scottreitz Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Fresh White Winter Truffles (Tuber magnatum) are in season.....and I let Al Tiramisu provide them last season. It's not enough dammit! I want them in my home. Where in DC does one go to purchase this elusive delicacy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sthitch Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 In the past I have seen them at Dean & Deluca. You might also try Balducci's. If neither of these work there are a number of places to order them online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shogun Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Probably behind the counter. Locked in the glass cabinet with the Nicorette and the Mach 3 blades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigpinot Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Probably behind the counter. Locked in the glass cabinet with the Nicorette and the Mach 3 blades. Truffle-infused nicorette -- the next big thing at upscale restaurants? You heard it here first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeMc Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Pam the Butcher (Brookville)said that prices for them are outta sight. She said that they're more than double what they were last year: What was $69 an oz is this year $179. She seems to think that it's because of the Beluga scare, that everyone turning to Truffles. True? One of her sources for them is not a store, but this woman, Patti Ravenscroft, who leads food trips, one of which just came back from France, collecting truffles. I have her number if you want it. She apparently is a font of information. I think she sells them or knows of other good suppliers aside from stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sthitch Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 It is the French black truffles that are so expensive this year, and the reason why is there was a very poor harvest. It was only 1/10 of what it normally is. The Italian truffles are feeling the upward market pressure from the lack of French truffles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. B Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 I would really love to get my hands/slicer on 1-2 oz of truffles for Christmas Dinner. Anyone have a hint where to check? I will start with Balducci's and try Dean & DeLuca. I am afraid I'm too late for Urbani. Waitman has promised me some funky yuminess if I can score the goods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuit Girl Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 --><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mrs. B @ Dec 20 2006, 10:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I would really love to get my hands/slicer on 1-2 oz of truffles for Christmas Dinner. Anyone have a hint where to check? I will start with Balducci's and try Dean & DeLuca. I am afraid I'm too late for Urbani. Waitman has promised me some funky yuminess if I can score the goods. Try Wegman's. Although brace yourself......last time I was there they were selling black truffles for $400 / pound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 --><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mrs. B @ Dec 20 2006, 10:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I would really love to get my hands/slicer on 1-2 oz of truffles for Christmas Dinner. Anyone have a hint where to check? I will start with Balducci's and try Dean & DeLuca. I am afraid I'm too late for Urbani. Waitman has promised me some funky yuminess if I can score the goods.Try Wegman's. Although brace yourself......last time I was there they were selling black truffles for $400 / pound. That's a bargain. Today's price is more than twice that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David M. Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 That's a bargain. Today's price is more than twice that. Spotted this weekend at Balducci's in Alexandria: a sign advertising truffles (Alba White, I'm pretty sure) for $1,250 per pound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Scary thing is that neither of those prices are scary. 'Course, that means we'll only have enough wine money in the budget for a couple of bottles of Mad Dog, but that's a bridge we'll cross when we come to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 About how many truffles to a pound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 About how many truffles to a pound? Depends on the size of the truffle, silly. These are French black truffles, I'd guess that the small ones at the bottom run an ounce or two apiece. While we're on the subject.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 --><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mrs. B @ Dec 20 2006, 10:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I would really love to get my hands/slicer on 1-2 oz of truffles for Christmas Dinner. Anyone have a hint where to check? I will start with Balducci's and try Dean & DeLuca. I am afraid I'm too late for Urbani. Waitman has promised me some funky yuminess if I can score the goods.Try Wegman's. Although brace yourself......last time I was there they were selling black truffles for $400 / pound. I am not sure that I would trust buying them from Wegman's. I would want to know how long they have had them as the times that I have seen them there they looked pretty dried out. Somewhat related, but I am planning on heading there tomorrow morning so I can check availability and quality if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 QUOTE(Mrs. B @ Dec 20 2006, 10:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I would really love to get my hands/slicer on 1-2 oz of truffles for Christmas Dinner. Anyone have a hint where to check? I will start with Balducci's and try Dean & DeLuca. I am afraid I'm too late for Urbani. Waitman has promised me some funky yuminess if I can score the goods.Try Wegman's. Although brace yourself......last time I was there they were selling black truffles for $400 / pound. My guess is that this is for summer blacks at best. Still, since our wholesale on summer blacks is about $25 an ounce, that is a bargain if they are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 My guess is that this is for summer blacks at best. Still, since our wholesale on summer blacks is about $25 an ounce, that is a bargain if they are good. Summer blacks. Feh. The lite beer of truffles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. B Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Just returned from Spring Valley Balducci's. Truffles may be ordered with 72 hours notice. White from the Piedmont - 2888/lb and Black from Mt. Ventoux - 1250/lb. Contact Gloria the cheese dept. mgr. Now I don't know which to order. Waitman feels that the white's we've purchased and served at home are not worth the uptick in price. I am still having naughty thoughts about the whites we had on the pizza at CityZen last month. Think I will go with black and maybe donate the difference to Second Harvest of Central Kitchen so I don't feel so guilty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 --><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mrs. B @ Dec 20 2006, 10:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I would really love to get my hands/slicer on 1-2 oz of truffles for Christmas Dinner. Anyone have a hint where to check? I will start with Balducci's and try Dean & DeLuca. I am afraid I'm too late for Urbani. Waitman has promised me some funky yuminess if I can score the goods.Try Wegman's. Although brace yourself......last time I was there they were selling black truffles for $400 / pound. I bought a black truffle from the Sterling Wegmann's when they opened. The produce lady had to get a key to open the box and she took out the one I wanted. Took it home, put it straight into a storage container full of Arborio rice and put into the fridge. The next day, opened the container, pulled out the truffle, and it was all slimy and nasty on one side, and couldn't bring myself to try the rest of it, due to finicky fear of food poisoning.My one and only experience with truffles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hersch Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 -->QUOTE(Mrs. B @ Dec 21 2006, 12:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just returned from Spring Valley Balducci's.Please excuse my inner geography Nazi, but there is no Balducci's in Spring Valley. Wagshal's is in Spring Valley. Balducci's is up the hill in Wesley Heights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. B Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 --><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mrs. B @ Dec 21 2006, 12:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Just returned from Spring Valley Balducci's.Please excuse my inner geography Nazi, but there is no Balducci's in Spring Valley. Wagshal's is in Spring Valley. Balducci's is up the hill in Wesley Heights.You geography nazi have nothing to add to my truffle desire but to correct my DC geography problem? I stand corrected but think that Wesley Heights is ...oh never mind must think food not real estate. Procured a beautiful 4 rib dry aged hunk or rib eye for the holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gastro888 Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Summer blacks. Feh. The lite beer of truffles. Here here. Black truffles this year weren't that great until late last month. $25 wholesale isn't bad for Burgundies (blacks) but awfully high for summer truffles considering they've not developed any fragrance at that time. The price for the same winter truffle skyrockets the week prior to Christmas all b/c of demand and marketing. (Yay, marketing! ) And honestly, $1250/lb for black truffles is a freaking joke. How much profit do they want to make anyways? I would say the black truffles pictured on the post along the bottom row are about two ounce size. A one ounce truffle is the size of a small walnut. As for the white truffle that "tasted like cardboard" that most likely did *not* come from Italy - I would say Croatia, especially if that truffle was unnaturally white and clean looking. That Wegman's truffle was probably on its last leg when it was purchased; truffles last about shy of a week if they were bought fresh and properly kept. Try not to store them with too much rice as the truffles need a wee bit of moisture. The best way to store them is loosely wrapped in a paper towel and in a glass bowl with a glass lid. I would try to go the restaurant route, if you have connections. You'll be able to get the better quality and hopefully a better price. Good luck! (Sorry for the somewhat rambling post, just wanted to address several points at once.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Anyone else in awe and envy of Gastro's truffle knowledge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gastro888 Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Thanks, hillvalley, you're too kind! Truth be told, I gained my knowledge via blood, sweat and tears. Literally. Also, size is not an indicator of quality. It looks great to shave (or as P. Diddy said to the waiter at Daniel in NYC, "Shave that b****!". For shizzle.) tablesize but sometimes the smaller tennis ball or golf ball sized white truffles are more pungent. If you do choose to purchase a black truffle, make sure that it doesn't have any holes or cracks, that it's not too dry, and that they're very dark and when you press it, it's not rock hard. Of course when buying either type of truffle, you should be able to smell it before you crack open the container. Hell, at the height of the season, if you sell truffles, you walk away smelling like them at the end of the day! And definitely don't buy it at a grocery store where it's been sitting under lights in a warm case with way too much rice. That probably contributed to the rotting truffle from Wegman's as well. (By the way, the retail level gets the "second" grade of truffles. Restaurants, especially the high end ones, get first pickin' of the best of the litter.) *edited for grammar and other whatnots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdjordy Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 Whole Foods on Rockville Pike has Oregon Black truffles... 1ounce for $29.99. In the produce section packed in rice. Anyone tried these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gastro888 Posted December 28, 2006 Share Posted December 28, 2006 Don't bother. If you're gonna do the truffles, do 'em right. Try to find out who the D'artagnan sales rep is for the Washington, D.C. area restaurants and ask if you can purchase truffles from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted December 28, 2006 Share Posted December 28, 2006 A very polite and enthusiastic lady named Gloria, who hangs out behind the cheese counter at the Spring Valley/Wesley Heights/AU Park/Forrest Hills Balducci's, special ordered about 2.5 ounces of black truffles at $80/oz for us, just before Christmas. The two truffles were about the size of a golf ball, a little gnarlier than the ones that the chefs probably get but clean, fragrant enough to gross out the kids and quite tasty. The first night, we scored some pizza dough at Vace (ours would have been better, but time did not permit) and and some fontina from Gloria and made a couple white pizzas, each perfectly sized to support two eggs fried sunny side up and generous shaving of the truffles, and four of us snarfed up the resulting gooey mess (based on a CityZen app) with a great deal of enthusiasm. For Christmas day we chopped up about another three-quarters of an ounce and devoted that to Boudin Blanc de Noel, from what should be the most annoying cookbook ever, but isn't, Madeleine Kamman's When French Women Cook.* We lost a small bit of the truffle to some sort of truffle rot -- possibly hastened by storing the truffles at room temperature -- but had plenty to serve six people with some excellent leftovers. Basically, you grind chicken breast, finely diced mushrooms, butter, cream and truffles together and then stuff them in whatever casings you have lying around, poach the resulting links and then gently fry them for serving. Next time we may try to find a way to wedge some duck liver in with the fungus, chicken and dairy products, and maybe our take on whatever it is Weidermayer serves his boudin with, but the boudin stand up pretty well on their own. I just checked, and there's still enough truffle left for a very serious dinner for two tonight, perhaps we'll just scramble up a couple of the eggs it's resting in in the slow French fashion (over boiling water) that always seems a little ridiculous to me unless there are truffles involved. *I generally have a low tolerance for cookbooks that talk too much, whether it's Bourdain's silly swaggering in the Les Halles Cookbook; Ruhlman-penned paeons to rabbit killing and upright fish in The French Laundry Cookbook or Judy Roger's repeated flashbacks to her years with the Troisgros clan in Zuni. I mean, just shut up and cook. By this measure, When French Women Cook should be the worst offender of all. The premise of the book is that it shares reciped learned at the feet of a series of women with whom Kamman lived as a girl and young woman in France, each from a different region: Mimi in Savoie, Claire in Tourain and so on. Thus each chapter starts with a little story about the women and their impossibly picturesque hearths, tales of mushroom-gathering and cheese-making and so on, and is followed up by a series of regional recipes. Somehow Kamman -- whom one suspects takes no prisoners and is fun to drink with -- spins these tales without using eye-rolling levels of treacle. The recipes are excellent, while also serving as a basic primer on the differences of French regional cooking. And, if you like a little backstory with your cookbook, it may be perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol_ironstomach Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 NYT article last month about a plant pathologist in Tennessee who has gained attention for successfully cultivating Perigord black truffles in his backyard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunnyJohn Posted April 29, 2007 Share Posted April 29, 2007 I open my May issue of Gourmet and find an article that purports there are truffles to be found in the Saudi desert. Some white, some dark. A parenthesis explains that this "truffle" is biologically liitle different from " its Wester cousin, though a Saudi agronomist... says the electrical charges [from] lightnening storms...make the truffles lighter in taste." In Arabic they are called fagaa and are highly prized. Anyone know if they compare to a Perigord, or are ever exported? I can't believe that this fungus from the desert has anything remotely in common with the one found nestled near an oak tree in SE France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinerGirl Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 Whatever you do, don't buy black truffles at Dean & Deluca in Georgetown. They're trying to pass off old summer truffles as winter black truffles... AND, they won't refund your money when you take home the truffles, slice one, find a light-colored inside, and then call them on it. I just spoke to someone at D&D HQ who said this is not the first time they've gotten this complaint about this store. Guess it's back to Urbani for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legant Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 What's with the Italians and truffles? December 2007: One of the biggest truffles (1.5kg/3.3lb) found in decades has fetched $330,000 (£165,000)... November 2005: A truffle weighing 1.2kg (2.6lb) has sold for 95,000 euros ($112,000; £64,000) at an international charity auction in Italy. Knick knack paddy whack... give that dog a very big bone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saycheese Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Arrowine is currently advertising white truffles at $279/oz., black truffles at $69.99/oz., and Burgundy truffles at $49.99/oz. (all range from 0.75 to 1.5 oz.). Order by 5 pm Tuesday for Thursday delivery. I haven't ordered any, so can't vouch for the quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demetrius Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 The Wegman's in Sterling, Virginia has them for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Aurelius Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I have purchased form Arrow in the past and would recommned it. On another note I do not like the way Wegman's handles them. I "heard" this year's harvest is not up to standard from previous years, and the "best" are being kept in Europe this year. Unsubstantiated, but would like to pass this along. I hope I do not deter you from buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 Well, now that we've solved the caul fat shortage (thanks, thanguch) I wonder if anyone has any leads on black Perigord or Provencal truffles -- the mighty melanosporum. I can't afford white truffles and I'd like to go a step above summer truffles, Burgundy truffles, Oregon truffles and the like. Fresh, of course, is the key and I think I'm aiming to get an ounce or two as close to Christmas Day as possible. I saw a bunch at Dean and DeLuca the other day, but I am concerned about freshness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 We bought black truffles that were Fedexed in on Tuesday. The scent is permeating my kitchen. I keep going to the refrigerator and opening the door just so that it will wash over me. These might be the best I've ever laid my hands on. We had truffled scrambled eggs for breakfast this morning; dinner will be wild mushroom soup with truffles, onglet with truffled demi-glace, potato gratin with truffles, and salad. I might shave a little over some ice cream for dessert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahoooob Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Dean - any ideas of how long the white truffle supply will last? Not this batch, but just in general? Might have a special occasion in a few weeks so just checking out the options.. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hungry prof Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 From the Department of Strange but True, truffles for sale for $1000/lb at the Social Safeway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATS Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 I went truffle hunting in Tuscany recently - what a lot of fun. The truffle dog goes crazy with the scent. We got to the forest just after a family of porcupines had been through there, rooting around, but we found some nice black truffles. Now I get my fresh truffles by special order from Piazza Italian Market in Easton, MD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Not summer truffles, Oregon truffles, Burgundy truffles, canned truffles or chocolate truffles. Fresh, from Northern Italy or Southern France (I think French black truffles deliver the best bang for the buck but I realize that this marks me as a cretin in some circles). Anyway, any trusted sources offering them in the DC area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhone1998 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Not summer truffles, Oregon truffles, Burgundy truffles, canned truffles or chocolate truffles. Fresh, from Northern Italy or Southern France (I think French black truffles deliver the best bang for the buck but I realize that this marks me as a cretin in some circles). Anyway, any trusted sources offering them in the DC area? I bought one from the few they had left at Griffin Market in Georgetown one day a few weeks ago. Apparently Jose Andres had raided the supply the night before. It was good. As far as trust goes, I suppose I took it on faith that it was what he told me it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Anyway, any trusted sources offering them in the DC area? Balducci's in Bethesda will special order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 I saw truffles in Dean and Deluca in Georgetown a couple of nights ago. I can't swear to what kind they were, but it's worth a phone call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 I've also seen them in Dean and Delucre, mounted in Arborio like an uncut diamond on a bed of pearls. I don't know--I hate spending money in that place even for something that would be expensive anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 I've also seen them in Dean and Delucre, mounted in Arborio like an uncut diamond on a bed of pearls. I don't know--I hate spending money in that place even for something that would be expensive anywhere. My worry with D&D is not price -- I think they're in line with other outlets -- so much as the thought that they've been sitting there for two weeks, losing funk. (Speaking of which, I was extremely disappointed to learn, after I demanded that Stephanie spend her hard earned cash for a pair of prized ducats, that the opening act at the 9:30 Club New years Eve was not "Truffle Funk," but some lame go-go band.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 My worry with D&D is not price -- I think they're in line with other outlets -- so much as the thought that they've been sitting there for two weeks, losing funk. Agreed. Or they've absorbed other funks, like smoked salmon, olives, and prosciutto. If the grandes dames of Georgetown simply did their part and assured a high turnover, we wouldn't need to worry about this, but I guess those days are long gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Agreed. Or they've absorbed other funks, like smoked salmon, olives, and prosciutto. If the grandes dames of Georgetown simply did their part and assured a high turnover, we wouldn't need to worry about this, but I guess those days are long gone. Damn dames. (nice -- putting the adjective in the appropriate plural form. No riff-raff you!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 (nice -- putting the adjective in the appropriate plural form. No riff-raff you!) Part of my inevitable decline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popover Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 Be careful when you buy from D&D. I splurged a couple of weeks ago and thankfully my husband was with me. I hadn't noticed that the counter server hadn't set the tare weight on the scale to account for the three sheets of paper that he was weighing with the truffle. When my husband asked him to pick up the truffle and weigh the paper, turns out we would have paid $44 for the paper! Wonder how many people they have caught this way! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 Has a Start-Up Found the Secret to Farming the Elusive Truffle?  By Jim Robbins, NOV. 24, 2016, on nytimes.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 4 hours ago, dcs said: Has a Start-Up Found the Secret to Farming the Elusive Truffle?  By Jim Robbins, NOV. 24, 2016, on nytimes.com. The one thing missing from this article was an opinion by a reliable source rgarding the actual merits of the truffles being produced.  I have tried summer truffles, burgundy truffles and a couple other discount varieties and have never found them remotely comparable to good Perigord or Italian white truffles.  Lame truffles are lame truffles and (IMHO) not worth the effort no matter how much cheaper they are than than the good stuff from France and Italy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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