I have no idea but I'm interested to hear what people have to say about truffle oil. If I see an airplane bottle sized truffle oil that's fairly expensive can I assume it's more "truffley" than say an 8oz bottle of the the same price? Are they all just truffle-infused olive oil?

Years ago I bought one of the small bottles and even after adding about four times what was called for in the recipe (truffled mashed potatoes - from epicurious) I still wasn't convinced I tasted any positive difference. I've been hesitant to waste my money ever since.

White truffle oil is stronger than black. If you're not sure if you like it start with black first. White is the most popular. Black is used when using alongside mild foods, such as avocado, butter lettuce etc.

I keep mine in the fridge and bring to room temp or put in glass of warm water before using.

Use sparingly. A little goes a long way!

It's not something everyone likes. You either love it or hate it. The smell can be offputting for some.

Personally I LOVE it!

Hope this helps!

There is a pub in my hometown that makes "Truffle Fries" that are positively orgasmic. They are twice fried potatoes (thicker than shoe string) that are drizzled with truffle oil and Belgian Aioli...... oh my word... They are DELISH!

Alexa

The answer is none. Most truffle oil has no truffle in it. They're usually synthetic. In other words, you're eating perfume. Don't believe me? Look at the ingredients. If it says Truffle Aroma, that's code word for artificial flavor. Ever since I learned about this, I stopped using Truffle Oil and save my money. These days, I just use a high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil to finish a dish.

Perhaps that's so....but it's great perfume! Even synthetic truffle oil is O..utstanding!!

ssomerville, I took your advice and chose black. Jscout, you're right, the ingredient listed is truffle flavor. But there is a good chance that I may never taste the real deal, and I just had to know what all the fuss is about. I haven't used it yet, but man is that smell to die for! I am very excited to.

I am addicted to truffle oil -- either kind. I think the Black is stronger than the white (at least the kind that we buy). I made some hummus tonight and added a couple of teaspoons of truffle oil to it --- yummy!

My favorite new use for the truffle oil is with popcorn. I mix a bit of it with vegetable oil when popping the popcorn, then sprinkle some Black Truffle Italian Sea Salt on it when it's done. Now that is to die for!!! Everyone I know got baskets with bottles of truffle oil, Truffle Salt (from Savory Spice Shop), and popcorn for Christmas this year from me.

The truffle oil is also great drizzled over a pizza made with just cheese, and tomatoes marinated in balsamic vinegar, garlic and basil. The store where I buy my truffle oil also sells lots of different vinegars and this pizza is great with a lavender balsamic vinegar.

We have a great burger place in town that does the truffle fries, too. They mix the fries with parmesan and parsley, then drizzle with truffle oil. They also serve the burgers with a truffle aioli or a dijon truffle sauce.

Here is a link that might be useful: Black vs. white truffle oil

Black truffle sea salt- now that sounds interesting. I am a convert, now, too. It just added that little something something that I never knew I was missing. I made truffled sage and walnut stuffed mushrooms with caramelized shallots. I don't usually like mushrooms but oh my goodness were these good.

I can't wait to add this to all kinds of foods- I'll definitely have to try the fries, and I'm thinking mac n cheese, oh my goodness. It was just too good!

Ok, that's it, time to give it another try!

What a coincidence this came up; I've been going ga-ga over truffle buttered popcorn of late. I have a teeny bottle of white truffle oil from Italy that is the real thing. It's amazing!

What I do is pop some popcorn the old fashioned way in a pot on the stove then put the popcorn in a bowl. I then melt some butter in the microwave with a small splash of truffle oil. I then dizzle this butter-truffle-oil deliciousness over the popcorn, salt, and then die of pleasure.

Fortunately for me and my pants, this is a very rare treat. YUM!

We were fortunate enough to visit Tuscany last fall during white truffle season - even went to a white truffle festival. I fell in love with the aroma and flavor. Especially the aroma. During the time we were there, truffle oil (REAL truffle oil, with a little bit of truffle in the bottle) was added to many things but mostly to pasta.

My favorite dish was Tagliatelle al tartufo. After we first tried it, either my husband or I ordered it for every meal. Basically it is simply pasta cooked al dente, then tossed in a butter sauce to which truffle oil has been added. And a lot of parmesan.

What Caliloo said about the Truffle Fries. I had some in Santa Fe and ooooohhhhh! Good!

Great thread Y... thanks!

In a vinaigrette and drizzled over chilled sliced Beets. Yum!!

Steve

The popcorn idea sounds delicious! And that pasta sounds so good. Maybe a combination of the two- parmesan, truffle oil, and butter on popcorn? Mmmmm. But I do think the pasta is begging to be my next meal!

Never thought of adding the parmesan to the popcorn--- may do that tonight

Here's a link to the local store where I buy my truffle oil, I think they ship. I don't know if it's any better, or worse, than what you can get elsewhere but we love the flavor and like to support the locals. I don't know about their prices either, since I haven't bought it anywhere else. It's a great little store full of all of the stuff on the website and it's just like going to a winery. They have everything all set up with little cups and some bread for dipping, so you can do tastings of all of the varieties. It definitely makes me buy more!

I gave one of my best friends the basket with the bottle of truffle oil, truffle salt, and popcorn for Christmas. I explained to her that she could use the oil and salt for lots of things, but that the popcorn was there for an idea and was one of my favorites. She looked at it for a few minutes and then asked me how to make real popcorn. She said she had never seen it done. Then I realized that she's 15 years younger than me (even though our kids are the same age) and grew up with the microwave stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rocky Mountain Olive Oils

Don't you just love cute little shops like that? We really could use more of those types of places in America. It looks like a really neat store!

ynnej, very interesting idea, walnut stuffed mushrooms with truffle oil.

I will have to try that sometime.

dcarch

For some reason, pesto keeps coming to mind. I don't know of a recipe, but decadent+decadent=sounds good. At least, it does to me.

Dcarch, it was a mixture of cooked and pureed mushrooms, onions, walnuts and sage, with truffle oil and the caramelized shallots mixed in. I just didn't know what to call it! Rob, pesto does sound good. I really loved the way it played with the sage, so I'm thinking truffled sage pesto is next on the list.

I remember when Trader Joes carried black AND white truffle oils. Those were the days! Two of my fav combos with truffle oil is asparagus and beets.

Asparagus with White truffle oil

2 lbs asparagus stalks, washed and trimmed
2 Tbs white truffle oil
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp champagne wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
S&P to taste

Blanch asparagus for about three minutes until crisp-tender, or to taste. Remove from heat and refresh under cold water, drain well.

While asparagus is blanching, mix vinaigrette: in a small bowl, whisk together the truffle and olive oils, champagne wine vinegar, lemon juice, S&P. Toss with asparagus and hide from everyone else.

Napoleon of Beets and herbed goat cheese

I simplified this one from a more complicated recipe and can't remember the original source. It uses the same vinaigrette from the above recipe.

1/2 lb beets, as wide as you can find
1 log herbed goat cheese (Trader Joe's)
2 Tbs white truffle oil
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp champagne wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
S&P to taste
Greens of your choice - I use micro greens
Optional: chopped walnuts

Cook beets in boiling water until tender or can be poked through with a skewer, or roast. Cool, and peel. Slice into horizontal layers, keeping each beet intact.

Slice the goat cheese logs into approx. 1/4" slices or so.
Mix the vinaigrette.

On a plate, arrange your greens. Layer the beets and goat cheese slices; you may need to shape or cut the goat cheese. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, add walnuts if you choose. Hide from everyone.

I've never had truffle oil, but I just got some black truffle sea salt (it was $15 on Amazon, very expensive for salt, but not expensive for truffles). I thought I hated it at first- its so stinky that I have to seal the jar in a bag, but then I ended up loving it. My favorite so far is on pasta with Parmesan and butter. It also adds a lot to mushroom soup.

There is a lot of snobbishness when it comes to synthetic truffle oil use.

Yes, there are some out there that are not too good. However, I remember having seen a show long time ago, a few chefs were not able to tell the difference between the real oil and the imitation oil.

dcarch

I've bought this brand before and it was good.

Here is a link that might be useful: Black Truffle Oil

I can't wait to try Jessy's asparagus... sounds yummy. Tonight I added some truffle oil to my alfredo sauce and it was great. You just can't go wrong with truffle oil.

Several years ago my mother gave me a Truffle cookbook (we love them and became addicted while traveling in Italy). The book is beautiful. With that book, she gave me a white truffle, black truffle, truffle butter, truffle oil, truffle honey and a truffle paste. OMGosh! We savored every last morsel of the truffles and every last drop of the oils. I licked the honey jar clean!

I took my niece to Italy - ordered her a pasta with truffles on top and told her to trust me - it would be heaven. It was and every meal after that she scoured the menus for anything that had the word "tartufo" in the dish. That was the dish she ordered.

You can pick up the book used on Amazon - cheap!

M

Truffles: Ultimate Luxury, Everyday Pleasure

Truffle honey! Swoon! I had an idea for pureeing dates with some sage and adding truffle oil to that. I don't know what for, and I don't know what I'd call it, but it sounds good. Maybe as a dip for spicy samosas? I guess I'm on a truffle oil and sage kick!

I really wonder if the stuff in my bottle of white truffle oil was something else, because I thought it was inedible, even disgusting. I'll say it's a love-it-or-hate-it thing!

@ynnej - what's the name of your food blog?

MichelleDT, it's http://vegetarianhatesvegetables.blogspot.com/
Still in the beginning stages, but it's coming along. Hope you enjoy it!

I will check it out. I started a food blog a year ago...gained 20 lbs in 4 months! I wanted to improve my photog skills so that was a good way to practice. I had a lot of fun with it but Mister begged me to give it up so we could drop the weight! LOL!!

I have since focused on street life and landscapes which I actually enjoy more and the bonus - no more weight gain.

M

Is your blog still up?

Thanks for posting this! I've had a bottle of Black Truffle Flavoured Oil from France in my pantry forever. My question is: Does it go bad? I'd hate to try it for the first time w/spoiled oil. It's never been opened.

I have an intolerance for truffle oil, to the point where I have to be very careful in restaurants to make sure it's not used in my food. I wonder which ingredient makes it undigestible for me.

ynnej
Could you post your recipe for the stuffed mushrooms with truffle oil?
Thanks,