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Ingredient Obsession: Truffles
By
Whitney Walker
White diamonds, black pearls--they're not at Tiffany's but at
your upscale grocery. We're talking about the truffle, the world's most
expensive fungus. Prices vary each year, but can run to thousands of dollars per
pound. So why the craze for these wrinkled fungi with an infinitely shorter
shelf life than fine jewelry?
"There's a mystique to truffles," says David Rosengarten, host of Taste
and In Food Today. Finding them is a profession and an art--truffle
hunters often do their sleuthing at night to keep their discoveries secret, and
resort to odd methods to seek out these rare earthy gems. Truffles usually grow
around the base of oak trees or cluster in spots where lightning has struck, but
since they develop underground, they're difficult to sniff out--literally.
The main clue to truffles' whereabouts is their intoxicating and unforgettable
aroma. Black truffles smell intensely earthy, while white truffles emit a
sweeter scent. "The aroma comes up and hits your nose, like wine or
coffee," Rosengarten says. "It's really your sense of smell tasting
it."
In fact, a truffle's scent is an alleged aphrodisiac. Originally, virginal women
were employed to sniff out the aromatic tubers, but the job was eventually
passed on to sows--attracted by the scent's resemblance to that of the male
pig--and now, specially trained dogs act as sniffers. "Pigs are pigs,"
Rosengarten explains. "When they get the truffle in their
mouth--oink!--they destroy the evidence."
Not only are they difficult to find, but truffle harvest time is limited. White
truffles from the Piedmont region of Italy are only available from September
until Christmas. Black truffles from Perigord, France, arrive around Christmas
and disappear by March.
Luckily, all it takes is a hint of these magical fungi to seduce your senses
with intense aromas and flavor. Truffles shine when placed alongside simple
ingredients, says Sylvain Portay, dining room chef at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in
San Francisco. In celebration of truffle seasons, Portay cooks two six-course
truffle dinners each year--one with black truffles, one with white. Black
truffles are best in cooked dishes, such as Perigord brown sauce; milder white
truffles lose their flavor when cooked and are usually shaved raw over pasta or
eggs.
Because of the expense, Portay suggests saving truffle cravings for restaurants,
rather than experimenting at home. But if you're going to splurge for the sake
of firsthand experience, expect to spend a few hundred dollars on quality
products: Black truffles can cost $500 and up per pound, while white truffles
may exceed $1300 per pound.
A less expensive alternative is the canned or jarred variety, which offers
"a suggestion" of what fresh truffles are like, "but they're
nothing like the real thing," Rosengarten says. He adds, "The fresher
a truffle, the more vigorous it will be. By the time they arrive in the U.S.,
they've been out of the ground a while." Truffle oils are another
inexpensive and easy way to give your dishes a hint of flavor; simply drizzle
over pasta or add to sauces.
The Great Debate: Black vs. White Truffles
Geography often determines preference for black ("black pearls" or
"black diamonds") truffles or white ("white diamonds" )
truffles. Italian gourmets opt for white Piedmont produce, while Francophiles
prefer the black prize from Perigord. "You can play more with black
truffles," says French-born Portay, because the darker version can be used
raw or cooked. However, white truffles--which should never be cooked--are more
rare and cost twice as much.
Rosengarten offers his own "X-rated" theory on truffle preference:
"There are chemicals in truffles that are very close to human pheromones. I
have seen women blush intensely upon smelling a black truffle," he claims,
adding that white truffles evoke a feminine sweetness. "I do prefer the
white," he bashfully admits.
(This article originated from http://www.foodtv.com)