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White Truffle (Alba
Truffle)
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The famed white truffle is one of the world’s
most prized delicacies. Exclusive to Italy, white truffles
are grown predominantly in the soils of Piemonte’s
Alba zone, but are also cultivated in the regions of
Emilia-Romagna, Toscana, and the Marches. Alba, however,
is this heralded fungi’s epicenter, and it is
treated accordingly, being the subject of an annual
festival during the harvest season, which runs from
October to December. This homage to the Alba truffle
or trifola d'Alba, is notably populated by
legions of Alba’s truffle dogs, who forage the
secret growing areas to uncover the “white diamonds”
of the culinary world. The dogs are essential, as white
truffles are much more elusive than black truffles,
which assert their presence in the natural world by
incapacitating surrounding vegetation.
The white truffle grows in proximity to the roots and
trunks of selected tree species. Its propinquity to
these elements, in addition to the age and species of
the tree, influences the truffle’s size, aromatics,
and flavor. The nature of the soil and the prevalence
of pests also have a marked affect on the white truffle’s
profile, which is, of course, the source of the white
truffle’s allure and mystique. While the black
truffle—in both summer and winter versions—is
subtle and earthy, the white truffle offers a pronounced
aromatic profile—marked by a seductive and distinct
primordial dimension that often entails a certain sweetness
and nuances of garlic. The term white truffle
is a bit of a misnomer, as the actual tuber color spectrum
ranges from beige to medium brown. Also, while frequently
spoken of as a singular group, white truffles actually
operate in a three-level qualitative hierarchy: “Super
extra” constitute the largest and most prized,
representing only one percent of the whole white truffle
population. Those in the middle—“extra grade”—contribute
ten percent of the total population and are the choice
of restaurants. Third position is held by “first
choice,” minute-sized truffles that represent
the largest segment, delivering 30 percent of the total.
Those outside tartufi bianchi’s official
rankings are utilized in various truffle-based condiments,
particularly oils and pastes.
While appearing in a plethora of culinary preparations,
truffles are frequent contributors to fonduta,
taglietelle, and carpaccio. They are
often added in the final minute or minutes of cooking,
as the intensity of their aroma tends to depreciate
under the influence of heat. Truffles work particularly
well with dishes featuring fats and oils: foie gras
provides a particularly beneficent match. Foods with
high levels of acid, in contrast, do not fare as well,
as the acid masks the truffles’ flavor. Barolo—Piemonte’s
“King of Wines”—is the classic wine
accompaniment, as Barolo mirrors and draws out the earthy,
gamey quality of the truffles.
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| The union of Barolo and white truffles
is widely regarded as constituting the ultimate epicurean
experience. IWM delivers this rare and extravagant pleasure
in our signature Five-Course Truffle Dinner. Truffles are
shipped directly from Piemonte and feature in courses prepared
by IWM’s Chef and Culinary Team. All courses are accompanied
by vintage Barolo, Barbaresco, and other selections. For further
information, please contact Chris Deas at 212.473.2323, x101.
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