There are few ingredients more expensive and alluring than the truffle. Truffles have been consumed as a delicacy throughout history and have been revered for their flavor, rarity and aphrodisiac properties. These bulbous fungi are found hidden beneath the earth growing among the roots of trees such as oak, hazelnut and beech. The bulk of the world’s truffles are found in Italy, France and sprinkled throughout Europe. French gourmand Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, appropriately named truffles "the diamond of the kitchen", although they aren't visually as beautiful as a diamond. The name truffle is an evolution of the latin word “tuber” meaning “swelling” or “lump”, which doesn't exactly conjure images of the gourmet food that we know today. But nonetheless, truffles are round and lumpy and have little to no resemblance to other mushrooms in the fungi family. They also are one of the most costly foods in the world, fetching upwards of $3,000 per pound. Now, that’s a fancy mushroom.
You might ask, “Why so expensive?”. Like any other product, their extraordinary expense is directly related to their limited supply and the labor to harvest them. Truffles can’t be “farmed”. They occur naturally and we must seek them out in order to enjoy them. Since Truffles grow beneath the earth and out of plain sight,
trufficulteurs, or truffle hunters, need to employ the help of animals to sniff out the prized fungi. Pigs, and now dogs, are most commonly used. Pigs instinctively forage for truffles. Scientifically speaking, truffles contain a similar compound to
androstenol, the sex pheromone found in boar saliva, which leads the pigs straight to the buried mushrooms. It might also be why truffles are considered an aphrodisiac, how romantic? While pigs are natural hunters, they are quite problematic since they have a tendency to devour the truffles once they've unearthed it. Greedy piggies!
Varieties:
Truffles can be categorized mainly by color: white, black and burgundy. Each of these varieties can be sub-categorized into a summer or winter truffle, depending on when they were harvested. The distinguished white truffle has garlicky, musky and earthy flavor and aroma. These truffles are the most prized over all other varieties because their flavor is more intense, but also fades more quickly. The outside of the truffle is tan in color and the inside is a pale cream with brown marbling. These white truffles or, "trifola d'Alba", are found in the Piedmont area of northern Italy. In fact, these white Italian truffles are the most valuable on the market. Fittingly, the city of Alba holds a international truffle fair in the fall, the
Fiera del Tarturfo. A month of festivities focus around the traditions of the truffle harvest and, of course, consuming loads of the extraordinary fungi.
Black truffles are most commonly found around oak trees on Southern France and are often times referred to as black Périgord truffle, named for that specific French region. While their flavor is less robust than their white counterparts, it alternatively has a more longevity. The lesser known burgundy truffle, with a dark reddish brown skin, has a marked notes of hazelnut flavor. They also have a wider growing distribution than white and black truffles, as they are found throughout Europe. Despite all of their subtle differences, the variation in tastes between truffle species are all subjective and any perceived monetary value should be left to the palate of the consumer!
At Home Usage:
So if you should find yourself buying some of these “diamonds of the kitchen” you’ll want to be sure you use them correctly. There are a few universal rules to cooking with truffles. Firstly, remember that the truffle flavor is paramount in any dish. Their earthy flavor will conquer anything else, so make certain it doesn't have to compete. Fat is your friend when it comes to truffles. The richness of fat only enhances the truffle flavor which is why it’s most often paired in butters and oils. Remember a little goes a long way. When using fresh truffles maximize the flavor by slicing paper thin flakes on top of dishes, only using 8 - 10 grams per person. More does not necessarily mean better in this instance, rather a waste of a rare ingredient.
You’ll also want to store your precious truffles with great care, as exposure to air is what ultimately exhausts the spore of it’s aroma and flavor. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or kept frozen in a vacuum sealed glass container for up to 6 months. Lastly truffles can be stored submerged in uncooked rice grains which emulate their natural habitat and regulate their moisture content.
If fresh truffles don't fit into your budget, try using some of Di Bruno Bros. truffle infusions first. Drizzle
truffle oil over an omelet or a risotto. Use delicate
truffle honey as a cheese plate accompaniment. It pairs exceptionally well with a pungent gorgonzola. Incorporate decadent
white truffle cream into pasta or gnocchi or stuff homemade ravioli with
black truffle cream. Lastly sample some
Truffle Tremor cheese from Cypress Grove, a goat cheese studded with bits of luxurious truffles.
Diamonds may be a girls best friend, but we think truffles are a foodies best friend!
You might ask, “Why so expensive?”. Like any other product, their extraordinary expense is directly related to their limited supply and the labor to harvest them. Truffles can’t be “farmed”. They occur naturally and we must seek them out in order to enjoy them. Since Truffles grow beneath the earth and out of plain sight, trufficulteurs, or truffle hunters, need to employ the help of animals to sniff out the prized fungi. Pigs, and now dogs, are most commonly used. Pigs instinctively forage for truffles. Scientifically speaking, truffles contain a similar compound to androstenol, the sex pheromone found in boar saliva, which leads the pigs straight to the buried mushrooms. It might also be why truffles are considered an aphrodisiac, how romantic? While pigs are natural hunters, they are quite problematic since they have a tendency to devour the truffles once they've unearthed it. Greedy piggies!
Varieties:
Truffles can be categorized mainly by color: white, black and burgundy. Each of these varieties can be sub-categorized into a summer or winter truffle, depending on when they were harvested. The distinguished white truffle has garlicky, musky and earthy flavor and aroma. These truffles are the most prized over all other varieties because their flavor is more intense, but also fades more quickly. The outside of the truffle is tan in color and the inside is a pale cream with brown marbling. These white truffles or, "trifola d'Alba", are found in the Piedmont area of northern Italy. In fact, these white Italian truffles are the most valuable on the market. Fittingly, the city of Alba holds a international truffle fair in the fall, the Fiera del Tarturfo. A month of festivities focus around the traditions of the truffle harvest and, of course, consuming loads of the extraordinary fungi.
Black truffles are most commonly found around oak trees on Southern France and are often times referred to as black Périgord truffle, named for that specific French region. While their flavor is less robust than their white counterparts, it alternatively has a more longevity. The lesser known burgundy truffle, with a dark reddish brown skin, has a marked notes of hazelnut flavor. They also have a wider growing distribution than white and black truffles, as they are found throughout Europe. Despite all of their subtle differences, the variation in tastes between truffle species are all subjective and any perceived monetary value should be left to the palate of the consumer!
At Home Usage:
So if you should find yourself buying some of these “diamonds of the kitchen” you’ll want to be sure you use them correctly. There are a few universal rules to cooking with truffles. Firstly, remember that the truffle flavor is paramount in any dish. Their earthy flavor will conquer anything else, so make certain it doesn't have to compete. Fat is your friend when it comes to truffles. The richness of fat only enhances the truffle flavor which is why it’s most often paired in butters and oils. Remember a little goes a long way. When using fresh truffles maximize the flavor by slicing paper thin flakes on top of dishes, only using 8 - 10 grams per person. More does not necessarily mean better in this instance, rather a waste of a rare ingredient.
You’ll also want to store your precious truffles with great care, as exposure to air is what ultimately exhausts the spore of it’s aroma and flavor. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or kept frozen in a vacuum sealed glass container for up to 6 months. Lastly truffles can be stored submerged in uncooked rice grains which emulate their natural habitat and regulate their moisture content.
If fresh truffles don't fit into your budget, try using some of Di Bruno Bros. truffle infusions first. Drizzle truffle oil over an omelet or a risotto. Use delicate truffle honey as a cheese plate accompaniment. It pairs exceptionally well with a pungent gorgonzola. Incorporate decadent white truffle cream into pasta or gnocchi or stuff homemade ravioli with black truffle cream. Lastly sample some Truffle Tremor cheese from Cypress Grove, a goat cheese studded with bits of luxurious truffles.
Diamonds may be a girls best friend, but we think truffles are a foodies best friend!
