The Quest for Tartufo

Although they say it is not a good year for tartufo, and it is late in the season, we nevertheless decided that we would have them this weekend.IMAG4277Tartufo (truffles) are the fruiting body of a subterranean fungus in northern Italy and they are very expensive because they are hard to find. IMAG4270Thinly sliced onto fresh pasta with butter or a fried egg, they have a pungent odor and a taste that lingers.IMAG4244And there was a restaurant beside a castle, outside the town of Alba, which offered them.

IMAG4233But then the chef appeared and offered his profound apologies, which I found out later were most insincere. It was all a masquerade. They were trufffe-less. We would have to look elsewhere.IMAG4185We continued into the hills the next morning, where the weather began to change.IMAG4262We found a market in Alba, and although concerned about the quality of the produce, negotiated and purchased. IMAG4248 IMAG4252We drove through the storm back home to Milan.IMAG4286Preparations were made. IMAG4297IMAG4307And distractions avoided.IMAG4290At long last the tartufo was ready.IMAG4314 IMAG4313And it was very good.
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