 Costlier than gold: the Périgord truffle of France and the white Alba truffle of the Piedmont, in Italy. Photos by Kelly Cline | IST.
December 2006 |
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Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / VegetablesTruffles: An Overview & GlossaryPage 10: Truffle Oil
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Most of us think that the oil is made by infusing olive oil with scraps of truffle—and one or two artisan houses may do this, but their oil costs almost as much as fresh truffles. The secret, known to everyone in the truffle oil industry, is that aromatic compounds (read: synthetic chemicals) with names like 2,4-dithiapentane emulate the flavor and aroma of truffles. Scientists have approximated the qualities of the truffle as they approximate the scents of fruits and flowers for potpourri and beauty products. None of this stops us from using truffle oil to scramble an egg or make truffled mashed potatoes (though we prefer truffle butter for these purposes), toss with pasta, baste chicken or drizzle over beef or game. You can also use it as a knock-out dipping oil; if money is no object, buy 8 ounces of Urbani black truffle oil for $35 or so. |
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Not all truffle oils taste the same, of course. Everybody’s “lab skills” are different, and some of those we’ve tasted do taste like they came from the lab. So it pays to buy the small size, for $10 or less a pop, until you find one you like; or invite your truffle-loving friends to a co-op truffle oil tasting party, where everyone splits the cost of the oils and foods (baguettes, sliced boiled potatoes or more elaborate fare if you wish). You’ll go home drunk on truffle oil—but able to pass any breathalyzer test.
Continue To Page 11: Truffle Recipes
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