Our beef brats are modeled on a French farm sausage tradition. Unlike pork sausage, which tends to be heavy and salty, our brats are clean and mild. Apart from being sensational on the grill, they are great sliced as meatballs in a speghetti bolegnese. They add zing to your lasagna and meatloafs, and is tasty scrambled with eggs for a savory breakfast.

The brats have olive oil in it, mainly for the flavor. Overcook and the olive oli will run out, leaving you with a tough, dry sausage. On the grill, you will tend to get a lot of flare-ups on a hot flame since the olive oil has a relatively low flash point. Keep the sausages off to the side, allowing them to cook over a longer period of time over lower heat. Hit them briefly with some high heat at the end to give the casing a firmer, more bite-able surface.

The brats are an all-beef combined with olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, onions, herbs de provence, and salt. We use whey to help hold it all together. Thus, our brats are gluten-free and lactose-free. They are based on a recipe from Sharon Payne - chef and operator of Parnassus Farm and Garden in New Zealand. If ever you visit, they are gracious hosts. Visit them at www.parnassus.co.nz.