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Truffle Hunting On The Périgord: The Quest For The Black Diamonds Of Cuisine
We never thought we would do this, even though we have been traveling for more than two decades. But there we were, traveling on the Périgord, going to the small hamlet of Péchalifour, near Saint-Cyprien, where truffle farmer Edouard Aynaud, would take us on a truffle hunt with his two dogs, trained to sniff and point, but not eat, the black Périgord truffle. We had eaten black truffles before — and they tasted like the scent of old libraries: arcane yet grand, laden with the taste of history and mystery. And sometimes, with a hint of bitter chocolate. But going on an actual truffle hunt was a pilgrimage of sorts,…
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How to Incorporate Specialty Gourmet Foods into Your Menu
Many people enjoy eating specialty gourmet foods and luxury foods at restaurants and for special occasions, but don’t really know how to incorporate these fancy foods into their menu at home. Once you get used to using specialty gourmet foods, you’ll see new and creative opportunities to add these ingredients to your menu almost every day. Foie Gras Who would have guessed that foie gras is one of the most versatile and easy to incorporate specialty gourmet foods? Just by adding foie gras to an existing recipe, many dishes can easily be elevated to an impressive gourmet meal. In general, foie gras complements almost any type of red meat, exotic…
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Experience Provence on a Fine Food Truffle Farm for a Sensory Experience!
LES PASTRAS ORGANIC TRUFFLE FARM TOUR – TRUFFLE HUNTING “There are two types of people who eat truffles: those who think truffles are good because they are dear and those who know they are dear because they are good.” — J.L. Vaudoyer Looking for a deliciously unique experience in France? Why not experience Provence, off the beaten track with one of France’s most traditional and secretive countryside traditions: The truffle hunt! LES PASTRAS conducts truffle-hunting tours in English during summer and winter truffle seasons, followed by a sampling of fresh truffle hors d’oeuvres, Champagne, and a tasting of Les Pastras’s olive and truffle oil. An interesting experience, immersed in nature…
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How and When to Use Black vs White Truffle Oil
When to use black vs white truffle oil is less clear cut than the question of black vs white truffles. When using fresh truffles in cooking, the two species are rarely interchangeable. The use of black vs white truffle oil follows some of the same rationale as using fresh truffles; however, in many cases either of the two truffle oils can be used with equally good results. It is best to first understand how fresh black vs white truffles are used. Fresh Black Truffles In general, black truffles are better when they are cooked. The full flavor and aroma is released when black truffles are heated or cooked, therefore they…
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Luxury Recipe: Truffle Recipes: Baked Figs with Black Truffles and Prosciutto
These prosciutto wrapped honey mustard baked figs, set on top of fried goat cheese and Australian black truffles and drizzled with top quality aged balsamic vinegar makes a delicious appetizer. Australian black truffles reach their peak maturity in mid July; the combination with fresh ripe black mission figs is perfect. If you don’t have a premium quality aged balsamic vinegar such as Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, Reggio Emilia, Gold Label on hand, you can reduce 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar combined with about 1/4 cup sugar or honey. Simmer the mixture until reduced to 1/8 cup. Ingredients: 4 slices Proscuitto de Parma, cut in half lengthwise 8 ripe black mission figs, stems…