Guys, I’m sure you must have been hearing quite a lot about truffles and truffle oils a bit. I’ve been familiar with the name for a few years; but, I’ve not consumed this pricey food. One of my faves on Food Network, Ina Garten (love her), would sometimes drizzle a bit of the oil in mac/cheese, and other dishes.
Anyway, just the other day, the Queen of Talk, the mogul, my idol, Oprah Winfrey was attached to a bit of news about truffles. Being the food enthusiast that I am, I decided to dig and sniff my way on this truffle ‘hoopla’ so to speak.
Oh, by the way Ms. Winfrey struck gold in Italy with a huge white truffle. And of course, the experts state that white truffle is the ‘white diamond of Italy’ which is pricier than the black version.http://www.yahoo.com/food/oprah-went-truffle-hunting. All I can say, that guy at the end is packing ‘a huge truffle’).
So anyway, based on my findings, I understand that truffles are of the fungi family. They are really mushrooms that are found underground in the wild. Generally, they thrive between fallen leaves and twigs of specific trees like oak, hazel, beech, etc. Some can even be buried underground of up to three feet.Their best seasons for excellent growth are Fall, Winter and Spring.
Some say if you like the taste of porto bello mushrooms, you will love the taste of truffles with a little more to them. They taste nutty and earthy (after all, their home is underground). Those who have consumed them say that their flavors are very aromatic.
For most of us, the cost of truffles is pretty expensive. One of the reasons for so is because of their rarity. More over, it involves quite a lot of labor to hunt for these so-called diamonds in the rough. Therefore, in order to retrieve these members of the fungi family, one has to use special hunting dogs or pigs (hogs) to nab them.
I did a bit of digging on the Internet for the prices of truffles along with its products. Amazon carries same. Some of their prices are:
- A minced black jar of truffles (1.74 ounces)- $22.95
- Roland black truffle oil (3.4 ounces) – $13.30
- A combination set of white/black(2) 3.4 ounces – $34.95
- A black truffle (super concentrate) (3.4 ounces) – $19.95
Guys, I don’t know about you, for now I’ll continue to enjoy my port bello mushrooms. I’ll drizzle some of my extra virgin olive oil on them. I’ll use this brain of mine to imagine that Antonio went hunting and fetched me the biggest truffles in the wild. As I sip on my inexpensive glass of pinot noir, I’ll smile with a happy palate.
Maybe, one day I’ll treat yours truly to a bottle of truffle oil. Who knows? I might be able to afford a hunt for truffles in Umbria, Italy. But, for now, I’m fine. Oh, I’m still seeking Antonio. …that’s for real!
Guys, as always, be kind to your loved ones as well as your beautiful palates.