Images Courtesy of Oregon Truffle Festival.
The Bounty
Truffle off to Oregon
SHOP - January 14, 2010
"Oregon could be the next Tuscany or Provence. We have the wine, food culture, ingredients and terroir." Leslie Scott backs up her vision with actions and energy. She and her husband, Charles Lefevre, are co-founders of the five-year old Oregon Truffle Festival. Chefs, foodies, truffle enthusiasts and, this year, the French, are convening in Eugene, January 29-31.
Dog foraged, Oregon varieties go for $100 to $200 a pound or more; not cheap even in a good economy but a "bargain" compared to the nosebleed prices that Italian Whites from Alba or French Blacks from Périgord fetch. Luckily, just a few shavings of these powerfully aromatic fungi add the ultimate sophistication to dishes like the Duck Leg Confit & Black Truffle Pommes Sarladaises slated for this year's Grand Dinner.
"Getting only truffles that ripen well is tricky," says Jim Wells at Oregon Wild Edibles. Humans foraging alone cannot detect the pungent scents buried underground the way dogs (and pigs) can and improper harvesting methods keep you from experiencing a ripe truffle's unique, earthy aroma.
Truffling is a tiny, artisanal activity. Top-drawer specimens aren't readily available, in Oregon or Europe. Enthusiasts must be dedicated, persistent and careful to buy only the piquant fungi that command a king's ransom.
Charles Lefevre suggests playing it safe by working with Jim Wells or Eric Lyon, both specialists who sell truffles harvested with trained dogs. This year's been difficult, but Eric thinks there still are good black truffles yet to be found.
Oregon Truffle Festival
www.OregonTruffleFestival.com
Eric Lyon
Oregon Black Truffles
www.OregonBlackTruffles.com
Jim Wells
Oregon Wild Edibles
www.OregonWildEdibles.com
(minimum order 8 ounces)
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