Chinese restaurant to alleviate the burden of cooking dinner on a random weeknight. Around my house we call ordering takeout, “pulling a Gilmore.”

“Gilmore Girls” is quite possibly my favorite TV show of all time and characters Lorelai and Rory elevated take-out fare to an art form. Lorelai Gilmore taught me a lady should be able to walk with a book on her head while eating kung pao chicken. And Rory taught me the importance of ordering Chinese in excess to ensure a week's worth of leftovers.

I am over the moon about the upcoming “Gilmore Girls” revival set to arrive on Netflix on Nov. 25, and I am already busy planning an appropriate menu to honor all the food traditions featured on the show. While I know the girls in Stars Hollow would love to nosh on a cold leftover egg roll straight from the take-out box, I have to think they'd appreciate my homemade version of this Chinese delivery classic even more.

When poorly made, an egg roll is a greasy, lackluster tube of mush. When done well, an egg roll is shatteringly crisp with a filling full of distinct ingredients and textural intrigue. Dipping sauces for this hand-held morsel should be as complex as the filling itself.

In search of a Gilmore worthy balance of flavors lead me to include wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots to my traditional mix of pork, cabbage and carrots. I added some serrano chilies and rice vinegar to add a little pep to the savory mix, before gilding my sweet and sour sauce with fresh pineapple and peppers.

A gentle bath in some sizzling oil yields a batch of egg rolls that would leave Sookie St. James feeling proud. So whip up a dozen of my take-out, take-down egg rolls with homemade sweet and sour sauce for your next “Gilmore Girls” binge watch.

Take-Out, Take-Down

Dried wood ear or tree ear mushrooms can be found at finer grocery stores or Asian markets. To rehydrate, place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow them to sit for several minutes before draining.

2tablespoons canola or peanut oil

2 tablespoons, fresh minced ginger

4garlic cloves, minced

1serrano chili, seeded and minced

1/2pound ground pork or chicken

1cup shredded napa cabbage

1cup shredded carrots

1/2cup rehydrated wood ear or tree ear mushrooms, chopped

1/3cup bamboo shoots, cut into thin strips

1/2teaspoon salt

2tablespoons soy sauce

2tablespoons rice wine

1tablespoon corn starch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

1/2cup sliced scallions

12egg roll wrappers (preferably Twin Marquis brand)

1egg, lightly beaten

Canola or peanut oil for frying

Spicy brown or Chinese mustard

Sweet and sour sauce (recipe follows)

1. Heat the canola oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the ginger, garlic and serrano chili and saute until just fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the pork and cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through and slightly browned (about 6 minutes). Stir in the cabbage and carrots to the pan, reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally until wilted and soft (about 5 minutes). Add in the mushrooms and bamboo shoots; mix well. Season with salt and add the soy sauce and vinegar to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and mix in the cornstarch slurry and cook until mixture thickens (about 1 minute). Remove from heat and mix in the scallions. Allow the filling to cool before proceeding. Egg roll filling can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.

2. Lay an egg roll wrapper on a work surface so it looks like a diamond. Place a quarter cup of filling in the bottom 1/3 of the wrapper. Pull the bottom corner up over the filling and pull back slightly to tuck in the corner. Fold in the sides like an envelope. Using your finger tip brush the exposed corner of the wrapper with the beaten egg. With a gentle yet firm hand roll up the egg roll taking care to prevent gaps at the edges. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.

3. Pour canola oil to the depth of 2 inches in a high-sided skillet. Heat the oil over medium high heat until the oil reaches 325 degrees or a bread cube sizzles gently on contact (if the oil is too hot the egg roll skins will brown and burn before the filling warms through; slow and steady is the key). Gently drop the egg rolls seam side down into the hot oil. Allow them to fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Serve at once with mustard and sweet and sour sauces for dipping.

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

1cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3/4cup brown sugar

2tablespoons soy sauce

1/2teaspoon salt

1tablespoon chili garlic sauce

1/2cup diced fresh pineapple

1/4 cup diced green pepper

1/4cup diced red pepper

1tablespoon minced serrano chili

1tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

1. Combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and salt in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, stirring frequently until sugar dissolves. Stir in the chili-garlic sauce, pineapple and diced peppers and return to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until sauce is thickened.