It’s no surprise that Teri Goulette is frequently in transit; as the owner of the region’s most popular food trailer, Say Cheese, it seems like she’s always on the go. Today, Goulette is calling Mass Foodies from the road on her way to Worcester where she is hoping to obtain the permits for the newest addition to her fleet: The Rice Truck.
If all goes according to plan, The Rice Truck will debut at Brimfield Antique Flea Market on Monday. Goulette’s July purchase marked the first of her food trucks that she can drive, as opposed to a trailer. “We thought we’d have it as a second Say Cheese vehicle. Then, a week after the purchase, the organizers at Brimfield said, ‘Teri, if you know anyone, we’re looking for a truck – we have an open spot to fill,'” Goulette explains. She immediately volunteered herself for the job, promising organizers an original concept for the market in addition to Say Cheese.
Goulette is particularly excited about The Rice Truck because it was inspired by her mother’s fried rice. “It’s a recipe we’ve grown up on. Everyone we know has had her rice,” she says. The fresh concept will roll out exclusively for Brimfield, to start. Goulette admits that the new project escalated quickly. “Trial by fire, really. I won’t even have time to cook on the new truck until next week. But, that’s how we did Say Cheese. We started at a big food truck festival and just figured it out,” she recalls.
When asked if this week is our only chance to experience The Rice Truck, Goulette responds, “If it works out and seems like there’s room for this concept, then we’ll keep it as The Rice Truck moving forward. It could end up just being a Brimfield concept that we use three times per year when both vehicles are in the same place. My original plan was that we could book the second truck as Say Cheese so we’d be able to attend two events at once.”
As soon as Goulette and her eleven-year-old son Jack began putting the plans together, he offered to make her a website for The Rice Truck. She told him to pump the breaks. She recalls, “I said, ‘Let’s make sure it’s a thing,’ and then in the same breath, ‘Wait, maybe we could do a pineapple fried rice!'” The duo has a sneaking suspicion that their fried rice concept won’t be a one-off, but Brimfield will give them a better idea.
Goulette hopes her fried rice can live up to her mother Remy’s reputation. “I did a trial at home. Jack was my taste tester. He Face Timed my mom and said, ‘Nana, Mom’s catching up to you – it tastes the same!'”
Goulette explains that before launching Say Cheese, her friends and family always assumed her concept would include Remy’s famous fried rice recipe. “It’s what I bring to all the parties. It’s what people come to my house for. It’s a special thing that no one else can make. It’s a tribute to my mom AND it’s a kick ass rice,” she says.
Goulette knows that the concept is unique, even for Brimfield. For now, she will offer a Veggie Bowl with peapods, scallions, and beansprouts and an ‘Everything Bowl’ with the addition of bacon and scrambled eggs. “I’d like to get to the point where I can offer a fried egg on the rice – that’s how I like it best,” she divulges.
As for when Worcester will have a chance to try The Rice Truck, Goulette says, “We’re hoping to be at the Worcester Wine Festival in October. That feels like a great opportunity for The Rice Truck’s Worcester debut.”