Comments on: The White Truffles of Alba

By: The Perfect Lunch | Italy In SF

The Perfect Lunch | Italy In SF — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:32:44 +0000

[...] Carne battuta al coltello con scaglie di tartufo bianco, aka, a knife-cut tartare with white truffles: [...]

By: Top 5 Things to Eat in Piedmont | Italy In SF

Top 5 Things to Eat in Piedmont | Italy In SF — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:31:18 +0000

[...] TRUFFLES! Do I need say more? You can’t go to Piedmont without gorging on white truffles, and there is no other time to eat truffles than Fall. Hence, you must visit Piedmont in the Fall. Easy, isn’t it? [...]

By: Truffle Week at Perbacco! | Italy In SF

Truffle Week at Perbacco! | Italy In SF — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:32:44 +0000

[...] Perbacco’s truffle week starts this Tuesday, November 18th, till Friday November 21st. My reservation is for Tuesday night- when are you going to enjoy the real white truffles of Alba? [...]

By: Oliveto, Rockridge | Italy In SF

Oliveto, Rockridge | Italy In SF — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:31:00 +0000

[...] Oliveto are legendary. The Whole Hog dinner keeps on fetching amazing reviews from diners, and the truffle menu is an event in itself for all tartufo-lovers around the Bay. Chef Canales is not afraid to [...]

By: cynthia kling

cynthia kling — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:17:59 +0000

thanks vanessa:

a few more questions if you would indulge me. When you say they are always shaved thinly, how do they get cooked into foods?

What do you think about truffle oil? Is it always synthetic?

thanks,
cynthia

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:49:59 +0000

Hi Cynthia,
as far as the difference in taste, you can say black truffles don’t have the same intensity of flavor and smell, and smell is one of the main characteristic of truffles that seems to the reason why we are so attracted to them!

In terms of preparing truffles, they are always shaved thinly over a dish- whether it’s a pasta dish, a risotto, or carpaccio. A common use in Piedmont is to make a cheese fonduta with the fontina cheese from Valdaosta, and serve it with truffles. Black truffles are used in the same way, although they seem to have a particular affinity with potatoes, so gnocchi dishes turn out 1,000 times better with black truffle than with white!

Good luck!

Vanessa

By: cynthia kling

cynthia kling — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:50:23 +0000

Gabriele, can you explain the difference in taste between black and white truffles?

Also: are they used differently in cooking?

thanks, I am just starting to use them.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 05:00:06 +0000

Gabriele, you have just won for yourself the title of senior resident truffle expert for Italy in SF!

By: Gabriele Bodda

Gabriele Bodda — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 04:19:13 +0000

And now you also have an expert around, directly from Alba, Piedmont!

Ask me for any advice you could need, this is definitely the field in which I feel most prepared…

By: Skip Lombardi

Skip Lombardi — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:43:08 +0000

Certainly one of the greatest meals I’ve ever eaten included tagliarini ai tartufi bianchi. It was at Castel Grinzane Cavour in La Mora, Piemonte.

The pasta was so good I can’t remember any of the other courses. I feel lucky I remember where I was. But I’ll never forget those truffles.

Best regards and buon appetito,
Skip Lombardi