White Truffles for Winter
According to the New York Times, this season's imported white truffles from Italy are just beginning to hit the market in the U.S. and are probably already available in countries that are closer to Italy. It's hard to predict what the prices will do as the season wears on, but for the moment, the prices are about the same as last year's. Truffles only have a shelf life of a few days from receipt and should be shaved onto food as it is placed on the table for maximum effect. One-ounce is $169.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Ed Spivak Nov 1st 2006 12:31PM
White truffles are not as expensive as the black truffles, but for an extra kick getting truffle oil will aid in shelf life. It is really good with pate.
Ed Spivak
http://www.espivak.com
Kerry Woo Nov 1st 2006 12:45PM
White truffles are far MORE expensive than black truffles. And truffle oil would ruin fresh truffles. The season is so limited, why spoil it with oil?
Will Bowen Nov 6th 2006 6:45AM
White truffles do cost quite a bit more than the black or french truffles. White or Alba truffles are found on the roots of oak trees in the northern part of Italy for a very limited time each winter and usually under a thin crust of snow. Dogs, not pigs, are used to locate the white truffles. Farmers started poisoning other truffle hunter's dogs several years ago as the price of the truffles starting climbing. Truffles put out more of a smell than a taste, heat kills the effect of truffles and they should be shaved on with a special shaver and never lumped on food. Great with soft scrambled eggs or over fresh pasta cooked only with olive oil and truffles should be added when the noodles are less than totally hot. Store them in a bowl of risotto with plastic covering them or better yet in a bowl with a few fresh eggs, uncracked. The smell of the truffles will enter the eggs through their shell. Topping twice baked Yukon Gold Potatoes, with the insides of the baked potatoes scooped out and having fresh parmesan cheese and fresh cream added, then after baking again, adding BOTH white truffle oil and finally shaving white truffles over the top will make your holiday meal memorable indeed. (See Charlie Trotter's book on vegtables for exact amounts.) There is truffle festival in NYC starting around the first of December which is fantastic. Le Chirc and others participate. Jean George's on Centeral Park is a great place to indulge in white truffles, especially with their incredible sea bass. Expect to see celebrities like James Spader in NYC during that time as being a truffle junkie is a terrible addicition, but we relish and delight in them every year at this time.
Meltemi Nov 6th 2006 9:16AM
Ed Spivak you are an idiot. It seems you just want to comment on anything even when you haven't a clue. White truffles are faaaaaaaaaaaaar more expensive, dimwit, and should never be served with truffle oil...! Now spare us any stupid uneducated gastronomical advice you may have and stick to what you know, whatever it is.
PEPPA Nov 6th 2006 9:36AM
MY GOODNESS.... SUCH POPPOUS GORMET'S WE HAVE HERE !
LET US JUST ENJOY OUR TRUFFLES. AND STOP TRYING TO PROVE YOURSELVES AS THE ULTIMATE GORMET KNOWLEDGE !
GEEZE !!!!
Alyssa Nov 6th 2006 10:13AM
Hey, Will? Can I book you as a personal chef over the holidays?
Darel Nov 6th 2006 10:19AM
what kind moron would pay 169$ an ounce for a freakin fungus
Paul de Florio Nov 6th 2006 10:39AM
Somehow the real world is irrelevant when folks talk of "taste treats" for $169/oz. Dice up some portobellos for your scramblewd eggs and call it a day!
Hope Nov 6th 2006 11:14AM
I wish I knew more about truffles. Especially how to determine if they are the real thing. I believe we have quite a bit of them growing in our hazelnut orchards in Oregon. If someone could steer me in the right direction I would certainly appreciate it.
Barb Blieu Nov 6th 2006 11:15AM
I like good food as much as anyone, but did it occur to you people that there are starving children in the world?
Lottie Dah Nov 6th 2006 11:28AM
Meltemi, Why have you degraded yourself by name calling? There was no need for that.
Michele Nov 6th 2006 11:36AM
i guess people who spend on this having nothing better to do with their money. i personally can think of much more useful things to do with my money and when i call these people idiots for spending on white truffles there's not a hint of jealousy. i guess the saying is true - there's a sucker born every minute!!!
Anastasia Nov 6th 2006 11:36AM
I do enjoy Red Truffles the most .
Lee Nov 6th 2006 11:52AM
https://www.dartagnan.com sells White Truffles for $159.00/oz. They also have a fantastic selection of other truffles and truffle products as well as Game meats and Game birds. Their foods are incredible!! I have ordered from this site for about 3 years now and have never been disappointed with ANY of the items. They ship the items and everything arrives very fresh. If you like to cook gourmet or like to try different things, you should check out this site. This year I am ordering the Suckling Pig as well as several other items for the medieval style winter feast that my son and I host.
mike barnes Nov 6th 2006 11:53AM
i prefer the majik mushrooms they dont have great taste but what a high
tripper Nov 6th 2006 12:02PM
How much are those majik shrooms an ounce
mark garfinkle Nov 6th 2006 12:14PM
hey meltemi,wats up?got out on the wrong side of the bed today?nasty for no reason.we are talking fungus here.hey mike i'd like them shrooms too.
Eric M. Nov 6th 2006 12:16PM
what about the 38,000 children who die each night due to a problem no more incurable than clean drinking water and a cup or rice? When there is too much money on hand, a person spends, and spends it well, on 'foods' that serve no real purpose other than to be written up as an expendature and therefore a reason to communicate to the world the essential idea, "I have my needs funded, plus I am spending the money you need for your needs, too." What do you think, then, about white truffles? Are they helping the world's needs get met, or are they a way of spending the world's share of resources for one's own self and family? At that, are white (or black) truffles a way to share resources, other than by the taxes paid on them and, as such, are those taxes going primarely to water and rice projects or the military, the roads and the tax collectors who systematically try to enforce the rules and codes to attempt to help the middle and upper clasess to get better returns on their real estate investments? So, I implore you, why not boycott all truffles this year, instead giving to the impoverished of the world, so you may have some hope of being truly human beyond all those material possessions and other showy glossy things.
Bob Farrell Nov 6th 2006 12:20PM
Why is it when some thing is pricey or not appealing to the masses, there is always one in the crowd that ha to complain about the other starving people in the world, or others that are not as fortunate?? Why don't they give up their internet and computers (I'm sure they got their's free;)), go back to writing on stone tablets with a piece of charcoal from their fire pit and donate the money they save to help 'the starving children'?
Russell Nov 6th 2006 12:21PM
$169.00 will pay my power bill, both phone bills, insurance and grocery's for a month. If you want to waste that kind of money on a fungus so people will think you have class go ahead. Me, i have better things to do with my money. (and no I have never ate them, but I have smelled them and they smell like toe jam...so maybe thats why they are good on toast)