While
I've decadently expense-account dined in some of the finest restaurants
in the country, ordering the likes of Beef Wellington on a sub role
(Italian bread), I'm not sure whether I've actually ever had a
dish
containing actual real truffles. I was given a bottle of truffle oil in
the 90's, and went nuts for it. The smell was intoxicating,
and like
everybody else who bought some I put it on everything. I also
dabbed
some behind my ears, under armpits and genitals glistened with
it.
Since nobody I served my truffled food had truffle experience, they
were (or acted) impressed when I told them about the special surprise
in store for them. I don't remember anyone actually commenting
about
how my stuff tasted with truffle oil—until MoSup suggested "enough with
the truffle oil; it's rancid."
Do you hear that sucking sound? That's the
white truffle oil market going down the drain.
 What brings all this up is this. I again
again watched the Top Gear episode
where Clarkson challenges May and Hammond to a cross-continent race (he
driving the Bugatti Veyron; they by plane) to deliver fresh
truffles
to a London eatery. I clicked on Amazon, and
they have nicely priced black and white truffle oils. I almost pulled
the switch; but didn't. I investigated.
It seems final death blow to truffle oil was administered when Chef
Gordon Ramsay called truffle oil the "one ingredient you should
NOT have in your pantry." Serious
Eats says "Comparing truffle oil to real truffles is like comparing
sniffing dirty underwear to having sex."
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"What
is that?" a "MasterChef" judge asked contestant as she doused her
otherwise winning entry with the stuff.
White truffle
oil, Tracy chirped, clearly quite pleased with her dish and her finish
and absolutely clueless as to what was unfolding.
"One of the most pungent, ridiculous ingredients ever known to chef,"
Ramsay said. "I can't believe you've just done that. I think you just
put your apron up in flames."
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It seems these oils have never met a truffle. They're made from
an organic compound called  2,4-Dithiapentane—derived
either naturally or from a petroleum base—mixed together with olive
oil.
But I like the fragrance, and in small quantities, the taste, but do
not want the stain on my honor that using this crap might bring.
However, further investigation
revealed what appears to be the
real deal.
"... a black truffle oil concentrate; a lot
of flavor a lot of aroma in a small quantity on superior olive oil.
Tuber Melanosporum Vitt. is the black truffle that is used to flavor
the olive oil.
Use
this condiment sparingly (a drop at a time) as it is highly aromatic
and potent in flavor."
I didn't buy it, but I fear that in a moment of weakness and self
indulgence I will. Then it'll go into the spice drawer with
the saffron and
vanilla beans that I've never use, because there has never been an
occasion important enough to waste them on. That's just sick. I
don't
deserve to be a chef. And what would Gordon Ramsey say (and yes I
love
Gordon Ramsey)?
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I tell, ya, man, get a copy of "Ice Cream Happy Hour", and make the vanilla ice cream. Even without the booze, it's the best vanilla I've ever eaten. It will give you an excuse to use those unused vanilla beans.
ReplyDeleteOnce you've finished making the ice cream, rinse the pods and stick them in a quart jar of sugar, then wait a week or two.
Put that in your coffee!
There's a restaurant at the Hilton that just opened up the street that offers a $22 hamburger. Complete with truffles and fois gras. No kidding, I'm gonna try it one day.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great goremand web site. I've been looking all over for a cavier serving tool.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how to make the conversion from fluid oz to dry grams but at $65/.3 oz that stuff has to be priced right up there with saffron.
That I've tried a time or three. Dear Lord, thank you for not making me a rich man. Some things a person should never become accustomed to.
" I also dabbed some behind my ears, under armpits and genitals glistened with it. "
ReplyDeleteI wish I could 'un-read' that.
Other wise,great post.
poletax
One problem with putting "herbs" in olive oil is that the olive oil by itself goes rancid over time. You can prolong it's life by refrigeration. With herbs you run into the problem of the herbs introducing the botulism bacteria. Some commercial firms will pasteurize the oil and the herb at the same time. I've read of DIY'rs using citric acid to acidify the olive oil to kill off strange bacteria but I've never had the guts to try it myself.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point, but I thrive on botulism. Did you know that until 1992 Austraila was the only country that had no botulism? Then they did.
ReplyDeleteNo botulism? Huh? How could that be???? Oh, they're not on the Mexican border. Gotcha.
ReplyDeleteI like Gordon Ramsey too, but screw him. Think about the 3 foods you like the most. Do you really think he would love those 3 foods the way you do? Hell no! He would probably say 2 of them were totally disgusting and shouldn't be served to a dog. Just do it. Order that truffle oil, and if it sucks, it's only $65 you have wasted during the course of your entire life. If you don't like the taste, add a couple of drops to the tub when you take a bath.
ReplyDeleteGo over to the dark side.
On a different note, I can't wait to open my box of Cafe DuMonde Beignet mix, which are great when made at home. For those who have never had one, they are great, cheap and easy to make.
Kind of like a donut and a funnel cake got together and had a baby.
A bit of truffle oil is fine if you put it in before the dish is finished cooking. Where people make the mistake is in dressing food with the oil at the end. It is like adding wine in a sauce at the end and not giving the alcohol time to cook out, or not taking time to cook the raw flour taste out when making a roux.
ReplyDelete