Truffle Season

*TT* · #1 10-20-2006, 12:51 AM

Ooooh, this is my favorite time of year! Truffle season has arrived, which means I get to eat at the best restaurants until I feel totally gorged on fine vino and pasta dishes smothered in truffle shavings.

I met a girl tonight who had never had truffles before, so I impulsively took her to Fiamia for diner. She had the duck with white truffle chips, and I had the oxtail tortellini with cream and wine reduction sauce slathered with white truffle shavings. Delicious! That was my inspiration for this thread, I want to know about other great meals that feature truffles.

Warning - truffles are not for the squeamish, yet its a true gourmet delight. They are found on the ground by pigs, although they are sometimes found by trained dogs instead (pigs don't need training, but dogs don't eat the truffles and the pigs do). They are $600/pound at Dean & Delucca for black truffles this season, but you can buy one for around $45 (probably around 20 servings). White truffles are generally served uncooked and shaved over steaming buttered pasta or salads. White or black paper-thin truffle slices may be inserted in meats, under the skins of roasted fowl, in foie gras preparations, in pâtés, or in stuffings. Some specialty cheeses contain truffles as well. Wikipedia says the flavor of black truffles is far less pungent and more refined than their white cousins. It is reminiscent of fresh earth, mushrooms, and when fresh, their scent fills a room almost instantly

Foodies of OOT: Tell me about your first experience eating a truffle seasoned meal!

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Klompy · #2 10-20-2006, 01:02 AM

Never tried them before, don't know if I ever will. Sounds like this is a food that only the ballas around here can enjoy, I guess I'll just stick with morels.

daryn · #3 10-20-2006, 01:04 AM

never tried them, but i would love to

szw · #4 10-20-2006, 01:04 AM

I have always wanted to try them but I'm not balla enough.

*TT* · #5 10-20-2006, 01:36 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I have always wanted to try them but I'm not balla enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

start with truffle butter, you can get it for around $5.00. You can make a killer truffle omlet that way!

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

edfurlong · #6 10-20-2006, 01:04 AM

Truffled scrambled eggs are incredible. I'm a low roller though, so I don't do much truffle eating.

The DaveR · #7 10-20-2006, 11:04 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Truffled scrambled eggs are incredible. I'm a low roller though, so I don't do much truffle eating.

[/ QUOTE ]

No shame in that. Simple things are often best and truffles and eggs are magical.

Ray Zee · #8 10-20-2006, 01:11 AM

i havent had them in a long time. but my favorite was cutting a whole one thinly on homemade pasta noodles cooked al dente and covered with a little butter and some pecarino romano cheeze
with a bottle of ruffino chianti

NT! · #9 10-20-2006, 01:38 AM

[ QUOTE ]
i havent had them in a long time. but my favorite was cutting a whole one thinly on homemade pasta noodles cooked al dente and covered with a little butter and some pecarino romano cheeze
with a bottle of ruffino chianti

[/ QUOTE ]

ruffino is a totally drinkable chianti but, come on ray zee, not very baller. what is it like 11 bucks?

i had some sort of venison dish involving truffles a while back but was disappointed by it because it was waaay overcooked... TT, you should recommend a place and i will go and post a trip report. i promise to drink a more baller wine than ray zee.

Ray Zee · #10 10-20-2006, 01:45 AM

there is much better ruffino than the 10 buck stuff. but ruffino was the wine i grew up with so you get a taste for something. and when eating a hearty meal some wines like chianti do very well with food.