Cookin' on Hwy. 1

David W. Brown with Tim Acosta, Rouses Markets Advertising & Marketing Director

Petit Chou (Little Cabbages)

Brussels sprouts, part of the cabbage family, bear a striking resemblance to little cabbages. (Petit chou is French for little cabbages.) You may not have liked Brussels sprouts as a kid, because most kids don’t like bitter or sour flavors, which is what they taste like when they are boiled or microwaved. But if you experience them cooked another way, you might learn to appreciate them and maybe actually love them, like I do.

The easiest way to cook Brussels sprouts without them getting soggy is to roast them in a 400ºF oven with olive oil, salt and pepper, for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the pan every 5 minutes. (I can’t resist eating all of the little crunchy bits right off the sheet pan.)

I made this recipe in a black-iron skillet because, for most of us, oven space is taken up by turkeys and ham and roasts and casseroles on holidays. I stirred in balsamic vinegar for some sweetness — that works with roasted Brussels sprouts, too; just sprinkle it on at the end. I can’t give you an accurate count on how many my recipe actually serves because as soon as we got the photograph taken, the magazine team devoured them. They didn’t even use plates; they just ate them right out of the skillet.

Authentic Italian

Our collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency enables us to present truly genuine Italian products to our customers. Many of our partnered companies in Italy are family-owned enterprises, passed down through generations, much like Rouses Markets. These businesses adhere to traditional practices that have stood the test of time, sometimes for centuries. When we sought out balsamic vinegar for our stores, the Italian Trade Agency guided us to the Modena area in

Northern Italy, the birthplace of traditional balsamic vinegar. Similar to how Champagne is exclusively produced in the Champagne region of France, authentic balsamic vinegar can only come from specific areas, with Modena being one of the most important locations.

Cheese

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is carefully regulated by the Italian government through strict guidelines. It is exclusively crafted in designated provinces, including Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and parts of Bologna and Mantua.

Speck

Speck is a cured and lightly smoked ham akin to prosciutto crudo.

Authentic Italian speck is known as Speck Alto Adige IGP. This label guarantees the product’s authenticity and quality, as each ham must be carefully inspected by a governing consortium.

Olive Oil

The protected designation of origin Val di Mazara is reserved for extra virgin olive oil that meets specific requirements and conditions in all stages of cultivation, production and distribution. The olives are produced, processed and packaged throughout the province of Palermo and in some towns of the province of Agrigento.

Balsamic Vinegar

Our balsamic vinegar of Modena (in Italian: aceto balsamico) with 65% grape must is dark, thick and intensely flavored, with a bit of sweetness.

Calabrian Peppers

Calabrian chili peppers are grown in Calabria, a region in Southern Italy.