I know that Truffles have become somewhat of a trend of yester-year; however after 10 days in Italy, I simply must protest their dismissal by Foodies as of late. Sadly, Truffles have been moved to the dark, lonely shelves of other foods that were once beloved by many. They sit abandoned next to Pomegranate Infusion Foams, Cosmopolitans, Chocolate Molten Cakes, Powerbars, and the cultic Frappucino of the 90's.
Regardless of whether it is past the vogue period to say this, I must be candid: I simply can not think of one dish more perfect than Risotto al Tartufo. (Yes, this means Truffle Risotto in Italian). Even though I am fighting some serious jet-lag after my late flight home last night, I am tempted to scoot to Central Market and to attempt making some with the truffles I bought in Florence's food hall. The recipe can be found on the blog, Ahn's Food Blog.
Perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to "out" an ingredient simply because it has been mass marketed. It might be that once Rachel Ray involves black truffle oil into one of her 30 Minute Meals, society should move it into the "Staple Food" category rather than banish it to the list of "Best-Things-That-Too-Many-Other-People-Like."
The Italians have held tight to this wonderful culinary accent, and that is one of the 53,460,980 reasons I will keep going back. Then again, Italians have also stuck by the side of some other past trends that Americans have been more than happy to leave in the dust. (See: tight leather pants on men, excessive cigarette smoking, extra-marital affairs, and thong bikinis)
I am in desperate need of help- Where are the great Truffle dishes of Dallas hiding? I'm all about sampling the Triple Roni Pizza with Truffle Oil (Fireside Pies/ $14) and the Pan Seared Diver Scallops on Black Truffle Risotto with Gorgonzola Herb Butter Sauce (Mi Piaci/ $35). Any other good suggestions?
I'll trade you for a Truffle Tip of my own: If you want to try the best version of Four Cheese Ravioli with Truffle Cream- go to Golden View in Florence. Not only does it offer the best view in the city as it is situated on the side of the Ponte Vecchio- but the service & mod decor is fabulous. Ask for Dejan if you go, too. He's amazing at wine pairings, food recommendations, and can tell you all about the restaurant's artwork- he painted it!
