This truffle is not chocolate! I was ready to write about gardening this morning. However, I was literally so distracted by a story from another garden blogger that I have totally lost my train of thought!
The distraction is the Black Perigord Truffle. This is a culinary delicacy so exquisite and prized that chefs here in the states lock these up in strong boxes or safes in their kitchens. In our dining experience, the chef (or other trusted person), brings a truffle to the table and shaves off thin slices to top the dish.
Rob, at Our French Garden, has wonderful photos and information about the French truffle from his visit to nearby Sarlat for the truffle festival.
Like Rob, I cannot explain the taste of truffles to anyone. All that I can tell you is that after one taste several years ago, I have craved truffles ever since.
My husband and I once went looking for a truffle to purchase locally here in the Chapel Hill area. We found only one, small white truffle priced at $300, and it wasn't fresh. These are so delicate and difficult to import to the states. One truffle goes a long way, but we didn't buy the truffle.
It takes just a little truffle shaving to provide the flavor. I compromise by buying imported truffle-infused oil in a tiny bottle for $30. I drizzle a small amount on top of risotto or pasta as it is served.
As a gardener and a truffle fan, I also researched the idea of growing truffles here in the USA. It turns out that there are truffle farms here in North Carolina. I wrote to Garland Truffles that is located nearby. To grow truffles, one must have the right trees inoculated with the truffle fungus, mycorrhiza. Here in North Carolina, that is the filbert (European or Turkish) and certain oak (Holly-Leaved, Downy or English) trees.
Whenever we travel in Europe, we look for truffle-accented dishes on the menu. In France, the Black Perigord truffe comes from the area around Sarlat in the Dordogne region (Rob's home). In Italy, the White Alba tartufo comes from Langhe area of the Piedmont.
Another gardening, travel, blogging friend, Diana at Creative Structures lives in the Piedmont (Piemonte) region of Italy. After reading Rob's post, I had to leave Diana a question about the white truffle season in the Piedmont. I would gladly volunteer to be a judge in a contest to compare the French and Italian truffles!
It makes me want to fly to the South of France to put myself in the middle of the two truffle regions for the season. Unfortunately, we can't go right now.
However, we have a friend, Lee Spears, will be visiting both France and Italy soon. I've suggested that he look for truffe on the menu in France and tartufo on the menu in Italy.
Lee is a luthier of hammered dulcimers here in North Carolina. Lee is a musician and sound engineer, too. If that's not enough, Lee also makes fabulous desserts! I tried to explain truffles, the fungi, to Lee recently. I hope that he and Sue will have an opportunity to sample these truffles on their vacation.
Bon appetit! Bon appetito!
Story by Freda Cameron
Thanks for the good read
ReplyDeleteHi Cameron, I too would love to hop on a plane to the south of France, not necessarily for the truffles, but to view the gardens there. Or better yet, just close my eyes real tight, click my heels together three times and transport myself there minus the airline flight! :-) Good deal on finding local truffles, too. And if you manage to grow some of your own, hats off to you!
ReplyDeleteFrances
I've never even heard of these! Sounds tasty. I have always wanted to go to Southern France to see how people winter garden- as described in Eliot Coleman's book Four Season Harvest. If I ever make it there, I'll know what to look for on menus!
ReplyDeleteI've never tasted truffles but they sound like something to put on my list of things to try. Thanks for the info about this delicacy.
ReplyDeleteI talked myself into making a risotto for dinner tonight! off to the grocery!
ReplyDeleteCameron
Hi Cameron.
ReplyDeleteI'm confident an Italian would state that the white truffle of Alba is the best in the world.
I'm also confident a French person would have a strong point of view as to why the Perigord truffle is the best.
If there's one food which stirs emotion, this is it.
Thanks for the mention by the way and sharing creative structures blog.
Rob
Amazing the cost for a truffle.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like the taste of it brings back fond memories.
Ahhh...to travel.
Informative and fun post today, Cameron!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that the Italian and French have great debates over truffles!
ReplyDeleteTrader Joe's didn't have truffle oil, but they had Italian truffle cheese for only $6. I'm going to try that in the risotto instead of parmesan. Should be interesting tonight! My son is off again on another archaeological project a week from today, so I'm working my way down the "home cooked" meal list of favorites.
Very interesting, Cameron. I've never tasted truffles before, and at their price I think I'd better stick to the chocolate ones:)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your last post. The old commercial line about "You can't fool Mother Nature" is so true--we can't predict her moods, for sure. You are lucky to have so many plants re-seed for you. I'm trying the verbena bono. for the first time this year and hoping it will re-seed for me, too.
I have never tasted truffles, but I once dug up something that I swore had to be a truffle of some sort, under one of the oak trees, near our house. They were fungi of some sort, that I'd never ever seen before, with no part of them being above ground. I still don't know what they were, but I tell people I dug up truffles in Northwest Ohio. LOLOL
ReplyDeleteI have never had a truffle but you have convinced me to try them if I ever see them on the menu. I have heard they use hogs to sniff them out of the ground. I dont know if that is fact or fiction but made me laugh. I have been to Italy several times, Wish I had read this posting before those visits. sigh
ReplyDeleteRose -- Yes, Mom Nature has her own mind!
ReplyDeleteKylee -- that's amazing!
Skeeter -- if you have a Trader Joe's nearby, try the Italian truffle cheese. I substituted it for the parmesan in the risotto tonight and it was awesome! I put chiffonades of prosciutto as a garnish. The truffle cheese and the prosciutto are just wonderful together.
My husband, son and I are too stuffed for the tiramisu torte -- I didn't make that, though. It's from Italy, in the frozen section at TJ's.
After we finished the risotto tonight, I remembered that I should have taken photos to share the recipe! I also roasted an elephant garlic and my son couldn't eat enough of it spread on the Tuscan pane bread.
To roast a whole elephant garlic, I cut off the top and peel off the loose outer skin. I put it in foil inside a crock (or pan) that fits and drizzle olive oil on the top. Wrap it and put in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes. I used convection, so it may take longer in a standard oven.
If you are using smaller garlic heads, you can use muffin tins for more garlics. Put a bit of water in the bottom of the empty cups to keep the pan from warping during the roasting.
Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins to spread on the bread.
I brush my (previously baked) Tuscan bread with olive oil and sprinkle a bit of grey salt (French) on top. Then wrap in foil and put in the 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. The salt/oil makes it crusty.
Amazing, and undoubtedly not true! But here's a photo of them...
ReplyDeleteNot truffles, but I wish I knew just what they were!
Kylee -- they do look like some sort of mushroom, although I don't know what kind.
ReplyDeleteI too toyed with growing truffles. I did the same research and almost ---came very close--to growing some inoculated trees. But...there is no guarantee you'll get truffles from those trees. I don't need a grove of trees for no particular reason.
ReplyDeleteI needed a truffle hunting dog too. Then I would need security. I spoke with a couple who has a truffle farm up in Mt Airy, NC. They claim people make a living out of stealing truffles. So they had to get guard dogs and security. Some people go as far as to hide their farms from public eyes. They travel out only at night with a flashlight. With their truffle sniffing dog in tow....they dig up the truffles and put them in the safe just as you said.
It takes 3 to 7 years to get a truffle harvest from the inoculated trees. Not much maintenance involved. You have to keep weeds down. So Cameron...should we try our hand at truffle farming? NC has the perfect soil--just like we grow good grapes.
Cameron,
ReplyDeleteBy the way...if you want seeds I have tons of them and millions for Nicotiana sylvestris. Just e-mail your address. Use them or not,I really do have a lot of seeds that will just go to waste.
Anna -- The security is a big deal and we had the same concerns. In the last year, I read about some investor putting a few million into a truffle farm here in NC.
ReplyDeletePatsi -- I'll drop you and email. Thanks.
Since I've never tasted a truffle, I don't know if I could pick the flavor out of any meal I was eating... but I would like to try it.--Randy
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a case of tasting better than they look;) Are the stories about finding them with trained pigs true? I always thought that sounded so romantic and a little absurd;)
ReplyDeleteMarnie
Oh my! Bon appetit indeed! I would love to try truffles! Those truffles look good-chocolate or not. Oh how I love the chocolate truffles.
ReplyDeleteShame on you, Cameron, for misleading these fine folks about truffles! Truffles ARE NOT a delicious fungus found in the ground. As any fan of the old Star Trek would happily attest, a truffle is a fuzzy little alien creature that appears perfectly harmless, but reproduces faster than a copier at Kinko's.
ReplyDeleteCameron,
ReplyDeleteI am ready to hop on that plan, too! But I will wait till the gardens are blooming a bit later in the year. We have truffled salt. It's very earthy....good on scrambled eggs.
Gail
Yum ... never met a Truffle I didn't love, Cameron! Delicious post ~ oh, to jump on that plane :)
ReplyDeleteJ&R -- a tiny bit goes a long way. The best introduction is to get truffle oil or cheese to try first.
ReplyDeleteMarnie -- they do look like something you'd find in a horse pasture on a cold day! :-) Yes, pigs were used and now dogs are used to sniff out the truffles.
Gail -- I've not tried the truffled salt. Sounds good!
Joey -- I thought you'd be on the truffle train with all of your creative recipes.
Grumpy -- Were you having a beer when you were beamed up? Tribbles were the furry little critters on Star Trek. Of course...
The truth is usually just an excuse for a lack of imagination.
-Garak, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
I love truffles! You are so right about the unique aroma and flavor!
ReplyDeleteTruffles are expensive, but that ia a great tip about truffle oil.
Philip
Phillip -- are you in the UK? If so, Passione restaurant on Charlotte Street in London often has the Italian White truffles (in season) to shave on pastas. That's a fabulous restaurant. When my son was at UCL for grad school, went to Passione during our visit.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interesting article.
ReplyDelete