Truffle Season- Let The Hunt Begin

I am suffering from severe truffle cravings. What are some recommendations of places I can get more truffles? I would prefer if it is a menu item I can select versus part of the chef's tasting menu as I want to have truffles more then a few times and don't have enough in the wallet for multiple tasting menus.

D'artagnan just sent me an email advising that fresh white truffles are available at only $159 / oz! This price is only guaranteed through 26October... oops, they've sold out already; more due 31Oct. I've bought many things from this company and I've been quite pleased. Black truffles are available from them for the comparative bargain price of $36.99 / oz...

www.dartagnan.com

Just out of curiosity, I called Fox & Obel, and they told me they have black truffles for $9.99/lb. I twice asked the person I spoke with if this number was correct (as it seemed low, and yes, I did confirm we were talking fungus and not chocolate).

Okay, I can't say I know much about truffles -- I've had them in pate foie gras and shaved over noodles once or twice, and recently in a trendoid mac and cheese, so my experience is limited but this price seems startingly low. One reason is probably that they are American truffles, but still...

White truffles are available at Sweets and Savories. I think they can do either an entire tasting menu, or just a single dish. I did their white truffle tasting menu last year and it was outstanding. I went for a burger last night and they were offering shavings over that, but I declined.

jesteinf wrote:White truffles are available at Sweets and Savories. I think they can do either an entire tasting menu, or just a single dish. I did their white truffle tasting menu last year and it was outstanding. I went for a burger last night and they were offering shavings over that, but I declined.

Quite often, they will offer truffle shavings to a lot of different dishes. If you do not want their tasting menu, I would suggest asking about a specific dish that they might recommend adding truffle shavings to. I'm sure they'd oblige.

Best,
Michael

Sweets & Savories
1534 W. Fullerton Ave.
773-281-6778

Having seen the black truffles at Fox & Obel, I'm betting they're $9.99 an ounce, not a pound. Their prices were reasonable, but not anything like $9.99 a pound.

One thing one can do if one wants truffles at a restaurant, rather than fixing them it home, is to contact the restaurant. This won't work for places like Trotter's or Alinea, where all they offer are tasting menues, but at most traditional restaurants with a la carte options, you can make requests. I went with friends to Ambria and at our request they prepared a special foie gras dish (before the ban, alas). At Le Titi de Paris, I just e-mailed and asked them to create a menu for me that included at least two courses with truffles and two courses with foie gras, with less stringent guidelines for the rest of the menu, and they happily complied. I know that Carlos' in Highland Park does wonderful things with truffles (I can still taste the truffled potatoes that came with a Kobe beef special I had there), so you might find out if he has more than one course with truffles.

So pick a good restaurant that doesn't just do tasting menues, and then just ask. Most chefs will happily come up with a custom menu for you, or advise you how you might order to maximize your exposure to an ingredient.

Enjoy.

David Hammond wrote:Just out of curiosity, I called Fox & Obel, and they told me they have black truffles for $9.99/lb. I twice asked the person I spoke with if this number was correct (as it seemed low, and yes, I did confirm we were talking fungus and not chocolate).

Yeah, right. I bet they also have beluga caviar for $25.99/gallon.

Cynthia wrote:Having seen the black truffles at Fox & Obel, I'm betting they're $9.99 an ounce, not a pound. Their prices were reasonable, but not anything like $9.99 a pound.

You must be right. I thought I was hallucinating...guess I was.

Cynthia wrote:... I know that Carlos' in Highland Park does wonderful things with truffles (I can still taste the truffled potatoes that came with a Kobe beef special I had there), so you might find out if he has more than one course with truffles.

We were at Carlos' for our anniversary a few years ago (I think it was our 20th.. that's about the right time), and there was a large table near us with low culinary imaginations: just about everybody ordered the Kobe filet with black truffles... and one woman said, "Could you please leave the truffles off mine?"

It was all I could do to not yell across the room, "I'll take hers!"

Avenues is offering white truffles shaved tableside.

ChefGEB wrote:Avenues is offering white truffles shaved tableside.

Chef, on another one of our boards we are discussing white truffle oil and the question has come up about the authenticity of the bottles that get imported to the states. do you have an opinion on whether it's possible to buy the real thing; do you use it at all; and do you have any brand recommendations? thanks, justjoan

The last time I was at West Town Tavern there were quite a few dishes, from many parts of the menu, that had truffles featured. I had a salad/app of some sort (it was over a month ago) that had a nice white truffle flavor to it.

West Town Tavern
1329 W. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
312-666-6175
http://www.westtowntavern.com

I too called Fox and Obel, as I was going to go there and buy whatever they had for 9.99 an ounce or pound. Alas, there were no truffles to be had. They can, however, be found at Dean and Deluca for a mere $340/oz (for white truffles) or a more reasonable $155/oz for black. If you ever see them for 9.99 for more than the opportunity to smell the truffles, it's a good time to buy (unless they are summer truffles).

A month ago at Spiaggia I had the same truffle lust. I opted out of the tasting menu and had several truffle dishes off the menu, but I could have had even more.

The amuse even comes with a truffle (atop some mascarpone).


You can choose a truffle dish for each course.

Antipasti:
Finely diced raw Kobe strip steak, Piemontese white truffle essence, lemon,Chefs Garden micro celery, 2005 Cappezzana Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Parmigiano Reggiano

Primi:
Hand rolled potato gnocchi with ricotta sauce and black truffle sauce

Secondi:
Wood-roasted Guinea hen wrapped in pancetta with potato puree and Umbrian black truffle sauce.

I had the hen and it was bespeckled with truffles. You'll be in fungal heaven.

The photo is yicky but you get the idea.

Be very wary of "bargain" truffles.

http://jcgi.pathfinder.com/time/globalb ... 85,00.html

Sweets and Savories is having a White Truffle dinner on Thursday November 9th. It will be a tasting menu, however truffles will be shaved over most if not all the dishes served.

We went last Friday, ordered from the al a carte menu and was given the option of having White truffle shaved over our entree. We accepted and found it well worth the price.