Want to make some pasta and shave some truffles on top but don’t want to have to buy a whole big piece.
Japanese markets (Nijiya) often carry smaller black truffles (when in season).
Monsieur marcel in the farmers market
thanks for the tips guys!
For shaving on top of pasta, you want white Alba truffles (tuber magnatum Pico).
You want 6-7 grams per person. When fresh ones are available, you can often find small ones. Be sure they’re highly aromatic, though, otherwise you’re just throwing money away.
Once you start shaving the truffle, it loses its aroma quickly, so buying one that’s partly shaved is throwing money away.
The truffle vendor I talked with last week said they’d received only very small amounts and expect them to start coming in in quantity maybe next week.
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Just received an E-mail from Surfas mentioning that they would have some white truffles available to order. Call your nearest branch…Culver City or Costa Mesa.
Looks like the Truffle brothers just opened a small deli mid wilshireish they usually sell to restaurants and make there own truffle oil . Might be worth asking.
4073 West Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, 90018
http://www.trufflebrothers.com/default/
They opened a storefront? The link doesn’t lead to any info about a deli.
Just saw a post with pictures on their facebook page! I have no idea what is on the menu other than it is a small (very?) deli
Which Facebook page are you talking about? This one hasn’t been updated since 2012:
That page hasn’t been updated since 2012 either, and there’s no photo of a deli.
Have you friended them? I don’t want to post something form their page directly on here, but its there
direct link to post I don’t know if you can see it or not?
Can’t see it. I guess they haven’t quite mastered promoting their business on Facebook.
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That’s almost double the price I saw there for the same-sized truffles only 2 weeks ago.
Epicurus Gourmet in North Hollywood can procure them if you call in advance.
“Black truffle” without further qualification is Tuber melanosporum aka Perigord truffle. To my taste, they’re best cooked, raw to me they smell like library paste.
Burgundy truffles are Tuber uncinatum, which can be found in more places so are less valuable. Despite the dark color, like white Piedmont truffles (Tuber magnatum Pico) they should not be cooked but rather shaved raw something hot to bring out their aroma. They’re not as pungent so you need more per serving. The aroma is different from white truffles, more earthy and nutty.
Watch out for Chinese truffles (Tuber himalayensis, indicum, or sinensis), which look similar but have little flavor or aroma unless they’ve been treated with the synthetic essences used in cheap “white truffle oil.”
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Ah didn’t know Chinese truffles were actually in circulation here. Will have to be vigilant to avoid.
Tailbacku, did you contact Guidi Marcelo in Santa Monica? I believe their white albas last year were $130/oz and they smelled quite good. You can pick up pasta while you’re at it. I really like their veal agnolotti di bologna in the freezer - a quick butter and fried sage sauce is great, just add a touch of black pepper or heck even shave the odd ends of the truffle that are too difficult to make a nice slice.
I haven’t compared on my own, but some prefer to avoid using a metal shaver.
I’ve never seen or heard of anything but a metal shaver. What’s the alternative?