Whats the big deal about truffles?

Question

Why are they so expensive? how can you prepare them? What do they taste like?

Answer 1

They are among the most expensive of the world's natural foods, often commanding as much as $250 to $450 per pound.

The flavor of the truffle is directly related to its aroma. The chemicals necessary for the odor to develop are created only after the spores are mature enough for release, so they must be collected at the proper time or they will have little taste. This is the only sure indication that the mushrooms are ready to be harvested. That is why animals have proven to be the best means of assuring that the fungi collected will be flavorful.

The fungus is scraped or grated onto food and into sauces and soups just before eating. Truffle slicers have been especially designed for this purpose. Experts recommend that veal, chicken, fish, soufflés, omelettes, pasta, and rice can be glorified with thinly sliced truffles. Cream and cheese sauces avidly take up their flavor.

Insert thin wedges of truffle under the skin of a chicken and store it overnight in the refrigerator before roasting.

A well-known chef prepares a high-quality pâté de foie gras baked with a stainless steel tube running through the center. As soon as the pâté is cooked, he fills the tube with diced uncooked truffles and then removes the tube.

T. magnatum, the most aromatic of the truffles, is crushed in olive oil in Italy, filtered, and dispensed in 3-ounce medicine bottles with eye droppers. Some suspect that the crushed truffles are then packed in cans for sale in foreign markets. Call local cooking schools or specialty shops to locate this juice. Only a few drops are needed to strengthen the flavor of prepared truffles.

Answer 2

they are expensive because they are very hard to find, can not be grown commercially, only grow in certain woody conditions, and taste so good that people are prepared to pay for them to be cooked by talented chefs.

they taste like a musty strong mushroom, and are very strongly flavoured, they typically are used to finished a dish rather than as the main feature, shaved into a rich creamy soup, or over a delicate rissotto.

You can buy oil enfussed with truffle reasonably inexpensively so seek out some and it will give you the taste without the cost. this oil is great for adding to mushroom soup for example.

Answer 3

The big deal is that they grow underground, and cannot be cultivated. You just have to stumble upon them w/ a trained pig or dog that can smell them. Sojust the rarity or complexity of finding, harvesting, and marketing them makes them so expensive.

Truffles are on my list of things to eat before I die... haven't done that yet. I've had truffle oil, and it's "mushroom-y"... but pretty mild. I want to eat the real McCoy!

Answer 4

Sorry, never tried one but they are very hard to find.

Answer 5

They are gross.Tastes like dirt to me!