Truffles, STAT

[Waitman]

Have a sudden craving for truffles for New Years. Real, hard core Perigord, Provencal or Alba. No "winter truffles," preserved truffles, Oregon truffles. We need the uncut stuff, sold whole, to shave over eggs for dinner tonight.

Thanks.

[Joe H]

I don't think you're going to have any luck-I believe white/Alba are out of season. A month ago I wanted to make a truffled risotto and did some research: Wegman's Fairfax and Dean and DeLuca only carry white truffles by special order; Urbani ships overnight from NY for $190/ounce + Fed Ex. Locally the only source I found was a restaurant wholesaler who charged $175/ounce but it had to be delivered and invoiced to the restaurant.

[Waitman]

I don't think you're going to have any luck-I believe white/Alba are out of season. A month ago I wanted to make a truffled risotto and did some research: Wegman's Fairfax and Dean and DeLuca only carry white truffles by special order; Urbani ships overnight from NY for $190/ounce + Fed Ex. Locally the only source I found was a restaurant wholesaler who charged $175/ounce but it had to be delivered and invoiced to the restaurant.

I know that this late in the year white truffles can be hit or miss -- we've gotten them before for Christmas, and also not gotten them before -- but back in the Day, Dean and DeLuca and Sutton Place Gourmet often had good black truffles fresh this time of year. We should have planned ahead, but the craving just struck today. D&D has "winter truffles" but my experience with so-named tubers is that they don't hit the spot.

[deangold]

We got whites from Alba last week and they were fantastic.

Black ruffles from Perigord our Italy are Winter Blacks which are great and just coming into season.

[synaesthesia]

Fiola is doing truffles at cost during January.