Truffles

Gabe

Gabe

Community Member
Nov 9, 2014
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Now I like my chocolate truffles, but I mean the white truffles you have in Italy and that you use in dishes, especially pasta or truffle oil. They are usually more popular in Northern Italy and called 'trifola d'Alba' but many places in Tuscany have them. You can also get them in France, but I think they are black

If you find a truffle risotto or pasta with truffle shavings, try it as they are amazing (mushrooms, which are better than porcini which are a favorite too) and can be expensive. Truffle oils are less expensive these days and should be used sparingly as an ultimate treat, drizzled over potatoes or pasta.
 
I agree! I love truffle oil in just about anything. French fries with truffle oil and parmesan is an whole different kind of fries.

There are a lot of different kinds of truffle oil available for purchase now a days. Does anyone have recommendations for quality truffle oil?
 
I cannot stand truffle oil or truffle anything. Bleh. Though I wonder -- I know I did not like wine and blue cheese as a kid, so would you think that it might be a taste that just develops with time?
 
Joie d'Etre said:
I cannot stand truffle oil or truffle anything. Bleh. Though I wonder -- I know I did not like wine and blue cheese as a kid, so would you think that it might be a taste that just develops with time?
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Maybe it is an acquired taste, but I have had it on some excellent dishes and it really makes a difference, but is very subtle.

I had a pasta dish with truffle oil and it can make a pizza gourmet. I like mushrooms, so it goes well with them, so it depends if you like mushrooms or not. You may have had something with truffle oil on without knowing!
 
Gabe said:
Maybe it is an acquired taste, but I have had it on some excellent dishes and it really makes a difference, but is very subtle.

I had a pasta dish with truffle oil and it can make a pizza gourmet. I like mushrooms, so it goes well with them, so it depends if you like mushrooms or not. You may have had something with truffle oil on without knowing!
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Well, I did not really have pasta the last time I was in Italy. What I do know is I've first tasted truffle products in Croatia in the market and it felt awful. Then, in Milan, when I went, I had some salami al tartuffo on the Christmas market and at first I thought, "Well, this is not so bad! It tastes nice in a funky way!"... but then the aftertaste caught up and would not leave and urgh it was bad! XD

But who knows, maybe that second step of only disliking the aftertaste is already an improvement!
 
I love love love truffle oil and no one in my family does. I agree it is a very acquired taste but I find it absolutely delicious in certain dishes. I hate that my husband hates it because it makes it very limited to the amount of dishes I can use it in.
 
megankl said:
I love love love truffle oil and no one in my family does. I agree it is a very acquired taste but I find it absolutely delicious in certain dishes. I hate that my husband hates it because it makes it very limited to the amount of dishes I can use it in.
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See, here is something I wonder about; can you not just add it on cooked meals on your own plate? I do that with some spices and spicy things that my SO cannot stand. Or is it a common thing that truffle oil has to be cooked in order to taste? Or is it just that if you cook a meal for two, then you'd have to have other flavors which would overpower the truffle taste?
 
Joie d'Etre said:
See, here is something I wonder about; can you not just add it on cooked meals on your own plate? I do that with some spices and spicy things that my SO cannot stand. Or is it a common thing that truffle oil has to be cooked in order to taste? Or is it just that if you cook a meal for two, then you'd have to have other flavors which would overpower the truffle taste?
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Yes, you can add it to your own dish, it's usually used afterwards just as balsamic would be. Some recipes you can cook with it, but generally one drizzles it on before serving. I do find it can be quite drying so there may be an aftertaste, so plenty of wine with it is a good idea.
 
I absolutely love chocolate truffles. The day my husband brought these home it was a match made in heaven. I have tried truffle oil and I agree with many people in this forum. I do think it is an acquired taste and one I don't care for. It is a shame though. I thought I would adore it.
 
I don't think that I have ever had truffles on my Pasta before, So I am certainly looking forward to that on a trip to Italy.
 
This is shameful, but I don't think I've ever had anything with truffle oil in or on it? As far as I know truffle oil is very expensive, so not many restaurants like using it where I am. I've personally never used it, because I can't really afford an oil that is THAT expensive. I still cringe at the prices organic olive oil goes for some days! I've heard that truffle oil tastes divine though, and can really make a dish taste fantastic. But I've also heard that it's an acquired taste, like loving bitter wine or certain cheeses. So, I don't know how I feel about it. :cool:
 
Now, white truffle oil... that is something from a different planet. I couldn't believe the exquisite taste the first time I experienced a few drops of it on my salad. It transformed a simple garden salad into something rare and exotic. It costs quite a bit, but every dollar is worth it. But despite of being somewhat addicted to this unique oil, I only ever buy it once or twice a year. I hope that one day I will come across real truffles. :)
 
Here is an interesting fact about truffles, in 2007, a dog named Rocco discovered a truffle in Tuscany that weighed 3.3 pounds. It sold at auction for $333,000 (USD), a world record for a truffle.

That is definitely something for merely a little over 3 pounds of truffles. It is as expensive as gold or perhaps more. Can you imagine how this truffle shavings would taste?
 
Even though they are rare, they are still affordable and there is a thriving trade in truffle shavers and slicers. I don't have one but my brother does as I prefer truffle oil and I can't quite afford truffles either just yet. Truffle oil is an affordable luxury and can transform a dish, so that's the best way to try truffles if you haven't had them before.
 
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