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Black Truffles (in Europe in particular)


TheSwede

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Truffles are expensive, but when you buy them in small jars packed by "gourmet" food companies they tend to so expenisve it is almost silly. Add to that companies that try to pass of summer truffles (Tuber Aestivum Vitt) or Bourgogne Truffles (Tuber Brumale or is it Uncinatum?) as real black (winter/perigord) truffles (Tuber Melansporum). Or companies that sell substandard products that smell yeasty or doesn't taste anything.

Unfortunately, I've had dealings with most of the above. It is a (truffle) jungle out there!

So, has anyone good experience with an online retailer (preferably in Europe) that is reliable and reasonably priced (which means expensive but not silly expensive)?

Feel free to add your own truffle misfortunes here... :smile:

Edit: When Googling around in preparation for the post, I found this company:

Truffles

They seem alright and their prices seems pretty ok (assumed they are in Euros - their french homepage give the same prices).

Edited by TheSwede (log)
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There is good preserved black truffle out there. Otherwise we would only be eating black truffle when it was in season.

The problem is separating the good product from the masses of bad products, imitations and outright frauds.

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Whatever you do, don't buy black truffles at Dean & Deluca in Georgetown (Washington, DC). They're trying to pass off old summer truffles as black truffles and they're horrible. The store manager didn't even know the difference between the two, and didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with what they were doing. He claimed the black truffles they were selling were from Italy and the same as the ones Urbani sells. I have both sitting here in my fridge and they are very, very different.

Stay away, stay far, far away.....

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  • 8 months later...

Costco is certainly one of the last places I expected to be selling European black truffles. But, there they are. $99 for 8 oz.

Our truffles are fresh from the source, picked and delivered within a week of leaving the rich soil. Your fresh truffles are shipped via 2nd Day Air and will deliver within 7-10 business days from your order date.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

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ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

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Costco is certainly one of the last places I expected to be selling European black truffles.  But, there they are.  $99 for 8 oz.

These are fresh italian summer truffles and the price (equivalent to approx 300 EUR/kg) seems perfectly ok - pretty good even. Probably not a bad buy for someone who wants to do some cooking with truffles.

Summer truffles have less intense aroma and taste than real black truffles, but they are also much cheaper. Just use more! :smile:

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Try finding a place in slovenia/croatia that can deliver truffles if it's possible. Italians in the know often go to slovenia or croatia for truffles as they are high quality but half the price. I'll see if I can ask a friend of mine but he's often away and a bit hard to reach.

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Try finding a place in slovenia/croatia that can deliver truffles if it's possible.  Italians in the know often go to slovenia or croatia for truffles as they are high quality but half the price. I'll see if I can ask a friend of mine but he's often away and a bit hard to reach.

If I were privy to the information that you say your friend is, I'd make myself hard to reach too! :wink:

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

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hahahaha. i wish i had thought to get the information myself when i was there. I've experienced the truffles there first hand and they are really good. I am, however, a bit lazy so i usually get my truffles when i go to italy. i used to live there and have other (more available) friends too for when I get low. I actually (and a lot of Italians who cook with truffle) prefer the black anyway as it has a stronger flavour and ends up being cheaper. I'm not an expert or anything I just know what I like after eating a lot - and I LOVE truffles. A cheap date - perhaps.

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