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WINTER 2023

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THANKS & GIVING OUR GULF COAST FOOD BANKS

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GOLD AWARD

BEST QUALITY + BEST PRICE

Our customers aren’t the only ones who think our brand delivers the best quality at the best price.

GOLD AWARD WINNER 2022 NYIOOC WORLD OLIVE OIL COMPETITION

Salute to Excellence Award 2023 Private Label Manufacturing Association (PLMA) Our Rouses Italian Strawberry Flavored Soda was put to the test against 750 products and judges placed our product first for taste, packaging, product concept and value for money. We are very proud of the products we make and are honored to receive recognition for the hard work of our senior brand strategist, Amanda Kennedy; our merchandising team; our vice president of specialty Jason Martinolich; and our private brand business manager, Beverly Zarlengo. Gold & Silver Awards 2021/2022 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition Out of 1000 entries from 27 countries, Rouses Sicilian Organic Olive Oil received a Gold Award from NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition in 2022. Rouses Sicilian Olive Oil received a Silver Award from the 2021 competition. Our authentic Italian olive oils are produced in West Central Sicily, with passion and dedication to the ancient oil tradition and natural heritage of Italy. We partner with the Italian Trade Association to ensure we can provide customers with the best products Italy has to offer.

ROUSES WINTER 2023

Making a Grocery List & Checking it Twice

E very Christmas I make a peanut butter-glazed ham. When we think of peanut butter, most of us associate it with jelly — is there anything better than a PB&J? But peanut butter goes exceptionally well with salty and savory food, too. So peanut butter and ham makes sense, at least to me. Of course, I use our very own Rouses Markets Peanut Butter. We established our own brand in 2008, but our focus on expanding our product range began in earnest in 2017 — which is when we introduced our peanut butter, by the way. Today, we offer almost a thousand items, or SKUs (pronounced “skews”). SKU stands for stock keeping unit, and it’s how we identify and manage our inventory, or stock. Our brand offers the best quality at the best price, and you won’t find it anywhere else. It has a dedicated following, and not just because of the price, which averages 18% lower than the national brand but has the same quality. Customers have their favorite products, just like they have their favorite stores. (Our Spicy Ketchup has a cult following; it’s great for cocktail sauce.) I’m a big fan of our Sour Power Belts — they’re sweet and stretchy and chewy candy with a super-sour crystal coating that will make your mouth pucker. There’s a difference between dressing and stuffing — not just how they’re cooked but who cooks customers love to eat, not what a national audience would prefer. We collaborate with local suppliers whenever possible because local companies understand the them. When we select items, we always consider what our

It takes a lot of effort to earn our seal of approval. That's why we say if our name is on the label, you can trust that it’s good. Since my name is on this peanut butter ham, you

flavors of the Gulf Coast. Our rice for your dressing is from Louisiana, and so is our sugar for your baking. Rouses brand Frozen Shrimp and Gumbo Crabs are certified Louisiana seafood. I encourage you to try our Mac and Cheese blend for your holiday casserole; it’s made with Cheddar, Swiss and American cheeses. And our Eggnog, which is based on my grandmother’s recipe — well, customers wait all year for us to put it out during the holidays. Our refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is a break-apart dough that we’ve carefully tweaked for larger, plumper cookies (which Santa will appreciate).

can trust that it’s good, too. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

CEO, 3rd Generation

FLIP TO PAGE 25 FOR DONNY ROUSE’S PEANUT BUTTER GLAZED HAM RECIPE

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Contributors DAVID W. BROWN

Creative Director & Editor Marcy Nathan

David W. Brown is a freelance writer whose work appears in The Atlantic , The New York Times , Scientific American and The New Yorker . His most recent book, The Mission: A True Story , a rollicking adventure about a motley band of explorers on a quest to find oceans on Europa, is in bookstores now. Brown lives in New Orleans. Susan Langenhennig Granger is editor of Preservation in Print magazine and director of communications and marketing for the Preservation Resource Center in New Orleans. Prior to that she was a news editor, reporter and feature columnist for The Times-Picayune and NOLA.com. LIZ THORPE Liz Thorpe is a world-class cheese expert. A Yale graduate, she left a “normal” job in 2002 to work the counter at New York’s famed Murray’s Cheese. She is the founder of The People’s Cheese, and author of The Book of Cheese: The Essential Guide to Discovering Cheeses You’ll Love and The Cheese Chronicles . POPPY TOOKER Poppy Tooker is a native New Orleanian who has spent her life immersed in the vibrant colors and flavors of her state. Poppy spreads her message statewide and beyond via her NPR-affiliated radio show and podcast, “Louisiana Eats!” MICHAEL W. TWITTY Michael W. Twitty is the winner of two James Beard Awards for The Cooking Gene , as well as Rice by UNC Press. His latest book, Koshersoul: The Food and Faith Journey of an African American Jew , won the Jewish National Council’s National Jewish Book Award for the 2022 book of the year. SUSAN LANGENHENNIG GRANGER

Art Director & Design Eliza Schulze

Illustrator Kacie Galtier

Designer Mary Ann Florey

Marketing Coordinator Harley Breaux

Copy Editor Patti Stallard

Advertising & Marketing ron bonacci Tim Acosta Amanda Kennedy Stephanie Hopkins

Nancy Besson Taryn Clement Peyton finch

Get the recipe at rouses.com

Cover photo by Romney Caruso

ROUSES WINTER 2023

Table of Contents

In Every Issue 1 Making a Grocery List & Checking it Twice by Donny Rouse 7 Letter from the Editor by Marcy Nathan 9 Cookin’ on Hwy. 1 with Tim Acosta 13 Merry-Go-Round by Ali Rouse Royster

54 Shalom Y'all by Michael W. Twitty 62 Christmas Roast by Marcelle Bienvenu

Recipes 8 Hwy. 1 Glazed Brussels Sprouts

20 Bourbon Turkey Brine

21 Smoked Turkey

Eat, Think & Be Merry 16 Better Call Butterball by Susan Langenhennig Granger 20

25 Donny Rouse’s Peanut Butter Ham

26 Hawaiian Sliders

55 Michael Twitty’s Louisiana Latkes

Yours, Brine & Ours by David W. Brown 26 Mele Kalikimaka by David W. Brown 31 Thanks & Giving by David W. Brown 39 'Tis the Seasoning by Poppy Tooker 44 Brie en croute by Liz Thorpe Rockin’ Around the Christmas Brie by Liz Thorpe 47 Fizz the Season by David W. Brown 48 It's a Wine-derful Life by David W. Brown 50 Jingle Bell Mock by David W. Brown

57 Cajun Latkes

61 Sweet Potato Casserole Lobster Mac & Cheese Beef Tenderloin 62 Marcelle Bienvenu’s Mama’s Stuffed Pork Roast Marcelle Bienvenu’s Dressed Up Rice Hwy. 1 Stuffed Mirlitons

63 Mrs. Rouse’s Cocoons Mr. Anthony Rouse’s

Down Home Oyster Dressing Sue Rouse’s Penut Butter Fudge

64 Roasted Asparagus

65 Creamy Seafood Sauce

Photo by Romney Caruso

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Scan the QR Code for Holiday Recipe Ideas or Visit rosinarecipes.com Scan the QR Code for Holiday Recipe Ideas or Visit rosinarecipes.com

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Consumer: LIMIT ONE COUPON PER ITEM PURCHASED. Coupon is valid for $1.00 off a consumer purchase of any Celentano ® pasta product. Retailer: We will reimburse you the face value of this coupon plus 8¢ handling provided it is redeemed by a consumer at the time of purchase on the brand specified. Coupons not properly redeemed will be void and held. Reproduction of this Consumer: LIMIT ONE COUPON PER ITEM PURCHASED. Coupon is valid for $1.00 off a consumer purchase of any Celentano ® pasta product. Retailer: We will reimburse you the face value of this coupon plus 8¢ handling provided it is redeemed by a consumer at the time of purchase on the brand specified. Coupons not properly redeemed will be void and held. Reproduction of this

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HERE’S TO THE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS THAT BEGIN IN THE KITCHEN.

Come holiday time, the kitchen is where our most cherished traditions come to life – and we’re proud to play a part in the festivities! To all the cooks, bakers, and chefs whose creations make the holidays taste like home, may the flavors and fun of this season bring you happiness and joy.

Happy Holidays!

VISIT US AT REILYPRODUCTS.COM

ROUSES WINTER 2023

Letter from the Editor By Marcy Nathan STRESS EATING E v ery cook, no matter how seasoned, occasionally stumbles in the kitchen. We’ve all been there: reaching for the baking soda instead of the baking powder, accidentally adding salt instead of sugar, or condensed milk when evaporated was called for. Even the most experienced

baker makes the occasional slip, like using cumin instead of cinnamon in pumpkin pie. It’s all part of the beautiful journey of cooking and baking. I once tried to degrease a pizza while it was still piping hot and it swallowed the whole paper towel. No one was the wiser. The biggest mistake people make in the kitchen is not reading the recipe all the way through before they start cooking. I am so guilty of that. I missed the most crucial step when we were preparing Donny Rouse’s peanut butter ham for this issue: knowing when to glaze the ham. So, we had to abandon our first attempt and hurriedly acquire a different ham, right in the midst of our photo shoot. Then we had to cook it. The combination of remaking Donny’s signature dish and the anxious wait for it to cook led the whole magazine team to stress eat. The skillet of Brussels sprouts Tim made didn’t stand a chance against our anxiety, and neither did

As if that that wasn’t enough, our friends in the Bakery Department held a meeting next door to our photo shoot, and then gave us their leftover jambalaya, chicken fingers, croissants and French bread. Which we also ate. I personally consumed more at this photo shoot than I typically do during an entire Thanksgiving or Christmas feast combined. The only items we left untouched were the turkey necks that Lee smoked while preparing the turkey and ham — but that’s only because he told us not to eat them because he wanted them for his lunch. So as you prepare to stress eat your way through the holidays, know that we’re here to offer you some invaluable recipes and tips, including the correct recipe for Donny Rouse’s ham so you can get it right the first time. And remember the timeless advice of the legendary Julia Child: “Learn how to cook — try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all, have fun!”

the speck he fried. We polished off dozens of cookies Mary Ann baked and decorated for our Table of Contents page. We ate the original failed ham, slice by slice by slice, with our hands — we didn’t even use plates. We drank the melting gelatos from our Italian ad like they were milkshakes. And we watched as Peyton devoured 10 King’s Hawaiian Rolls — TEN — from the packs we brought for our slider shot. Oh, and we ate the sliders too.

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leave the fuss to us! ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT We sell fully prepared roasted

Brussels sprouts with bacon in our Deli by the pound, half pan or full pan for the holidays. Please order ahead.

1 pound Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) chopped Calabrian Peppers ½ cup Rouses authentic Italian Balsamic Vinegar ½ cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano HOW TO PREP: Fry speck in a large, heavy bottomed skillet in a little oil over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet. Add onion and

garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Move onions and garlic to one side of the pan and add Brussels sprouts, cut side down, and cook undis turbed for 3-4 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Toss onions and Brussels sprouts, adding more olive oil if needed, and cook undisturbed for 1-2 more minutes. Add Calabrian peppers and speck. Toss to coat and heat through, around 2-3 more minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with cheese. Serve hot.

Rouse Family Recipe HWY. 1 GLAZED BRUSSELS SPROUTS Serves 4

Speck is a type of cured, lightly smoked ham, similar to prosciutto crudo. Speck is redder and has a firmer texture than prosciutto. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 6 pieces authentic Italian speck (or prosciutto) 2 tablespoons authentic Italian olive oil, plus a little for frying speck ½ onion, diced 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Photo by Romney Caruso

ROUSES WINTER 2023

Cookin’ on Hwy. 1

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.

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

Cheese Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is carefully regulated by the Italian government through strict guide

lines. 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.

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MAC AND CHEESE

SO YOU CAN CHEESE FREELY

Violife Mac & Cheese Bake

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 30 min

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS • 2 packs Violife Just Like Cheddar Shreds • 1 cup plant-based milk • 1 tbsp of your favorite dairy-free butter

DIRECTIONS 1.Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large pot, heat the plant-based milk with Violife Just Like Cheddar Shreds.

2.Add the butter, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and whisk until nicely melted for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. 3.Boil macaroni according to packet instructions, rinse and drain. Place back in the pot and top with the cheesy sauce, mixing well until evenly coated. 4.Spoon into a cast iron pan. Place pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

• 2 tsp onion powder • 2 tsp garlic powder • 1½ tsp salt • 1½ tsp ground black pepper • 17.6 oz cavatappi pasta • Chopped chives

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Merry-Go-Round By Ali Rouse Royster, 3 rd Generation T here are many things that I love, but up at the top of the list are three things: my big, crazy family; Christmas season; and a party. Put all of those together, and I couldn’t be merrier! That kind of celebration was long part of our family tradition, but after my grandparents passed and my cousins and I all started having babies, the big family Christmas Eve gathering naturally fell to the wayside. Last year, I was able to talk “the adults” (my parents and aunts and uncles) into getting the gang back together. I even trotted out old family Christmas photos in an effort to induce nostalgia. And because this was mostly my doing, I tried to help with the party planning as much as possible. I reached out to my favorite caterer — those fine folks at Rouses Markets — and we came up with a variety of “festive finger foods” — rather than a sit-down dinner — since our whole family loves to chitchat and mingle. I was really proud of my little menu, which consisted of some classics like charcuterie and finger sandwiches, but also some fun, new and different items. But after I was asked by not one, not two, but five of my family members if we were having egg rolls…well…I added them to the menu, thus saving the Rouse family tradition of having egg rolls at all family events ( I give in! I’ll never leave them off again!). We had a wonderful time together again in 2022, and we’re keeping it going in 2023; I’ve already talked my aunt into hosting this year, but she doesn’t need my help with the menu! There’s no way she would forget the egg rolls!

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Snack lovers, get ready to taste the heat and the sweet! The maker of the PLANTERS ® snack nuts brand is kicking things up with new PLANTERS ® Sweet & Spicy Dry Roasted Peanuts.

*Scientific Evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of heart disease. See nutrition information for fat content. (1.5 oz is about 58 pieces)

Better Call Butterball By Susan Langenhennig Granger Every year around this time, millions of Americans come down with an acute case of diemeleagrisphobia . How bad is the afflic tion? A quick Google search provides clues. Type in “fear of cooking turkey” and 67.5 million (million!) results come up. “Is it difficult to cook turkey” produces a whopping 158 million results. D iemeleagrisphobia isn’t a real word in Latin — or any language, for that matter. It’s not even a true phobia, given that it was purportedly coined by Food Network host Alton Brown to sum up the fear of cooking a Thanks giving turkey. But it is, nonetheless, a common feeling, as Nicole Johnson can attest. She spends weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season counseling those afflicted.

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As director of the esteemed Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, she hears it all — the bizarre ideas (no, you shouldn’t defrost your turkey in a dishwasher); the poignant moments (the widower cooking Thanksgiving for his family for the first time after the death of his wife); the terror (in-laws arriving in an hour, turkey still frozen). Johnson has been “talking turkey” since 2001, as they like to say at the company. So, why are so many Americans (and Canadians!) so terrified of cooking turkey? Is it really that hard? Short answer: No, it’s actually pretty straightforward. Like many things in life, it’s the expectation that causes the anxiety. Our national holiday stuffs Norman Rockwell visions and pumpkin spice into the heated pressure cooker of modern American family dynamics. With such volatile ingredients, the holidays can easily overheat. So, how do you bring down the boiling point? A reassuring voice — an actual human, no AI! — can make all the difference, Johnson said. “I have an acronym that I call PUG: Patience, Understanding and Grace,” said Johnson, who chatted via Zoom from her home in Illinois in late September as she was gearing up for the Talk-Line staff’s extensive training sessions. “Because you really don’t know, maybe someone is abrupt on the other line; we don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors. We never want to take anything personally. Our job is to provide them nutritional advice and food safety, but also that counseling aspect — put yourself in their shoes, help calm them down. That reassuring voice might change the whole day for them.” Each year, thousands of people call the Talk-Line, which is staffed by more than 50 food science and nutrition professionals. Everyone on the job is a turkey expert. At minimum, they hold bachelor’s degrees, though most have master’s, and two have doctorates, all in dietetics, food science, nutrition or related culinary fields. Some are retired professors; others have full-time jobs and take time off to operate the seasonal hotline, which is open from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24. Talk-Line staffers range in age from the mid-20s up to 81 years old. “The average tenure is 16 years,” Johnson said. In addition

to professional credentials, there’s another prerequisite for the job: empathy. “It’s something I look for in every single interview (for a Talk-Line position).” That’s been the bedrock of the hotline all the way back to its founding. In 1981, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line was born with the goal of de-stressing the holiday and advertising the brand. That year, six home economists — all female, armed with culinary knowledge stored in an old-school Rolodex — served 11,000 callers. Since then, the Talk-Line has fielded nearly three million calls, and the team includes “eight or nine men,” Johnson said. Nowadays, home cooks looking for advice can reach the hotline by text, email and chat as well as the old-fashioned way (dialing a number). The phone remains the heart of the operation. “There’s something special about that connection over the line,” Johnson said. “We get that often — callers are surprised they’re not reaching a recording; it’s truly someone live on the phone.” By 2023, it sure seems like YouTube would have killed the Talk-Line. But a video is cold comfort compared to the soft Midwestern lilt of the Naperville, Ill.- based team. Callers, too, range in age and tempera ment. “We might get a first-time cook, and that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re young in age,” Johnson said. “They might

be handed that task of preparing their first Thanksgiving meal in their 50s, 60s. Maybe their mom’s always done it, and now she’s no longer here. “We do get a lot of phone calls from [people shopping at] the grocery store,” she continued. “They ask us what kind of turkey to purchase. Fresh, frozen? They’re calling the day before Thanksgiving. They don’t realize it takes X number of days to defrost a turkey. OK, not to worry, you can purchase a fresh turkey.” Johnson can relate to the calls from the busy moms, kids cutting up in the background. When Johnson started at the Talk-Line, she was right out of graduate school. “I started when I was 22, 23 years old. I didn’t have any kids at that time. Now I have four kiddos,” she said. “My oldest is off to college, my youngest is in the sixth grade. My kids have grown up with it.” All staffers are required to attend kitchen, phone, chat and email trainings in October. Most of the Talk-Line staffers still work in person on the fifth floor of their office in Naperville. But since the pandemic, a few have gone remote. “It’s a dedicated team,” Johnson said. “They give up their Thanksgiving every year.” Shifts can last from eight to 10 hours. The average length of a call is three-and-a-half minutes, though there’s no time limit. “The fun

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“A few years ago, microwaving a turkey started as a social media joke,” Johnson said, “but it became a craze.” Why, oh why, would someone want to microwave a turkey? “Well, if your oven is out of commission and you didn’t realize it until Thanksgiving morning, and you’re looking around wondering how else you can cook a turkey,” Johnson said. “We would talk to you about an outdoor grill, maybe, depending on where you live. I might talk about a crockpot, if the turkey is small enough. But the microwave can be done. It’s tedious, and there are some steps involved. But at the end of the day, you do have a cooked turkey. (In case you’re wondering, microwaved turkey tastes more steamed than roasted.) Other funny calls over the years include the woman whose dog jumped up, grabbed the turkey from the dinner table and dragged the whole thing to the floor and started eating it — before the family could sit down for their meal. Johnson could relate to that one — “I have a giant goldendoodle and a little Frenchie,” she said — and the Talk-Line helped the caller figure out that a fresh turkey (already defrosted) would save the day — and meal. So, what is Johnson’s No. 1 tip for turkey perfection? “Do not forget about your best friend on Thanksgiving Day — your meat thermometer, of course. It should register 180 degrees [Fahrenheit] in the thigh and 170 in the breast for best eating quality.”

ones are on the speakerphone, maybe it’s a husband and wife; he believes one way, she believes another way,” she said, “and we are the turkey mediator.” The busiest shifts are, no surprise, during the week of Thanksgiving, particularly from 6 to 10 on Thanksgiving morning. “As soon as we open the phones, we already have a queue,” Johnson said. But the team also gets a good warm-up in October, when they host a Butterball Talk-Line for the Canadian Thanksgiving, which took place Oct. 9 this year. The food traditions are similar; turkey remains the star of the table. For the Canadian callers, a French/ English bilingual staffer joins the phones. There are also Spanish-speaking turkey experts available during the full season. On both sides of the border, the staffers know that there’s a common misperception about the “difficulty” of cooking turkey. “The idea that it takes all day, all night; Grandma wakes up at 3 in the morning to cook the turkey. That’s not the case,” Johnson said. “We ask you the weight of the turkey, stuffed or unstuffed, and then we give you a range (for how long it will take). My oven is newer, so it might cook faster than my mom’s.” To make sure they’re speaking the same culinary language as their callers, the Talk-Line staffers also bone up on various regional cooking techniques and dishes. They know about frying turkeys, popular on the Gulf Coast, and they can provide safety tips for what happens when a refrigerated bird hits boiling oil. They also understand that some people (bless their hearts) call it stuffing, not dressing.

Professional Background: The fall of 2001 was a busy one. Nicole was finishing up her graduate student work in nutrition dietetics and starting her first season of talking turkey with the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. Over the last 20+ years of talking turkey, she has developed lifelong friendships with the Butterball team that have become an extension of her own family. She cannot imagine spending Thanksgiving with anyone but the Butterball family! “I love talking turkey to all the different ‘kitchens’ in America; some are quiet, others are full of chatter. The connection remains the same, however: providing the best advice to help celebrate their Thanksgiving meal.” Go-to Thanksgiving Tip: “Do not forget about your best friend on Thanksgiving Day — your meat thermometer, of course! It should register 180°F in the thigh and 170 in the breast for best eating quality!” Favorite Thing About Talking Turkey:

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Let’s Talk Turkey

HOW TO ROAST A TURKEY Allow one day of thawing in the refrigerator for every four pounds of turkey. Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for stock or gravy. The most common and traditional way is a standard roast. First, brine your turkey. This is a process that involves fully submerging the bird overnight in a solution of water, salt and other seasonings. The brine is absorbed into the meat of the turkey, which helps to keep it moist during the roasting process. A brined turkey can be roasted at a higher temperature for a slightly shorter length of time, which also helps the meat retain its moisture. (A non-brined turkey roasts lower and slower.) The Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture both recommend roasting your bird until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reaches a temperature of 185ºF. (This is true whether you grill it, smoke it or roast it.) For a brined turkey, preheat your oven to 400ºF. Do not use the convection setting. Roast the turkey for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 325ºF. Cooking times will vary based on the size of the bird. Plan for about 15 minutes per pound, regardless of total weight. (Your biggest limitation will be the size of your oven.) To protect your turkey from browning too quickly or drying out, create a foil “tent” to cover the turkey breast. This will help insulate the quicker-cooking breast and maintain its moisture. Remove the tent for the last 20 minutes of cooking for that nice, crisp, golden-brown skin. HOW TO SPATCHCOCK A TURKEY Spatchcocking or butterflying has become particularly popular in the last few years (it is especially popular for chicken). Spatchcocking involves carving out the turkey’s backbone and flattening the turkey on a baking sheet with the breast facing up, the bird splayed open. It will slash the cooking time while allowing you also to indulge any latent and grisly Halloween impulses. The finished product will retain its moisture better simply because it doesn’t have to cook as long. To spatchcock a turkey, you will want first to brine it, just as you would a bird for a traditional roast. When ready to roast, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Brush the turkey with oil and, depending on its weight, cook in

the preheated oven for 70 to 90 minutes. (A 12-pound turkey will take approximately 70 minutes.) Because your turkey is splayed open with no center cavity, a safe internal temperature is 165ºF. Once the roasting is complete, you’ll discover a very even cooking of the legs, thighs and breast. The breast is typically the part of the bird that suffers most during a traditional roast, drying slowly over time. By opening the turkey with this technique, the breast will be far juicier and have more flavor. HOW TO FRY A TURKEY Deep-frying is a great way to prepare a turkey in terms of speed and flavor, but it’s not without its risks. You’ll need to fry it in an open area with no covering (i.e., outside and definitely not in the garage or under any patio covering). You will need a large thermometer made specifically for your pot to monitor the temperature of the oil. To deep-fry a turkey, first pat it down to remove all water. The biggest mistake people make is attempting to fry a turkey with moisture on or in it. Water will cause the oil to splatter, which can cause severe burning and/or a house fire. Bring your oil to 350ºF, and fry your turkey at three and-a-half minutes per pound. Your standard-issue, 12-pound turkey takes about 45 minutes to fry. You need enough oil in the pot to fill the turkey’s cavity while leaving a gap between the top of the turkey and the surface of the oil, and a gap between the surface of the oil and the top of the pot. You don’t want the turkey to cause the pot to overflow, so you don’t want too much oil there, either — yet you must have enough oil. It’s a difficult balance to achieve.

BRINE BUCKET ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT Our brine bucket kits take the guesswork out of preparation. They include two giant resealable plastic bags, a salt-and-seasoning mixture, and a recipe card that tells you everything you need to know.

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Yours, Brine & Ours By David W. Brown Y ou might have noticed the gorgeous turkey on the cover of this

sometimes come up. What makes our team members special is their ability to adapt. They’ll find a way to get the job done. Shoppers can count on us to have that meal ready for them.” Rouses does its best to help its entire team celebrate the holidays as well. “We do different events throughout the year for our team members,” says Lee. “Every Thanksgiving, we give out free turkeys so they can enjoy it with their families. We’ve been doing that for at least as long as I’ve been here, which is 17 years.” And they’ve definitely earned it, because it’s hard work running a grocery store! “It can be pretty demanding. Just being on your feet all day, walking from one side of the store to the other, to the back room — it all adds up,” he added. The hours can be long — they’re there early, before the store opens, and late, after it closes. Shelves are stocked, and floors and counters are cleaned. The Rouses team makes it look easy, even invisible, to guests — but that, Lee says, is what makes them the best in the business. New employees are often surprised by how many people they’ll interact with on a daily basis at any one of the Rouses locations. Familiar faces of frequent shoppers make them keep smiling, though. Anyone interested in joining the team can look forward to the family atmosphere of a family company. “We’ve been around for over 60 years now, and we’re very flexible not only on hours and days in our work schedules, but also with the opportunities across the company. No matter what someone is interested in doing, we can usually find somewhere that they can enjoy and make a career out of.” At the end of the day, says Lee, it’s all about the customer. “We’re proud to be there for the customers, and we’ve been taking care of them for a long time. Customer service is our No. 1 priority. I think that gets lost in today’s world. We like to have smiles on our faces to welcome our store guests so they have a great experience when they first walk in, and so that it’s the thing they remember when they leave.” BOURBON TURKEY BRINE For 1 10-to-12 pound turkey Turkey Tip: Place your brined turkey in the fridge, uncovered, 12 hours. This will help crisp the skin when it cooks. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 2 gallons of water 1 cup Buffalo Trace Bourbon 1 cup kosher salt 1 Rouses Brine Kit Bucket (or container of Rouses Turkey Brine) 1 10-to-12 pound turkey HOW TO PREP: Mix all ingredients in a Rouses Brine Kit Bucket, stirring to dissolve ingredients. (You can also use a large stockpot.) Remove giblets and packaging from turkey and discard (or save for another use). Place the turkey in the brine and seal the bucket. Add more water if needed to ensure turkey is fully submerged. Refrig erate 12-24 hours, repositioning the turkey halfway through as needed to make sure the bird is evenly brined.

Lee Veillon, Vice President of Human Resources

month’s issue. It was prepared by Rouses Markets’ own Lee Veillon, Vice President of Human Resources. He is an avid cook and, in previous issues, you’ve probably seen other dishes he has prepared. This year he wanted to give his turkey a little kick, and he prepared a bourbon-based brine using the Rouses Markets Brine Kit. After the bird bathed for 24 hours, it was ready for the smoker. You can find Lee’s recipe below and try it yourself. (Be sure to send pictures so we can compare!) If you work at Rouses Markets or are applying to work at Rouses Markets — there are 7,000 team members — you’ve encountered Lee or his team. They handle everything from job fairs to employee benefits. “We are a family-owned business, and we treat our team members like a family as well,” he told me with his distinct Cajun

accent. “There is no question that we have the best employees in the business.” As we move into fall and winter, the string of feast days means that the stores see a rush of shoppers. Some want to buy ingredients to cook at home, and some want Rouses to handle the cooking for them. That means the Rouses team is busy in the front of the store and in the back. “Obviously, we encourage everyone to get their orders in early,” Lee says with a laugh. “The team does a fantastic job with preparing that. And we know that, at the last minute, things

HOW TO FREEZE TURKEY OR HAM Frozen turkey or ham can typically be stored in the freezer for up to 4-6 months for optimal quality and taste. Always practice safe food handling and storage to ensure the best results. Visit www.rouses.com to for tips on how to properly package, freeze & defrost.

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Rinse the turkey, inside and out, thoroughly, under cold running water. Drain turkey and pat dry with paper towels; discard the brine.

ORANGE WE GLAD!

I had committed to providing satsumas for the Rouses Magazine team’s photoshoot. In our backyard in Chackbay, we have an array of citrus trees: navel oranges, Valencias, grapefruit, Louisiana sweets and satsumas that have been there for a good 25 years. Recently, we added lemon and blood orange trees to our orchard. The weather had been extremely dry, especially for most of the summer and throughout October. However, on the day of the photoshoot, rain came pouring down sideways. I found myself in the backyard wearing shrimp boots, while my husband, Ricky, held a large umbrella, helping me clip the satsumas. You can’t just pluck satsumas; you have to cut them. I’m not sure if it’s bad for the tree, but that’s the method my father-in-law taught me, and I knew I would hear him fussing all the way from heaven if I took a shortcut.

SMOKED TURKEY Serves 6 to 8

Turkey Tip: For faster and more even cooking, spatchcock the turkey; this can be done before or after brining. See instructions on page 19. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 10- to 12-pound turkey, brined (see recipe) Natural lump charcoal Rouses Pecan Wood Logs 1 stick unsalted butter Meat Church Texas Sugar Rub (or substitute your favorite rub) HOW TO PREP: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let sit for 15-20 minutes before cooking. Season with Meat Church Texas Sugar Rub on all sides of the turkey, getting rub in all crevices. Meanwhile, set up the smoker using natural lump charcoal and light it. Heat to 250° to 275°F. Scatter pecan wood logs directly onto the coals. Melt butter on stove and add in 1 table spoon Meat Church Texas Sugar Rub. Mix thoroughly. After 1 hour of cooking, baste the turkey with the butter/rub mix. Continue to smoke the turkey until darkly browned and cooked through, then baste again after cooking for an additional hour. Smoke the turkey until it reaches 160°F for spatchcocked turkey, or 180°F for a whole bird, (total cook time will vary, but expect 3 to 3½ hours for a 10- to 12-pound spatch cocked turkey) in the deepest part of the breast. The turkey will continue to carry over a few more degrees to get to the USDA

– Penny Thibodeaux, Office Manager, Rouses Store Support, team member since 1988

BUFFALO TRACE ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT Buffalo Trace, consistently rated as one of the world’s top distilleries and recognized for its distinctive quality, has garnered extensive worldwide media attention. Buffalo Trace is the company’s namesake bourbon. It’s just fantastic.

recommended 165°F. Remove the turkey once internal temperature is met and let rest for 20 minutes prior to carving.

MEAT CHURCH ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT Add flavor to your holiday turkey, ham or roast. Matt Pittman’s Meat Church BBQ Rubs and Seasonings have the perfect balance of sweetness and heat, with just the right amount of seasoning.

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Artesian aquifer quality.

Learn more at evamor.com

LET THE FEASTIVITIES BEGIN Get the family rockin’ around the chicken feast. With its crispy skin and herb-infused flavor, this Brown Butter Roasted Chicken is the perfect holiday centerpiece.

BROWN BUTTER ROASTED CHICKEN For this recipe and other holiday favorites, go to SandersonFarms.com/recipes. SandersonFarms.com/recipes SandersonFarms.com/recipes.

PHOTOS BY ROMNEY CARUSO 24 ROUSES WINTER 2023

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