I’ve been waiting all season to get my hands on a whole Brussels sprout stalk so I could roast the entire thing at once.

Have you ever tried doing this? I am telling you the truth: It’s so easy and the presentation is out-of-this-world.

But wait… you say you HATE Brussels sprouts? That’s because you’ve never had them prepared like this: crisp, caramelized and free of that nasty sulfur taste.

Brussels sprouts on the stalk are available right now (obviously).

Here’s what to look for: tightly closed sprouts that are bright green in color on a solid, heavy stalk. The stalk shouldn’t feel rubbery. For more tips on how to select beautiful, loose Brussels sprouts, click here.

I Instagramed a picture of a stalk before I roasted it and I was surprised at how many people said they’ve seen whole stalks in the super markets, but just kept on walking by because, as one reader asked, “How could I make them taste good?”

Well, here’s a recipe to show you how…

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Not up for roasting a whole stalk? Try this recipe: Hot Bacon Salad (made with Brussels Sprouts… yum!).

Celia asks: In one of your recipes you said that if I’m going to use canned tomatoes, I should buy Italian San Marzano tomatoes. What’s so special about them?

In my recipe for Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce, I suggested that you buy canned Italian San Marzano tomatoes because they deliver a tangy, bright flavor… far superior to many other canned tomatoes. But what are San Marzano tomatoes?

San Marzano tomatoes are basically plum tomatoes with a lush, elegant flesh; they are grown in Italy’s southern Sarno River Valley. The tomatoes stay on the vine longer than many other varieties, which gives them a sweeter, less acidic taste.

They also have thinner skins with fewer seeds, so you have a firm, but supple bite, even after cooking them for a long time, like in my Homemade Tomato Sauce.

If you want to make sure the canned tomatoes you are buying are REAL San Marzanos, look for the Italian D.O.P. (or Denominazione di Origine Protetta) designation on the can. This means that the Italian tomato famers followed specific government agricultural rules. You can (sort of) equate these rules to the USDA regulations regarding products that can and cannot use the USDA Organic Seal.

Italian San Marzano tomatoes do have their detractors, so you’ll need to conduct your own taste test. If you can’t find real Italian San Marzano tomatoes, try whole Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes.