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Published: January 21st 2009
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The French spend a higher proportion of their income on food than we do. Julia Child in her autobiography
My Life In France suggests that their obsession with food is inbred after centuries of doing without and famines. That seems a little far-fetched but after attending the Truffle Festival in Sarlat we decided to find out more about this tuber which is so highly prized.
Truffle Menu at Chateau de Haute-Serre Cahors wine is not as well-known as Bordeaux or Burgundy but it is from this area and it is a favourite of ours. Chateau de Haute-Serre is a well-respected, major producer of Cahors that is featured prominently in one of the large wine stores nearby. For two months they are holding a weekly truffle lunch paired with their wine.
Truffles grow underground near oak or walnut trees. Attempts to raise them commercially have been unsuccessful so ancient methods are still used to
hunt them, though the pig has given way to the truffle sniffing dog. Usually smaller than a golf ball, truffles are shaved raw on to food, commonly after cooking. They have an earthy smell and a taste that is said to resemble garlic
and mushrooms.
After an amuse bouche that had nothing to do with the purpose of this menu we were served our first truffle dish,
oeufs brouilles. A small wine glass contained a warm scrambled egg mixture, not yet set, laced with truffle bits. This is a common method of showcasing the truffle and a wonderful way to get the taste of the "black diamond".
The next dish, my favourite, was a light broth with white beans, lardons, artichokes and winter vegetables garnished with truffle shavings. This was accompanied by a buttered slice of French baguette, covered with slices of truffle.
The main course was loin of veal atop creamy whipped potatoes speckled with truffle surrounded by a truffle jus. For the absolute taste of truffle, these mashed potatoes were the best. It is difficult to think of potatoes as elegant but these were superb.
The cheese course was a slice of brie with an internal layer of truffles embedded in mascarpone, that Italian cheese which has become famous as a main ingredient in tiramisu.
The non-truffled dessert was a phyllo packet of apple and prune, caramel sauce and bourbon ice cream.
As is
typical in France, the reasonable portion size and leisurely pace of the meal left us with a satisfied, but not stuffed, feeling. The atmosphere of dining in a large stone building in the middle of a vineyard is magic.
Truffle Market at Lalbenque Ten minutes down the road from Chateau de Haute-Serre is the town of Lalbenque, which claims to be the black truffle capital of France. Hidden in the Quercy region of Lot, it comes alive at 2 pm on Tuesdays at this time of year when it hosts a weekly truffle market. Sarlat showcased the festival of the truffle. This is the nitty gritty, down and dirty, real life truffle market. Residents for miles around come with their small wicker baskets lined with gingham cloth. At precisely 2 pm the announcement is made and the napkins are turned back to reveal their treasures.
On this particular day about 80 sellers displayed wares while hundreds of buyers, restauranteurs, chefs, aficionados and the curious milled about sniffing, handling and enjoying the affair.We saw no money change hands but there was much earnest discussion and good-natured bantering. A class of eight yearolds on a field trip were there
and I was impressed with the seriousness with which they took their excursion.
We loved the opportunity to find out more about the
tuber melanosporum.
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Ernie
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Amazing
"... a buttered slice of French baguette, covered with slices of truffle ..." So simple, but sublime. Big sigh. We share your feelings about the wines of Cahors. I wish we could get more of it here in Nova Scotia.