Truffles

[Duer 157099]

OK I have to admit it: I'm a truffle virgin. To my knowledge, I have never tasted a truffle, and dammit, I'm ready to give in.

Where can I get one? Anybody have a trusted source? Having never tried one, I have no clue what to look for.

I'm not even sure what I'd do with it, but I just want to know what the taste is.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

1. I too, am a virgin. It's on my list of things to try before

I kick this mortal coil.

This one is supposed to be the best: http://www.urbanitruffles.com/summer_fresh.asp

If you go for it, please come back & tell us virgins about your experience.

[Warpy]

2. My first truffles were in a very fancy restaurant in

Quebec's Old City, in a poulet chasseur. I had no idea what those thin black shavings in the sauce were, but they were divine. The whole meal left me with a feeling of well being that lasted several hours.

They're worth the bucks, but they're very perishable. Other ways I've had them have been in terrines and in other sauces.

A cheaper way to introduce your palate to the flavor would be to buy a bottle of truffle oil, oil that's been infused with truffle flavor over a period of time. It can be used to spike the flavor of all sorts of things from mashed potatoes to the gravies you put on them. It's also wonderful on veggies and even some salads.

[housewolf]

3. Presume you're talking about MUSHROOM truffles...

not COCOLATE truffles, which were created to LOOK like mushroom truffles.

This was probably obvious... can't help it, my mind turns to chocolate way before it turns to mushrooms! :-)

If there is a gourmet grocery in your area, you might check with them.

[hippywife]

5. LOL!

I thought the same thing, too. Truffles to me always brings chocolate to mind.

[Duer 157099]

8. Heh, I lost my chocolate truffle virginity waaaaay long ago n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Have you ever had porcini (cepes) mushroooms?

Truffles are kinda-sorta-maybe like that but waaaaaaaay better.

Earthy and divine.

Describing the flavor is like trying to describe red to a blind person.

Now ..... you really should try them if you're able. But if you never do, you'll still have lived a rich, fulfilled life.

[Duer 157099]

7. I *loooooooove* porcinis

Years ago, Trader Joe's had a jar of Porcinis, can't recall if it was a mix of wilds or just porcini, and can't recall if it was in water, brine, or oil. All I remember is that I've been seeking them out ever since, to no avail. I can only find the dried ones, and I must be incompetent when it comes to rehydrating them, because they never taste as good as those ones in the jar

I had added them to a Thai chicken coconut lemon-grass soup (Tom Yum something) and it definitely took the soup to a completely nother level -- and it was already a good soup to begin with, using straw mushrooms. I haven't been satisfied with the soup ever since.

If truffles are like that, then I'm in! My new quest...

[Stinky The Clown]

10. Just cover 'em with boiling water and let 'em soak for twenty minutes or so ......

.... and never, ever throw away the soaking liquid.

In fact, for my money, when rehydrating dried cepes, the water is almost worth more than the 'shrooms!

[Warpy]

13. I feel the same way about shiitake soaking water

In fact, that water is a sauce base for a simple stir fry of shiitake mushrooms and pea pods that fool people into thinking they're eating something meaty and chock full of protein over their rice.

It's one of my favorite meals. I need to do it again soon...

[eleny]

6. Truffle virginity is a drag, like the other kind

Losing it is also like the other kind - pricey but worth it.

I got some of the truffle infused olive oil at my local King Soopers and am glad I did. I've used a tiny bit in the fry pan to make over easy eggs. And then the swiss chard I posted about yesterday. It gives the dish a richer flavor that's hard to describe. Next, I want to find some truffle butter. I think that would work greatr for the eggs. I hope to find it locally to avoid the shipping of a chilled item.

Just read up and go for it. You won't be disappointed.

[Duer 157099]

9. I've been tempted to get the oil

but not knowing what I should expect, I wasn't sure how I would evaluate it, so I figured I should lose my virginity to the real actual thing, and then settle for the infusions later, when I know what I should be looking for.

I want to actually go find them in the wild, but I don't know if they grow around here. We have a local mycological society that go on field trips, and it's been on my "to do/wish list" for several years, and yet I haven't done it yet :sigh:

[eleny]

11. They grow underground

That's why people use truffle sniffing pigs to find them in France. I don't know if they grow here in the states but it would be such a hoot if you can find some.

Reason I haven't ordered any fresh is because you have to use them up very quickly and I'm not sure what to make yet. Maybe I'll call some gourmet shops and see what's available. These are the times I miss being in NYC for the many shopping opportunities. But then, back home we never could find the boletes mushrooms in the woods like you can here in the Colorado mountain forests.

[NashVegas]

20. There's a Farm in East Tennessee

And oh my god! They're looking for partners!

http://www.tennesseetruffle.com/

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/28/dining/28truf.html

[supernova]

24. One here in my backyard too

Seems some of the tobacco settlement $$ is being used to plant truffle tress. :D

http://garlandtruffles.com/

[Duer 157099]

21. There's a show on the Travel channel...

...called "Cash & Treasures" (I think) and it's all about treasure hunting -- gold, minerals, etc; and one episode was about truffles (or maybe mushrooms, or both) and I believe they filmed the episode somewhere in Michigan. It looked sooo fun!

edit to add: oops, looks like it was in Oregon -- funny I could've sworn it was Michigan... maybe that was another episode -- oh, yeah, I think the Mich one was about a certain mushroom... anyway, here's a link -- gives the exact coordinates of where they did the hunt!

http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Cash_and_Treasures/ci.Truffles_Toolkit.show?vgnextfmt=show

[fortyfeetunder]

12. The oil is to die for

I found some in a market in Seattle...a drizzle in some soup...yeah, I am not a truffle virgin anymore!!!!

There is a "cheaper" truffle oil with a porcini in it. It is not the real thing....

[GoneOffShore]

17. To find truffle butter

find a local grocer who stocks products from https://www.dartagnan.com/index.asp

[shireen]

14. not all truffle oils are created equal

I checked urbanitruffles.com but they currently don't have any truffle oil in stock. So I ventured out into the vast internets to find other sources. That's when I stumbled into a couple of articles warning about fake truffle oil, olive oil mixed with a chemical that mimics the dominant aroma in white truffles 2,4-dithiapentane.

More info
http://www.guidelive.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/columnists/baddison/stories/DN-truffleoil_0914gui.State.Edition1.28fb280.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/dining/16truf.html

Be sure to read the list of ingredients before forking out the big bucks.

Meanwhile, my search continues ... after reading this thread, I don't think I can wait for urbanitruffles.com to replenish their stock!

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

15. I remember reading an article about truffle oil.

It was a comparison taste test & one was way better than the others. Unfortunately, I can't remember which one. Nor can I find the article. If you find anything will you let us know?

[shireen]

18. i've been reading up about truffles, wow! What a complex subject!

There's so much to learn about truffles and I've book-marked some pages to explore later on ....


Anyhow, here's some information relevant to this thread, with numbered references listed at the end of the post:


- Tossing some truffle shavings into olive oil will not produce truffle oil? The flavor won't last. (1), (2)


- Check the list of all ingredients on the truffle oil label, and even then, buyer beware. Some "real" truffle oils also have an artifical chemical additive to enhance the flavor. I would check the ingredient list to make sure there are just two ingredients: olive oil & natural truffle flavor/extract. (1) (3)


- Reading the ingredient list for some truffle oils, you'll sometimes see "essence of truffles". What the heck is that? For the company marketing the product, it could be anything they want. There's very little information available (that I've found so far) but here's an excerpt about the Urbani truffle oil from reference (2):
Urbani infuses their truffle oil with a natural essence that is created during an enzymatic reaction with casein, the protein found in milk. Years were spent collaborating with a university in southern Italy to develop this natural truffle essence.


- Exercise caution in buying white truffle oil. White truffles are harder to preserve than black truffles. (4)


- If you purchase truffle oil, especially white, get it from a reputable company. So, what's reputable? From scanning various webpages, the brand names that seem to pop out are Plantin (11), Urbani (13) (14), Sabatino Tartufi (9) Etruria (12). But I can't vouch for them, just passing along the information. If you try it, please give us a review.


- Other resources for recommended truffle oils, (can't vouch for it)
http://www.tastingmenu.com/archive/2003/03-march.htm , go 1/3rd of the way down the page to post captioned "Sunday, March 16, 2003, 11:02PM" (5)
http://blogs.timesunion.com/tablehopping/?p=1108


- While searching around, I found one brand name that sounded interesting, Truffières de Rabasse. I'm going to try to learn more about it. (6) I could only find a few places that carry their products: Amazon.com, (7), (8), and I'm sure Google will produce a few more US online stores.


- Some cooking ideas using truffle oil. (10)


I still haven't decided what to get. The safe reliable choice for authentic truffle oil would be Urbani. But it would be fun to try other brands, esp. discovering lesser-known brands that are just as good or better. So, please post your truffle oil reviews in this forum.

Well, I better stop here ... already spent 3+ hours exploring truffles on the internets! :D Really, I've been procrastinating on the mountain of chores that await me.

Any truffle oil recommendations are most welcome! :)


References
(1) http://italianfood.about.com/b/2007/01/09/thinking-about-truffle-oil-should-you-buy-it.htm
(2) http://www.jlpfoundation.org/interns_Wong.asp
(3) http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/dining/16truf.html
(4) http://www.chowhound.com/topics/482875
(5) http://www.tastingmenu.com/archive/2003/03-march.htm
(6) http://www.rabasse.com/home.php
(7) http://www.lepicerie.com/catalog/category_268_FINE_FOODS_Truffles__Truffle_products_page_1.html
(8) http://www.crossingsfrenchfood.com/products_oils_truffieres.php
(9) http://www.sabatinotartufi.com/our-company.htm
(10) http://www.chowhound.com/topics/369499
(11) http://www.plantin.com/
(12) http://www.etruriagourmet.com/product_tartufati.htm
(13) http://www.urbanitartufi.com/Negozio_en/Index.asp (Italian website)
(14) http://www.urbanitruffles.com/ (US website)

Fun links:
A french truffle vacation!
http://truffiere.bressac.free.fr/truffles_and_touring.htm
Truffle menu
http://www.christian-etienne.fr/home.htm
North American Truffling Society
http://www.natruffling.org/

[shireen]

19. link 14 is under construction but goneoffshore's post has a link to get the oil

The brand name carried at the link he provided, www.dartagnan.com , carries Urbani. I recognized the label.

[GoneOffShore]

16. Wait until next year before buying European truffles. (Dial up warning)

Truffles this year have been relatively plentiful, but tasteless - news that I forgot during my birthday dinner in Paris.

I ordered the oeufs sur la plat au truffe and although it came with five or six slices of truffle it was relatively tasteless and not worth the 12 euros supplement.

To source truffles find a chef and ask him to get them for you. American truffles have a tendency to be softer than their European counterparts and without the same earthy flavor. We are still trying to grow them here in the States, but it is extremely difficult. Climate, soil and the fussiness of the fungus all contribute to the problem of truffle cultivation (They have also tried in France and Italy, without a lot of success - Most truffles must be found in the forest by either pigs or dogs).

Truffle oil is excellent as it the truffle butter from D'Artagnan https://www.dartagnan.com/index.asp - Use the butter on popcorn and surprise your guests.

As for what to do with one once you've got it - Before you cook with it, put in in a closed box with a dozen eggs in the fridge. It will perfume them. Then you can make omelets with the eggs and shave it over them at the last minute. Too much heat destroys the flavor.

You could make roast chicken in half mourning - slices of truffle under the skin of the chicken. The meat is perfumed by the truffle as the chicken cooks, transferring its flavor to the meat.

My best truffle memory was at the truffle festival at Bonnieux in Provence several years ago. It was a rainy Sunday in December but the village was packed.



Truffles in bulk. Notice the prices - and the chicken wire protecting the product.1300euros per kilo cleaned and 1000euros per with dirt on them.



A well groomed truffle pig - They still use them to find the fungus.



A truffle expert selling his book.



Lunch?



The chef des truffes



Cash only - an old French tradition.

[Stinky The Clown]

22. The 'Truffle Expert' looks like Truman Capote!

:)

[GoneOffShore]

23. Yes he did.

But he sold a lot of books.

[Warpy]

27. Maybe he faked his death

moved to France, and discovered gluttony!

[supernova]

25. Do you have a local gourmet shop?

They usually have them. But beware, they cost 1/2 a week's salary (if they're any good)

If you want to simply explore first, a bottle of infused oil is the way to go.

[housewolf]

26. Just saw this article on Salon.com about truffles coming to the US

Thought you might be interested. The 4-page article can be found here (if you're not a subscriber, you can click through the advertisements to get to the article)

http://www.salon.com/mwt/food/eat_drink/2008/02/16/truffle_farming/?source=newsletter

Feb. 16, 2008 | Last spring, I stood in an orchard in eastern Tennessee with a man who cupped in his hands one of the earth's great treasures. It was black and coarse, about the size of a baby's fist, and covered in mud. The man, a farmer and scientist named Tom Michaels, lifted it to his nose, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He was kneeling before a hazelnut tree, among dozens of rows of hazelnuts and oaks, and his hands were wet from digging. The sun had fallen beyond the mountains and the hillside offered a quintessential Tennessee view -- bright red dirt roads, a fine mist in the valley, tobacco barns, blue hills in the distance. When Michaels opened his eyes, he was smiling. "Isn't it funny?" he said, glancing down at the lump in his grasp. "Everyone's after this thing and here it is and it looks just like a turd."

The "thing," in this case, was a French black truffle, "the black diamond," a mushroom revered in the circles of high cuisine. Dark and damp and sheathed in what look like tiny warts, it seemed an unlikely object of desire. Yet its scent, among the most powerful of any food, has long inspired a peculiar, almost irrational devotion.

more...

[opiate69]

28. Here's a great online source..

http://www.fungi.com/gourmet/truffles.html

[sazemisery]

29. Our Truffle experiences

2007 was a very good year for truffle flavor. It was our first truffle, a Christmas gift from the oldest child, and it was heavenly. Now I will admit that I experienced a feeling of euphoria similar to psilocybin mushrooms consumed in the '70s. No colors just euphoria.(I don't drink alcoholic beverages so we can't attribute my euphoria to that.)

This year we bought another truffle and we were disappointed. The aroma and flavor were just not there.

When we get our truffle, we get a large glass jar and put eggs and butter in it along with the truffle and seal it shut for 24 hours. It amazes me how the truffle essence infuses the eggs right through the shell.

[shireen]

30. where did you get it?

Where did your kid get the Christmas truffle?
And where did you get the truffle that wasn't so great?

It's a temperamental little fungus, eh?!

[sazemisery]

31. Two different sources

The first year we got it from Vivacious Truffles but I think they are out of business.
This year we bought from http://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/

When we complained that the truffle had no flavor, they sent us another one at no cost. I feel bad now knowing that it was not the best year for truffles.

[housewolf]

32. Time to Get Serious About Climate Change: The Truffle Crisis.

Saw this in the Environment/Energy forum, thought some here might be interested too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x135045
Time to Get Serious About Climate Change: The Truffle Crisis.

...
Daniel used to deal in big quantities. But for the past five years, drought has been parching the Var region of southeast France as well as truffle-producing regions in Italy and Spain _ and today he can fit his entire weekly harvest in a single plastic bag.

He's not the only one.

Organizers at the market in the Var village of Aups, where Daniel plies his wares, have had to suspend the weekly wholesale auction, where middlemen used to bid tens of thousands of dollars for mounds of truffles. The reason: these days there simply aren't enough of the fragrant fungi...
...

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

33. I better put trying a truffle at the top of my list since it looks

like they're going to get even rarer. Something else lost to global warming. :cry: