Pic-a-Nic Sandwich

Inspired by Yogi Bear’s obsession with “pic-a-nic baskets,” Michael Holland of Holland’s Cake and Shake introduces his own pic-a-nic in a bun. Known for his ingenious sandwich creations, Holland has condensed the classic summertime picnic into a handheld roll: smoked deli chicken, gravy mayo, homemade macaroni salad, fried chicken breading, and chips. Close your eyes, take a bite, and imagine yourself lounging on a redcheckered blanket as the breeze ruffles your hair. $6.65. Holland’s Cake and Shake, 229 Armstrong St.

The backstory: “I thought about summer and what you’d have in a picnic, then added everything together.”

The mayo: “If you add gravy flavouring to mayonnaise, it’s the perfect texture for spreading on a sandwich. I don’t do hot sandwiches in the summer, so this gives you that sense of having gravy without the real thing. Real cold gravy would be kind of disgusting and gelatinous!”

The breading: “I mix flour with all the spices I would use to make breading — paprika, cayenne, garlic — then add buttermilk and mix it till it clumps. When I deep-fry the clumps, it becomes that crunchy breading that you associate with eating fried chicken. I crumble it and add it into the sandwich for crunch and texture.”

The experience: “You’re going to feel like you’re having a picnic in your mouth — everything you’d ever want in a picnic and all at the same time” —Michael Holland