Do truffles taste good? You must have had this thought whenever you look at the menu and see truffles on it. The price of the truffle may have surprised you too. But let us assure you that truffle is worth the money as no other food provides diverse sensations on the taste buds.
So, what does a truffle taste like?
A bite of truffle feels garlicky, mushroomy, oaky, meaty, nutty, and cheesy at the same time. Yep, it is true! The heaven-like sensations you experience after eating this delicacy are really worth the penny.
Read on to know what is a truffle and what it tastes like when factors change.
Table of Content
What Does a Truffle Taste Like?
Truffles have more than 200 varieties in total but we only eat two. People often mistake it for mushrooms due to the similar body structure. In reality, truffles are fungi that grow underground near the roots of the trees. Moreover, it cannot be grown anywhere you want.
It is highly sensitive to atmosphere changes, so only selective countries can grow it naturally. Wondering where do truffles grow? The environment of Italy and France suits the truffle the most for cultivation. That is why truffles grown in these areas are more delicious than the rest.
The two Truffle varieties which are commonly used in the Kitchen are:
Black Truffle (TUBER MELANOSPORUM)
Black truffle has a rough texture that appears as clumpy dirt. That is why some people also call it lumpy poop. Other names of black truffles are French Gold and Perigord.
Black Truffle can be found in the market from mid-November to March. So, celebrate Christmas and New Year with this delicacy on your table.
There is another strain of black summer truffles that is available throughout the summer. It perfectly pairs with pizza, pasta, and a topping of different food. People often search, What does truffle pasta taste like before ordering it or making it at home after looking at the recipe. Let us tell them that eating truffle pasta is a great choice and you might end up remembering eating it for a longer time due to the aroma and taste of black truffle.
So, what does black truffle taste like?
Eating cooked black truffle tastes like mushroomy, garlicky, and buttery; all at once. That is why it can be added to making pizza, pasta, and other fast food items. Cooking the back truffle is necessary as raw black truffle has a strong smell that goes away only when it is cooked.
White Truffle (TUBER BORCHII)
White truffle or Bianchetto appears as a rough potato. It is not available in the market the whole year. You can only find it from January to April, so enjoy it with spring vegetables.
Autumn white truffle is also used for culinary purposes. They are available between September to December (Autumn season).
What does white truffle taste like? White truffle is a bit spicier due to the hints of garlicky nature. White truffle even gives a little musky smell even after cooked or added to other food. That is why chefs use it with eggs and cream in different dishes to enhance the flavor and aroma of food. A bite of white truffle will give you a mixed sensation of garlicky, meaty, oaky, and savory flavors.
Why Is Truffle So Expensive?
Believe it or not, 1.2 kg of white truffle was sold for 90,000 at an auction in 2003. Some of you may be thinking, there is no reason for the truffle to be expensive. Well, let us first tell you that this delicacy is worth the price. Let’s start by discussing how truffles are grown.
Growing truffles is not a piece of cake. It is a combination of science, art, and patience. The process begins when researchers inject spores in the oak tree. Then, they take care of the tree as its roots are the source of food for truffle fungi.
They keep doing this until the whole process of Truffle growing is completed and this process may even take up to four years. Still, there is no guarantee that the yield of truffles will be more. Plus, there is always a chance that a pig or any other animal may eat the truffle before you could make a harvest.
In addition, truffles cannot be grown everywhere. Southern Europe has the best atmosphere for the cultivation of these fungi. However, the Middle East and China can also grow it but not up to the par of Italy or French grown truffles.
Although the truffle is costly, its health benefits make up for it.
What Are The Health Benefits of Eating Truffle?
Truffle has numerous health benefits due to the nutrients present in it. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C, fiber, proteins, and other minerals.
In addition, Truffle has antioxidants as well that reduce oxidative stress. Thus, it helps you prevent chronic diseases like heart stroke.
To make it healthier, you can cook Truffle with olive oil or request the chef to use olive oil in cooking this delicacy. Olive oil will further enhance its beneficial properties with its unsaturated fats, antioxidants, and vitamins.
Now, truffle oil is also available commercially that also contains olive oil in it. Restaurants are already using it to give the food a touch of truffle to make it stand out. On top of this, truffle oil is not as expensive as the Truffle dish itself.
So, Where to Buy Truffle and its oil?
The best way to avoid all of this hassle is to go online and order it to your doorstep. If you want to buy from stores, then Italian grocery stores may have truffles.
Let’s say you have ordered truffle more, what can you do in this situation as it can get spoiled quickly? You should know how to properly store Truffle to save it from becoming waste.
How to Store Truffle?
You can store the fresh truffle for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. First, put it in the freezer bag and remove any excess air in it. Then seal it and it is now ready to put in the refrigerator or freezer.
You can also wrap the truffle in a paper towel and put it in an air-tight jar. Then, put this jar in the fridge. Also, it would be best if you change the paper towel after a week. We do not recommend you put the truffle in the refrigerator for more than two weeks. After 14 days of refrigeration, you should cook the truffle to avoid it from becoming waste.
How to Cook Truffle at Home?
The cooking of Truffle involves the following steps:
- The first step in cooking truffles is cleaning. Get rid of any dirt on it to enjoy pure truffle taste.
- Then, use a truffle slicer to make thin slices.
- Next, decide which fat you are going with truffle. It is necessary as it brings out the best taste from this delicacy. Generally, chefs pair it with butter, cheese, and cream.
- Next, heat the truffle a little. Heating it at a higher temperature will destroy its flavor and aroma. Moreover, white truffles should not be heated as well as it is very sensitive to it. It is better if you put the peeled white garlic or garnish it with other dishes on the side instead of cooking it with it.
- In the next step, add pasta/ rice/ mashed potatoes, whatever you want to enjoy truffle with it. People generally love pasta. Don’t add too much lemon or any acidic solution as it will reduce the aroma.
If you follow these simple steps, you will have a perfect truffle dish on your plate.
FAQs
What does a truffle smell like?
There is not much difference between the smell and taste of truffles.Truffle smell like roasted walnuts and the cheese that has garlic cloves in it. However, most people cannot smell it as truffles are grown underground near the roots of the trees. So, farmers in Southern Europe use dogs and pigs that track the smell and take farmers towards the fungi.
What does truffle oil taste like?
People often ask, What does black and white truffle oil taste like before deciding if it is worth it to buy the oil. Truffle oil tastes the same as a cooked truffle. However, people have raised concerns over it as they claim that companies are not manufacturing the truffle oil from the real underground fungi.
They claim that companies are using a mixture of olive oil and additives to give a truffle-like taste and smell to oil. Therefore, you should buy the truffle oil only from reputable brands to get the real oil.
What does Wild Truffle taste like?
With a slight variation, consumable varieties of truffle (back and white) taste more or less the same. Wild truffle taste is also similar to a white truffle. It gives a musky aroma and its taste resembles garlic cheese.
Wrapping Up
What does a truffle taste like? The taste may vary a little depending upon the oil, salt content, and variety of truffles used for cooking. White truffle is spicier than black variety as the garlicky touch is more in it.
You can buy Truffle oil if you cannot afford to buy the real truffle. But the heaven-like feeling in the mouth only comes if you purchase the real truffle and cook it with perfection!
