Good news! White truffles are back … and this year all signs point to a robust season. In Italy, favorable weather conditions in August and September have contributed to the growth of these underground treasures. This means that there will be more white truffles on menus across the nation. Will you join the chefs in celebrating this marvel of nature at home?

The season is fleeting, (between October and December), and availability dwindles depending on the weather in Italy. Read on to learn more about truffles, and see how some of our chefs are using them.

The Alba Truffle

Known as the white Alba truffle, Tuber magnatum pico is famous for its distinct aroma and intense, earthy flavor. This gem of nature is meticulously hand-collected Italy and flown to D’Artagnan directly.

The value of a white truffle is based on the truffle being whole, having a good aroma, and its size. The larger the truffle, the higher the price – the world record is still held by a truffle weighing just over 4 pounds, which sold for $61,250 at auction.

For most people, a one-ounce truffle is a perfect size, which is what we offer to home cooks at dartagnan.com.

Cooking with White Truffles

The white truffle is only served fresh: sliced, shaved or grated over a finished dish such as pasta, risotto, vegetables or eggs. The heat of the cooked dish is just enough to release the aroma of the truffle, enhancing the natural pungency. The aroma, which is the source of their unique flavor, is lost when the truffles are cooked or overheated. There is no comparable experience to eating a white truffle.

For more information about foraging for truffles, and cooking with truffles, read our earlier blog post.

How to Best Store Your Truffle

Once a fresh truffle is out of the ground, it doesn’t keep long. To best preserve your truffle, wrap it in a paper towel, put in an airtight plastic container and set in the refrigerator. Do not clean the truffle until you are ready to use it. Avoid condensation and humidity which can cause rot.

If you wish, store the truffle with eggs in the refrigerator to impart its flavor into the eggs, but be sure the shells are perfectly dry. Even though you will see this everywhere – do not store your truffle in dry rice, as the rice dehydrates the truffle and absorbs the aroma.

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