The trouble with truffles by Jeffrey Bardin
Well it all started with Laura’s story of the pasta with truffles dinner in Venice. Suffice it to say how could I top that meal? Well actually it was easy
1. Find truffles that you could actually afford in the United States.
2. Get Laura to fix the same meal except in her house and not in Italy.
3. Do it all at Christmas time.
God how I love the internet! I searched for truffles (fresh that is) and found lots of links web sites, etc, mostly talk about the Oregon truffle and what not but not one really selling them, and all the stuff about canned Italian and French truffles. NO GOOD! Then I found Garland Gourmet in of all places North Carolina. It seems that Franklin Garland has been growing true Perigordian truffles in North Carolina since 1979.
I called and spoke to Franklin’s wonderful wife Betty and got her to send me Fed Ex special delivery truffles in November fresh from the earth FRENCH Black Truffles grown right here in the USA,
They cost a small fortune but half what the European version would cost. But as the Scottish would say quite dear. Any way it was for Laura’s Christmas present so what is a couple hundred dollars for a world class chef to fix what is probably the best meal you will have this year.
We had a party, well not just a party but a big ass full blown o my god what is this food have I died and gone to heaven party. Plus we had press there too and all the BS needed to make this a big deal la de da event.
Well what about the truffles? First a bit about truffles. Truffles were the peasant food for ages in both Italy and France. The peasants were hungry in the winter and the truffles grew underground (food of the devils the pope said) so for hundreds of years the peasants ate truffles on eggs, and on potatoes, and over pasta. It was cheap and it was available in winter.
The along came a king who got snowed in on his way from some castle to another and he stopped at the first house along the way that had a fire place. Being the king the peasants of course took him in and offered him the only food they had , pommes (potatoes) sarladaise with truffles, pasta with truffles and olive oil, and of course scrambled eggs and truffles. The king was famished and of course being careful not to offend the hospitality of the peasants ate copious amounts of all that was offered.
It was orgasmic! The king had never felt, tasted or ever remotely sensed the captivating presence of truffles. What was this thing, this truffle? Herb? Vegetable? Excelsior of the devil? It did not matter he had to have it. That night he made love to his queen, six hand maidens, two knaves, a goat and grandmother. All were satisfied.
Suffice it to say truffles became a food of the kings, much to the chagrin of the peasants until they realized that they the could get $800 a lb for the tubers. A new industry was born. Truffles have gone gourmet. The King got the popes the change their mind about trufflles being devil food and many peasants became middle class, an industry was born, but I digress.
We had the simplest of meals, pasta, olive oil, and shaved fresh truffles. This basic preparation requires minimal skills but is only served in the best of restaurants. Only one rule. Quality ingredients and don’t screw up and add any thing. Here is the recipe.
Pasta your choice - cook al dente
Olive oil the best you can afford, (French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, it doesn’t matter each has a personality of its own but do not be cheap. drizzle lightly over pasta and tenderly, no lovingly fold it in the pasta. This part is important, no passion, no food, you supply the vital ingredient… love.
Truffles, shaved over a steaming mound of pasta, just enough to cover but not enough to be vulgar, this stuff is expensive. If you don’t have a truffle shaver use a chocolate shaver, or a cheese grater, thinner is better, let it breathe.
Smell, savor, love, enjoy slowly seductively, not too fast, smell the aromas, then taste front of mouth, chew, mull, repeat. Truffles are best enjoyed with a good red wine i.e. the most expensive you can afford be it ten, twenty, fifty or a hundred dollars, as long as it was a stretch for you to buy it it will be good.
Garland gourmet can be contacted at http://www.garlandtruffles.com/
Well it all started with Laura’s story of the pasta with truffles dinner in Venice. Suffice it to say how could I top that meal? Well actually it was easy
1. Find truffles that you could actually afford in the United States.
2. Get Laura to fix the same meal except in her house and not in Italy.
3. Do it all at Christmas time.
God how I love the internet! I searched for truffles (fresh that is) and found lots of links web sites, etc, mostly talk about the Oregon truffle and what not but not one really selling them, and all the stuff about canned Italian and French truffles. NO GOOD! Then I found Garland Gourmet in of all places North Carolina. It seems that Franklin Garland has been growing true Perigordian truffles in North Carolina since 1979.
I called and spoke to Franklin’s wonderful wife Betty and got her to send me Fed Ex special delivery truffles in November fresh from the earth FRENCH Black Truffles grown right here in the USA,
They cost a small fortune but half what the European version would cost. But as the Scottish would say quite dear. Any way it was for Laura’s Christmas present so what is a couple hundred dollars for a world class chef to fix what is probably the best meal you will have this year.
We had a party, well not just a party but a big ass full blown o my god what is this food have I died and gone to heaven party. Plus we had press there too and all the BS needed to make this a big deal la de da event.
Well what about the truffles? First a bit about truffles. Truffles were the peasant food for ages in both Italy and France. The peasants were hungry in the winter and the truffles grew underground (food of the devils the pope said) so for hundreds of years the peasants ate truffles on eggs, and on potatoes, and over pasta. It was cheap and it was available in winter.
The along came a king who got snowed in on his way from some castle to another and he stopped at the first house along the way that had a fire place. Being the king the peasants of course took him in and offered him the only food they had , pommes (potatoes) sarladaise with truffles, pasta with truffles and olive oil, and of course scrambled eggs and truffles. The king was famished and of course being careful not to offend the hospitality of the peasants ate copious amounts of all that was offered.
It was orgasmic! The king had never felt, tasted or ever remotely sensed the captivating presence of truffles. What was this thing, this truffle? Herb? Vegetable? Excelsior of the devil? It did not matter he had to have it. That night he made love to his queen, six hand maidens, two knaves, a goat and grandmother. All were satisfied.
Suffice it to say truffles became a food of the kings, much to the chagrin of the peasants until they realized that they the could get $800 a lb for the tubers. A new industry was born. Truffles have gone gourmet. The King got the popes the change their mind about trufflles being devil food and many peasants became middle class, an industry was born, but I digress.
We had the simplest of meals, pasta, olive oil, and shaved fresh truffles. This basic preparation requires minimal skills but is only served in the best of restaurants. Only one rule. Quality ingredients and don’t screw up and add any thing. Here is the recipe.
Pasta your choice - cook al dente
Olive oil the best you can afford, (French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, it doesn’t matter each has a personality of its own but do not be cheap. drizzle lightly over pasta and tenderly, no lovingly fold it in the pasta. This part is important, no passion, no food, you supply the vital ingredient… love.
Truffles, shaved over a steaming mound of pasta, just enough to cover but not enough to be vulgar, this stuff is expensive. If you don’t have a truffle shaver use a chocolate shaver, or a cheese grater, thinner is better, let it breathe.
Smell, savor, love, enjoy slowly seductively, not too fast, smell the aromas, then taste front of mouth, chew, mull, repeat. Truffles are best enjoyed with a good red wine i.e. the most expensive you can afford be it ten, twenty, fifty or a hundred dollars, as long as it was a stretch for you to buy it it will be good.
Garland gourmet can be contacted at http://www.garlandtruffles.com/
Hey Jeff- Makes me want to get a poodle- Laura
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