The Top 5 Tips to Become a Truffle Expert
As the popularity of gourmet pizzas continues to rise, we decided to dedicate a blog post to demystifying the virtues of one of the world’s most luxurious ingredients. Truffles of all kinds pair well with high-quality pizzas, but learning to use and choose truffles properly takes time and experience.
Now that white truffle season is upon us, we checked in with Sabrina Notarnicola VP of Marketing & Brand Strategist at Urbani Truffles, one of our partners, to find out what we should look for when choosing white truffles. This is what she had to say:
The top 5 characteristics of truffles that experts look for are:
1) the smell of pungent gas
2) touch – they should feel firm
3) the more they weigh, the better it is because heaviness means that the truffle has more water and is fresher
4) the appearance of the skin should be smooth
5) look for how much soil is around it the truffle – more soil = freshness
Did you know that white truffles have been cultivated since antiquity? The ancient Romans attributed therapeutic and aphrodisiac properties to the truffle, and today many truffle-aficionados would agree!
The winter white truffle (Tuber
The pungent aroma of the truffles was once sought out by pigs, but now dogs are preferred because it is easier to prevent them from eating the truffles. Urbani has been picking and distributing delicate white truffles since the early
We enjoyed serving truffle-topped pizzas made by Master Pizzaiolo Giulo Adriani at our Gourmet Global Pizza Party with Les Dames d’Escoffier. If you’re looking for a great way to top your pizzas with truffles? Check out Urbani’s selection here. Sabrina recommends the “Truffle Thrills Sauces” for pizza – and so do we!
The recipe for Urbani White Truffle and Porcini Pizza that hails from the Tyrol region of Italy in the Southern Alps is also not to be missed!