All about truffles

[pedalaforte]

General List of Approved Products

Aloe Vera (above ground parts)

Bat nut or devil pod (Trapa bicornis)

Breads, cakes, cookies, and other bakery goods

Candies

Cannonball fruit

Chinese water chestnut

Coffee (roasted beans only)

Fish

* Flower bulbs

Fruits, canned

Garlic cloves (peeled)

Lily bulbs (Lilium spp.) for planting

Maguey leaf

Matsutake

Mushrooms

Nuts (roasted only)

Palm hearts (peeled)

Sauces, canned or processed

Seaweed

* Seeds for planting or consumption

Shamrocks leaves without roots or soil

St. John's Bread

Singhara nut (Trapa bispinosa)

Tamarind bean pod

Truffles

Vegetables, canned or processed

Water chestnut (Trapa natans)

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing...i_prod_inus.xml

From the official web site for customs. Print it. I had the same thought in mind, but I decided I'll probably while I'm there just eat a lot more than thought to be humanly possible.

Cheers

Edited August 3, 2007 by pedalaforte (log)

[Sampaguita]

You should also bear in mind that (white) truffles do not keep for very long, the moment they come out of the ground they start deteriating, and are most definitely best consumed as fresh as possible. Although packing them in rice has been advocated as a method of storing them, our truffle hunter friend wraps them in a paper towl and puts them in a small plastic container, good for a few days, long enough to get home if you buy them just before you leave.

[mdbasile]

You should also bear in mind that (white) truffles do not keep for very long, the moment they come out of the ground they start deteriating, and are most definitely best consumed as fresh as possible. Although packing them in rice has been advocated as a method of storing them, our truffle hunter friend wraps them in a paper towl and puts them in a small plastic container, good for a few days, long enough to get home if you buy them just before you leave.

←

Thanks all .... and yes I will be bringing them home within a day or two....

[mdbasile]

Ok - so I bought a truffle slicer - typical wook handle serated blade - adjustable thinkness.

Here is my problem... the truffles seem to not slice will - they break apart on me - if I use a mandolin or good vegatable peeler I do not have that problem. The truffles are not dry - so that is not the issue....

My question - could it be the blade thickness? Are all created equal? Is there a brand best recomended?

Thank you for your help.

Mark

[hathor]

Ciao. sounds like it could just be a dull blade? But that would be pretty strange on a new slicer. I've used a couple and haven't had your experience...that's a strange problem you have! Use the mandolin. Or maybe you are going for too thin of a slice? Just be careful, those things can give you the most painful cuts..or slices!

[Ken]

I have used many different truffle slicers. The traditional slicers are pretty rudimentary. To maximize surface area and aroma a "microplane" is very good. Llikewise, using light pressure on a box grater works well. If you want slices, by far the best one I've found is the "Tartufolo" from GEFU. It's German and I found mine in a great little shop in Florence not far from the Duomo a few years ago. I've seen them online since. It is easily adjustable, cuts nice thin shavings and is easy to hold in the hand over a plate to shave truffles tableside. A Benriner from Japan works well too. Not very pretty, and awkward at the table, but if you're working behind the scenes in the kitchen you'll find it gives you perfect slices.