White Truffles for Winter

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed)
Nov 1st 2006 at 10:06AM

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.

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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)

loralee Nov 6th 2006 12:24PM

#8 why don't you try finding a local chef who uses truffles and have him take a look at them. he should be able to tell you if they are truffles. also your county ag dept. shoud have someone who could tell you. and yes truffles can be grown in differant parts of the world. they are becoming a crop in australia. saw it on the food channel.

cindy Nov 6th 2006 3:01PM

...what does a truffle taste like anyway??

STEPHEN Nov 6th 2006 12:56PM

People need to grow up. If someone can afford to spend money on items they want, it does not give someone else to right to bad mouth them. Just because there are starving people in the world does not mean everyone has to stop doing what they want. I do not care about the starving people. I have been in real hard times with money so I know what those people feel, you have to stand up and make a better life for your self, and the bleeding hearts of the world need to shut up. If you have extra money, send it to them, but dont expect me to do it.

They need to hurry up and die to decrease the surplus population.

Bruce Nov 6th 2006 12:32PM

#8, There are a lot of truffle experts in Oregon -- try the Oregon Mycological Society, wildmushrooms.org, for more information. Some white truffles are even being grown commercially in Oregon.

Joella Prokopowicz Nov 6th 2006 12:34PM

I can't feed all the starving children in -------(fill in the blanks) but if we out-law truffles who will feed the truffle producers children???? I prefer the Belgium truffles myself. The chocolate kind. They smell heavenly and the taste is like ambrosia to any ones palate. They might just be a bit less expensive then those found nder a tree. Mama Jo

STEPHEN Nov 6th 2006 12:54PM

Why is it everytime soemone wants to spend the money they earned on expensive items, some goof ball brings up starving Africans or something. Get off the soap box. If you want to fund the deadbeats of the world have at it. I do not. I have no pity on those that can not support themselves. They can all die out, survival of the strong.

Hope Nov 6th 2006 1:00PM

#20. Thank you Loralee, I never thought of trying the AG Dept. (We don't have any local "chefs" in this town). We just got our first traffic light!

#19. Could you tell me how you can feed yourself on $169 a month? Plus pay your electric AND phone bills? Those three items cost me around $800 a month! Oh, and Insurance too? Make that $1300 for me. Sure would like your secret!

Austin Nov 6th 2006 12:42PM

Everyone has a right to experience some luxury once in a while, no matter how rich or poor. Considering that everyone here is commenting on truffles, its obvious that everyone here has a (good or bad) fascination with them, whether they ever want to taste them or not. Hope - If your dogs or pigs will eat them and not get sick, then good chance they may be ok for humans too - have them tested properly. If there's white truffles in Oregon then .... who knows - maybe one day they may be shipped out to feed the starving.

Joe Nov 6th 2006 12:44PM

38,000 children die each night of starvation...that's almost 14,000,000 per year...are you certain about that number?

Joe Nov 6th 2006 12:45PM

Almost forgot...I included my link in case anyone wants to continue the conversation...click my name. Thanks.

Sharon Nov 6th 2006 12:52PM

I don't know very much about truffles and wouldn't pay that kind of money to eat them. As I read through the posts it has occurred to me that the people that can afford an expensive item such as truffles generally do contribute millions of dollars every year to charity.
As for feeding all the people in the world I'd like to see Americans start feeding their own for a change. Children go to bed hungry in this country ever night and they just shouldn't, period. So buy some truffles, hold a truffle dinner, charge an amount middle class can afford and donate the money to a local charity. That way people that wouldn't normally get to try truffles would and something good would come of it.

Kasey Nov 20th 2006 12:59AM

I find it foolish to make such a deal over this substance you find under certain tree's ? The price draws me to consider the stability of the buyer. If it cures cancer or balances those whom are unstable or even aids the common cold I could then see a spitit of
the excitement. Considering none of the above is a consideration to the foolishness of a most likely fettish or this could just be a foolish fluke. Eating a warm bowl of oatmeal with real butter and maple syrup
may bring more excitement to me than this latest fetish. There must be a lack of commen sence this is surely the issue. angelintrouble@aol.com Send comments I am very interested in this fluke of unstability ? ? ?

joel rambaud Nov 6th 2006 1:02PM

Finally the season is here .........
Nothing better than a real good truffle the expert have bebated for centuries which oone was the best , as a Frenchman,as an accomplished and recognized fine dining room Chef,on 3 continents they both have their value and use and both fit equsally on any menu.
As far the vulgar comment on this post, sorry you don't even know what you are talking about , how many Lbs of truffle have you ever eaten in your life, here about 20lbs ....truffle are sublime and yes they are even better with a little boost from the magic mushroom,trouble is you can die by OD on magic mushrooms. Concerning Children dying from starvation,sorry, but a few truffles pick up by a farmer every day would not make a dent in their condition,some people drive ferraris and bugattis at over a million piece preventing them from buying such vehicle would actually be detrimental to everyone as a few hundred people would joint the unemployement line.Is it what your goal is then let's shut down ford and GM , but then how would you transport the food to these peoples by donkey? at 1.5 MPH there wont even be any situation to deal with ..........
Long leave truffle and all the fancy food,I love my truffles with foie gras or sauteed with an equal weight of potatoes cooked in unsalted butter , a good glass of champagne and the right guest . anyone interested by recicled concrete,metal shaving and feces and roaches , cooked in artificial fat stick with cheap burger, I do not know anyone who ever died eating truffles.... amen !

jane Nov 6th 2006 1:03PM

Interesting...I don't have the money for them but I love to learn about things I haven't experienced.

Summer Nov 6th 2006 1:51PM

I wouldn't know a truffle if I saw one, they do sound discusting, anything a pig or a dog would dig up , and is smelly why would anyone want to eat it LOL

Jillian Nov 6th 2006 1:53PM

I've been very curious, but have never had the opportunity to try truffles...what do they taste like? Also, do the black taste differently than the white?

Amy Nov 6th 2006 1:56PM

From my experience, anyone who says they don't like truffles has never even had them. I have had them in restaurants around the world and it just adds that extra special "something" to any dish. My favorites are white truffles in a Cab sauce over a good cut of medium rare steak, or black truffles swirled in whipped potatoes. Even more fabulous is both of them together. HEAVENLY!!!

So to anyone out there who says you don't like them- GOOD, that leaves more for the rest of us. Also, I certainly don't think me giving up truffles is going to help the starving kids in Africa. Feeling guilty about enjoying luxuries in life does not help anyone either. So give it a rest, if you don't want to spend your money on it that's fine, but don't berate those who do since many of us are giving generously to charities.

Mary Nov 6th 2006 2:04PM

I'm curious where you live that $169.00 will pay your power bill, both phone bills, insurance and grocery's for a month.

Tracy Nov 6th 2006 2:08PM

Truffles..hmmm..will they ever reach Hawaii?..I had them in New York city at an exclusive resturant..simply devine ...dont knock it till you try it reader's..from the land of Aloha.(I wonder if our soil as rich as it may be..could grow them here?..hmmmm)

Amy Nov 6th 2006 2:45PM

The thing everyone here seems to be forgetting too is that it is saying the price for an ounce of truffles... keep in mind that MOST dishes require such a small fraction of an ounce that it might add a few dollars to a meal. Most of the time they use something like a veggie peeler and shave off a few shavings onto the top of something, or in some dishes might chop up a small amount to mix in. They have a rather intense flavor that makes a little go a long way so while they might sound ridiculously expensive, for the amount used it really doesn't cost that much for an average dish.

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