Summer truffles

[Fish]

I've been fascinated by the corn agnolotti recipe in the French Laundry cookbook for a while, and I think I'll have enough time in the next few weeks to attempt it. I was reading through the recipe earlier today, and noticed that it calls for summer truffles. What's the difference between a summer truffle and a "regular" truffle ? Anyone know where I can get one ?

Thanks

- S

[Oreganought]

The summer truffle or black truffle is what Keller is refering to.The white truffle is harvested in the fall,sometimes called the winter truffle.

Any good purveyor in your area should be able to find what your

looking for.

Excuse the short answer....I'm just going out the door.

[Matthew Grant]

The summer truffle or black truffle is what Keller is refering to.The white truffle is harvested in the fall,sometimes called the winter truffle.

Any good purveyor in your area should be able to find what your

looking for.

Excuse the short answer....I'm just going out the door.

This is not true. A summer truffle (Tuber Aestivum)is a type of black truffle but will be far less potent than its winter counterpart and is far cheaper.

The best truffles (black or white) are found during the winter with Perigord and Alba being the most famous truffle producing regions for black(Tuber Melanosporum) and white(Tuber Magnatum) respectively.

Edited August 6, 2003 by Matthew Grant (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

The summer truffle or black truffle is what Keller is refering to.The white truffle is harvested in the fall,sometimes called the winter truffle.

Any good purveyor in your area should be able to find what your

looking for.

Excuse the short answer....I'm just going out the door.

This is not true. A summer truffle (Tuber Aestivum)is a type of black truffle but will be far less potent than its winter counterpart and is far cheaper.

The best truffles (black or white) are found during the winter with Perigord and Alba being the most famous truffle producing regions for black(Tuber Melanosporum) and white(Tuber Magnatum) respectively.

I've had summer truffles that were white...

[Matthew Grant]

Summer truffles are pale, but as far as I am aware, black. Maybe they were bottled white truffles?

Pictures here

Edited August 6, 2003 by Matthew Grant (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Summer truffles are pale, but as far as I am aware, black. Maybe they were bottled white truffles?

Pictures here

Impossible. They were a special "White Summer Truffle Risotto" at Patina...

[Jinmyo]

A subject not to be truffled with...

[Matthew Grant]

Mmmmmm..... this is a first for me. Here apparently is a picture of a white summer truffle dish:

Here!

Looks suspiciously black to me but that doesn't change the fact the Caroline has eaten them.

Tuber borcii are a white summer truffle - see HERE

Caroline, what did it taste like? The reports I've found suggest it smells of garlic and is not very highly regarded?

However, back to my original point, the summer truffle is not also known as black truffle.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Mmmmmm..... this is a first for me. Here apparently is a picture of a white summer truffle dish:

Here!

Looks suspiciously black to me but that doesn't change the fact the Caroline has eaten them. 

Tuber borcii are a white summer truffle - see HERE

Caroline, what did it taste like?  The reports I've found suggest it smells of garlic and is not very highly regarded?

However, back to my original point,  the summer truffle is not also known as black truffle.

Well, I must admit to having only ever tasted fresh black truffles in the winter and the white truffles in the summer. Inasmuch, the dish served was absolutely lovely and could have been in part enhanced by truffle oil although there were several large slices of said truffled atop the risotto. It was last summer and served at Patina's Pinot Blanc in downtown Los Angeles. It was so good, I went back a few days later for a second serving before the truffles were gone. I've searched their website to see if it might be listed on their menu, but it was a special and I don't see it this year.

I did find a link that looked familiar: http://www.rolandtanglao.com/photos/2003/07/14/birthday.dinner.at.bis.moreno.on.hornby/Pages/8.html' target='_blank'>

[Adam Balic]

There are numerous truffle species. Some good, some not nice at all. Often the blander species are tarted up with truffle oil. Bastard chefs have also been known to use portabello mushroom gills or shavings of a black puffball fungus (in the UK) dressed in truffle oil.

The USA has several species of native truffle, both black and white (the come from Oregen (sp?) and grow under young Douglas firs. These are not the same as the prized species from Europe.

Time of the year is often not a guide either, in Umbria/Tuscany both Tuber Aestivum and Tuber Melanosporum are found and their seasons overlap to some extent. Shops in the UK will charge Tuber Melanosporum prices for Tuber Aestivum, when the former is worth ten times the price or more. So it pays to be able to identify them.

I had some Tuber Aestivum in Tuscany recently, very nice, but I paid very little for them, as it should be, as these truffles have a very mild flavour, in fact they seem to smell more then they taste.

From the link I would say that they are almost certainly Tuber Aestivum, so 'White Summer Truffle' is I think a restuarant name, so that people do not get confused by the appearance of the shavings. The whole truffle would look black/dark brown.

Edited August 6, 2003 by Adam Balic (log)

[Fish]

So where can I buy these ? Would it be a disaster if I just used bottled black truffles ?

- S

Edited August 6, 2003 by Fish (log)

[MFC]

Summer truffles are in deed black truffles. While they do have a black exterior they are white fleshed on the inside, and as stated are far less aromatic and pungent, not to mention much less expensive. Compared to black winter truffles that are black on both the exterior and interior. Fresh white truffles are only available in the fall. If look back to the posted photos you will notice the distinct difference in color between the outer layer and flesh of the truffle.

In New York they are available at most gourmet stores such as Dean & Deluca and the like (about $15/oz).

[Adam Balic]

So where can I buy these ?  Would it be a disaster if I just used bottled black truffles ?

  - S

The bottled (black) truffles will almost certainly be Tuber Aestivum the "Black Summer Truffle", described as "White Summer truffle" in the restaurant description . Most jars should mention species name.

I wouldn't use them as they are expensive and mostly taste of nothing. Plus the texture is poor as well. I would wait for the fresh truffles (fresh summer truffles should be in season) or make a simplified version using a good truffle oil.

The dish looks like a real fresh seasonal treat, so by using a bottle truffle I think that that would miss the best parts of the dish.

[bavman]

I bought some fresh summer truffles at Comptoir Gascon in London. Dark brown on the outside and white on the inside. Whilst they smelt good in the shop - fairly subtle but distincly truffle, I was disappointed when I used them in a dish, I found them nutty in texture and taste - very little to no truffle flavour or aroma.

I had no experience of buying or using them before, so I may not have chosen well. However afterwards I had a pigeon dish using Summer Truffles at a well regarded restaurant in France. Whilst the dish was very good, the summer truffles tasted very similar to those I had bought in London, again very little/no truffle taste.

If this is not a common experience with summer truffles please advise, help on selecting truffles would also be appreciated.

[Adam Balic]

Well, truffles are different levels of 'ripeness', it they are collected before they are fully mature they can lack flavour. But, as I said earlier, summer truffles seem to have more aroma then taste. I am guessing that restaurants that use them add a slug of truffle oil to the dish as well.

[Ruth]

Summer truffles may be cheaper than winter truffles but are still expensive and, in my experience, not worth the money. I definitely agree that a good truffle oil -albeit partially or wholly with synthetic truffle flavor - will be more perfumed than 90% of the summer truffles.

[Really Nice!]

Fish,

Have you tried Seattle Caviar?