White Truffles from Italy
photo: courtesy of Marinus restaurant in Carmel Valley, California
White truffle season is upon us, and through mid-December you will have a chance to try out some dishes showcasing this rather ugly looking but highly prized aromatic speciality. However, make sure you are aware of the price before ordering your truffle dish, as 0.155 kg (a mere 5.5 oz.) of white winter truffle sold for £680 ($1,380) at a recent auction.
Alloro adds white truffle to braised oxtail ravioli paired with cheese fondue and serves moscato zabaglione with cantuccini biscuit and white truffle. Zafferano offers cheese fonduta with fried porcini and white truffle, white-truffle beef carpaccio and vanilla-truffle ice cream with 100-year-old balsamic vinegar.
You'll find the delicacy at hotel dining rooms too. The Grill at The Dorchester is cooking braised chicken with potato and truffle cannelloni, salad of partridge with truffle and pear purée and poached turbot with truffle cream, new potatoes and chervil sauce. The Ritz plans to add a salad of new season cepes with Pecorino and Piedmont truffle, risotto with white truffle and truffled crème brûlée to its menu.
Of course, if this is all a little too rich on your wallet and stomach, you might try adopting a truffle oak in Gascony at www.truffle-tree.co.uk.
– Susan Kessler