01.16.10
Winter White Truffle Dinner 2010
Life has been passing by like the view outside of a Japanese Shinkansen train. After having been tending everyday’s work demands, a little traveling, and a whole lot of holiday celebrations, the year 2010 arrived with a vengeance. After weeks and weeks of hectic daily agenda, I’m glad to say I finally reunited with a sense of calmness that I’ve been missing. I’m sure some of you out there can relate. While I’m enjoying this peace and quiet in front of this keyboard, sipping a cup of tea, let me share my experience of how a small dream came true a week ago.
What’s this dream, you might ask? Not too many things in the natural world make my heart rate surge – finishing the last 500 uphill yards in the Marine Corps Marathon, rafting down the raging Tully River, snowboarding on the Sugar Bowl half pipe. Right up there is the dream of handling an exquisite ingredient and assembling an unforgettable dinner with it that would be talked about for weeks to come. This dream just became a reality.
The season for white truffles is short, typically from late October to early January. The ones that come from Alba Italy have the most pungent aroma and distinct flavor, therefore highly prized around the world. Fresh white truffles have a very short shelf life. It takes about a week before they lose their quality which is the scent. Unless you plan to use the fresh truffles within a day or so, do not store them in an airtight container with rice like some folks do. Truffles are high in fluid content. Rice will inevitably dry them out after a while. I choose to store them with some farm fresh eggs which will inherit some of the truffle aroma and could be cooked at a later time. The delicate tubers are never to be cooked either because high heat destroys their flavor. These truffles are best thinly shaved to top a finished dish. The heat of the prepared food will infuse their intense aroma into the air to create an impressive and mouth-watering effect.
I’m fortunate to have a group of friends who appreciate food and gastronomy similar to the way I do. Eight of these adventurous foodies trust me enough to sponsor this white truffle dinner. The only analogy I could think of is to be entrusted with carving a large raw diamond. No words could accurately describe this type of exhilaration in the kitchen.
The menu:
Appetizer – Foie Gras Lollipop with Truffle Honey, Dungeness Crab Salad, Crab Bisque
Foie gras mousse goes amazingly well with truffle honey and buttery brioche toasts
First Course – Lobster Pappardelle with Shaved White Truffles
Pure hand picked fresh lobster meat
Second Course – Stuffed Beef Tenderloin, Magret Duck Breast, Gnocchi
Dessert – Chocolate Fondue
Chocolate Fondue with Strawberries, Butter Pound Cake, and Peppermint Marshmallows
Wine list:
La Marca Prosecco 2008
Orsolani, Erbaluce di Caluso “La Rustia” 2007
Palladino Gavi del comune di Gavi 2008
Produttori Del Barbaresco 2005
Tre Donne Moscato d’Asti 2005
Perhaps you would like to be my guest next year?
turbo7 said,
December 4, 2010 at 9:39 am
This looks like a wonderful experience. I do an annual Christmas dinner for close friends and year seven will have an Italian theme. Would you mind sharing your lobster pappardelle recipe? It looks similar to a dish I had last year at Restaurante William in Maranello Modena Italy. Thanks!