On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:36:23 -0800, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> Heya all,
>
> I know there are quite a few varieties of truffle oil out there, but
> most aren't worth much...they have no truffle flavor or aroma at all,
> and they have gotten a bad review.
>
> However I remember there being one or two brands that were actually
> considered fairly good. Does anyone know what they are? I am here in
> the bay area and would like to get some before I head back to New
> Mexico in about a week. I doubt I would be able to find them in
> Albuquerque, and maybe not even Santa Fe.
>
Have you tried the truffle oil that Safeway carries? I've been
looking at it with a covetous eye.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Christine Dabney > wrote:

>On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:20:52 -0800, sf > wrote:

>>Have you tried the truffle oil that Safeway carries? I've been
>>looking at it with a covetous eye.

>No, cause the majority of them are based on chemicals, and the good
>ones are expensive. I don't want to waste my money on Safeway's..I
>want some good truffle oil. I doubt seriously that their's is the real
>thing.

There is considerable doubt whether any of them are not based on
chemicals.

Steve

On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:40:52 -0800, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:20:52 -0800, sf > wrote:
>
> >Have you tried the truffle oil that Safeway carries? I've been
> >looking at it with a covetous eye.
>
> No, cause the majority of them are based on chemicals, and the good
> ones are expensive. I don't want to waste my money on Safeway's..I
> want some good truffle oil. I doubt seriously that their's is the real
> thing.
>
How much do you expect to spend? That one isn't cheap.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Christine Dabney > wrote:

>On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:01:26 -0800, sf > wrote:
>
>>How much do you expect to spend? That one isn't cheap.
>
>I know the real truffle oils are expensive. And I know there is one
>that is considered decent... But I am damned if I can remember the
>name of it.
>I have seen several at some upscale places lately, and I am wondering
>if one of those is the one I should be buying...
>
>I am not willing to put my money on the cheap ones that are not worth
>it.

I notice A.G. Ferrari sells an olive oil with a slice of white
truffle added. They also sell black truffles in olive oil. They do
not sell any of the potent-smelling, presumalbly-nearly-all-fake
truffle oils.

I generally trust A.G. Ferrari, but I have not tried these products.

Earthy Delights (they specialize in fungus) sells a "WHITE TRUFFLE OIL
ORGANIC - Da Rosario Real truffle essence!" in addition to truffle
oils that do not make this claim.

Again I have not tried this product. Here's a link:

http://www.earthy.com/da_Rosario_Org...ruff_P1450.cfm

It seems similar to the A.G. Ferrari product in that there are pieces
of white truffle in the bottle.


Steve



Steve

On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:04:09 -0800, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:01:26 -0800, sf > wrote:
>
> >How much do you expect to spend? That one isn't cheap.
>
> I know the real truffle oils are expensive. And I know there is one
> that is considered decent... But I am damned if I can remember the
> name of it.
> I have seen several at some upscale places lately, and I am wondering
> if one of those is the one I should be buying...
>
> I am not willing to put my money on the cheap ones that are not worth
> it.
>
I can only say Trader Joe's was a huge disappointment and I didn't
give buying give truffle oil another thought again until I had some on
a complicated sandwich at someone's house last year. I recognized the
container (it's all metal, so no exposure to light) at Safeway and
I've seen it in more than one store. As I said before, it's not
cheap. Did you read the Serious Eats article and look at
http://www.dartagnan.com/ ?

What do you plan to use the truffle oil for?


--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 12/3/2011 12:04 AM, Christine Dabney wrote:
> On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:01:26 -0800, > wrote:
>
>> How much do you expect to spend? That one isn't cheap.
>
> I know the real truffle oils are expensive. And I know there is one
> that is considered decent... But I am damned if I can remember the
> name of it.
> I have seen several at some upscale places lately, and I am wondering
> if one of those is the one I should be buying...
>
> I am not willing to put my money on the cheap ones that are not worth
> it.

Ask about the return policy at the store(s). Perhaps they give refunds
for products if the customer finds it to be very poor, unsatisfactory,
and not what was expected. Recently, I purchased a different brand of
ranch dressing, and it was the worst I'd ever had! Since I still had
the receipt, I returned the product to the store with an explanation and
requested a refund. They nicely obliged. Perhaps you can try the
truffle oil, and if it's not what you expected, you might be able to
return the product and get a refund?

Sky

--

Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice!!

"Steve Pope" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> There is considerable doubt whether any of them are not based on
> chemicals.

I know a family whose entire income is based on the real thing. The NY
Times almost killed them with that article. They tested what you can order
and buy by the hundreds and instead of saying "avoid this, that and this
other" they just painted all the honest folks with the same faux brush.

"jmcquown" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> Sorry, too fru-fru for me If I don't know what I'm going to use an
> ingredient in/for I generally don't go out of my way to look for it. Do
> they not sell truffle oil in New Mexico? I'd wait until I got there. One
> less thing to pack

As a cook you resemble Christine in no particular at all. It should be
clear that the real thing is hard to find all over the USA.

"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 3 Dec 2011 06:23:09 +0000 (UTC), (Steve
> Pope) wrote:
>
>
>>
>>I notice A.G. Ferrari sells an olive oil with a slice of white
>>truffle added. They also sell black truffles in olive oil. They do
>>not sell any of the potent-smelling, presumalbly-nearly-all-fake
>>truffle oils.
>>
>>I generally trust A.G. Ferrari, but I have not tried these products.
>>
>>Earthy Delights (they specialize in fungus) sells a "WHITE TRUFFLE OIL
>>ORGANIC - Da Rosario Real truffle essence!" in addition to truffle
>>oils that do not make this claim.
>>
>>Again I have not tried this product. Here's a link:
>>
>>http://www.earthy.com/da_Rosario_Org...ruff_P1450.cfm
>>
>>It seems similar to the A.G. Ferrari product in that there are pieces
>>of white truffle in the bottle.
>
> There is one that has been touted as being the real deal. It may be
> way too expensive for me,but if I find out the name and if I see it, I
> might get it if I can swing it.
>
> I don't think it is any of those...
>
> Christine
> --
>
Have you looked at Williams Sonoma?
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/searc...d-viewset=ecom

Kent

Giusi > wrote:

>"Steve Pope" > ha scritto nel messaggio

>> There is considerable doubt whether any of them are not based on
>> chemicals.

>I know a family whose entire income is based on the real thing.

Cool. And their product is sold under what name?

> The NY Times almost killed them with that article.

I wasn't aware of the NY Times article. Just hearsay from food industry
people that there isn't really any non-chemical truffle oil available.

I personally stay away from truffle oils for two reasons. One is,
they are never satisfying compared to actual truffles so I'm willing
to wait for when the latter is available. Second, more so than
even real truffles, the oils tend to create an odor that wafts
through an entire dining room or entire restaurant, intefering with
people's ability to enjoy what they're eating or drinking. I consider
it a bad idea when restaurants use truffle oils for that reason.
A private event, where everyone has bought into the idea, would be fine
in theory.

I also haven't encountered restaurants in Italy using truffle oil.
(What happens to the oil your friends make?) Maybe that means something,
not sure.

Steve

>, Kent > wrote:
>
>"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message

>> On Sat, 3 Dec 2011 06:23:09 +0000 (UTC), (Steve

>>>I notice A.G. Ferrari sells an olive oil with a slice of white
>>>truffle added. They also sell black truffles in olive oil. They do
>>>not sell any of the potent-smelling, presumalbly-nearly-all-fake
>>>truffle oils.
>>>
>>>I generally trust A.G. Ferrari, but I have not tried these products.
>>>
>>>Earthy Delights (they specialize in fungus) sells a "WHITE TRUFFLE OIL
>>>ORGANIC - Da Rosario Real truffle essence!" in addition to truffle
>>>oils that do not make this claim.
>>>
>>>Again I have not tried this product. Here's a link:
>>>
>>>http://www.earthy.com/da_Rosario_Org...ruff_P1450.cfm
>>>
>>>It seems similar to the A.G. Ferrari product in that there are pieces
>>>of white truffle in the bottle.
>>
>> There is one that has been touted as being the real deal. It may be
>> way too expensive for me,but if I find out the name and if I see it, I
>> might get it if I can swing it.
>>
>> I don't think it is any of those...

I have to ask what "it" is. Is there a specific truffle oil
you're looking for?


>Have you looked at Williams Sonoma?

I consider WS a notch down in reliability from, say, Penzey's,
Corti Brothers or even possibly Dean and Deluca. I alos trust
A.G. Ferrari more, although they're a minor player (which is
sometimes good).


Steve

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:04:09 -0800, Christine Dabney
> > wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:01:26 -0800, sf > wrote:
>>
>> >How much do you expect to spend? That one isn't cheap.
>>
>> I know the real truffle oils are expensive. And I know there is one
>> that is considered decent... But I am damned if I can remember the
>> name of it.
>> I have seen several at some upscale places lately, and I am wondering
>> if one of those is the one I should be buying...
>>
>> I am not willing to put my money on the cheap ones that are not worth
>> it.
>>
> I can only say Trader Joe's was a huge disappointment and I didn't
> give buying give truffle oil another thought again until I had some on
> a complicated sandwich at someone's house last year. I recognized the
> container (it's all metal, so no exposure to light) at Safeway and
> I've seen it in more than one store. As I said before, it's not
> cheap. Did you read the Serious Eats article and look at
> http://www.dartagnan.com/ ?
>
> What do you plan to use the truffle oil for?
>
>

I just took a swig of the Trader Joe's white truffle oil that has been
sitting around for awhile. It has a bit of truffle taste, especially the
aftertaste. It's from Italy, and has genuine white truffle in it.

"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:58:12 -0600, Sky >
> wrote:
>
>>Ask about the return policy at the store(s). Perhaps they give refunds
>>for products if the customer finds it to be very poor, unsatisfactory,
>>and not what was expected. Recently, I purchased a different brand of
>>ranch dressing, and it was the worst I'd ever had! Since I still had
>>the receipt, I returned the product to the store with an explanation and
>>requested a refund. They nicely obliged. Perhaps you can try the
>>truffle oil, and if it's not what you expected, you might be able to
>>return the product and get a refund?
>>
>>Sky
>>
> Won't work in this case. I will be buying it here in the bay area, and
> leaving to go to New Mexico which is over 1100 miles away. I won't be
> anywhere near the store.
>
> Christine
>>--
> --

What stores have you been to?

"Kent" > ha
> I just took a swig of the Trader Joe's white truffle oil that has been
> sitting around for awhile. It has a bit of truffle taste, especially the
> aftertaste. It's from Italy, and has genuine white truffle in it.

I am not much of a TJ fan, but that sounds OK. Sprinkle a few drops over a
buttered baked potato.

"Steve Pope" > ha scritto nel messaggio

Second, more so than
> even real truffles, the oils tend to create an odor that wafts
> through an entire dining room or entire restaurant, intefering with
> people's ability to enjoy what they're eating or drinking.

Boy, I never had that experience! Fresh white truffle used to draw my cats
from inside a glass jar with rice and closed into the fridge.

I consider
> it a bad idea when restaurants use truffle oils for that reason.
> A private event, where everyone has bought into the idea, would be fine>
> in theory.


I use it in the preparation of a dish. Everyone eats that dish or not. Too
bad!

> I also haven't encountered restaurants in Italy using truffle oil.
> (What happens to the oil your friends make?) Maybe that means something,
> not sure.

How could you know what they did in the kitchen?
I think my friends sell theirs mostly through high enbd alimentari.

"Steve Pope" > ha scritto nel messaggio
PS lucky you that you can get fresh truffles AND pay for them at will.

"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:58:12 -0600, Sky >
> wrote:
>
>>Ask about the return policy at the store(s). Perhaps they give refunds
>>for products if the customer finds it to be very poor, unsatisfactory,
>>and not what was expected. Recently, I purchased a different brand of
>>ranch dressing, and it was the worst I'd ever had! Since I still had
>>the receipt, I returned the product to the store with an explanation and
>>requested a refund. They nicely obliged. Perhaps you can try the
>>truffle oil, and if it's not what you expected, you might be able to
>>return the product and get a refund?
>>
>>Sky
>>
> Won't work in this case. I will be buying it here in the bay area, and
> leaving to go to New Mexico which is over 1100 miles away. I won't be
> anywhere near the store.
>
> Christine
>>--
> --

I just off the phone with my favorite Italian SF deli, Lucca's at 1000
Valencia St. They are out of their eight oz bottles of truffle oil. They
have 4-5 varieties, all from Italy in small 4 oz bottles. I just bought a
great 1lb bag of dried porcini mushrooms there. Luccas imports them
directly from Italy and bags them there. They're the best dried porcinis I
ever had, and they're only $39/lb. We have them on pizza, in pasta sauce, in
meat loaf recently, and on and on.

Kent

On Sat, 3 Dec 2011 19:25:38 +0100, "Giusi" > wrote:

> I think my friends sell theirs mostly through high enbd alimentari.

Such as?

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 08:02:32 -0800, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> Oh, wild mushrooms: chanterelles have been on sale at both of my
> favorite produce markets lately, for just $8/pound. Yes, that might
> seem like a lot to some of you, but they sell for 3 times as much in
> much of the country. I plan to get at least a pound to take back to
> NM for some holiday meals.

Oh, they sell for a lot more elsewhere. I was going to swing by
Berkeley Bowl Monday on our way toward Sacramento, but we ended up
going over the Golden Gate Bridge instead of the Bay Bridge and I
ended up buying them at the Nugget in Vacaville. Since I wasn't
buying a lot, I bit the bullet and paid $18.99 a pound. Ouch! The
amount I bought was far less than a pound, so it wasn't worth it to me
to make a detour off the freeway into the bowels of Berkeley when
Nugget was already on the road I was driving on.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sat, 3 Dec 2011 10:19:11 -0800, "Kent" >
wrote:

>
> "sf" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:04:09 -0800, Christine Dabney
> > > wrote:
> >
> >> On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:01:26 -0800, sf > wrote:
> >>
> >> >How much do you expect to spend? That one isn't cheap.
> >>
> >> I know the real truffle oils are expensive. And I know there is one
> >> that is considered decent... But I am damned if I can remember the
> >> name of it.
> >> I have seen several at some upscale places lately, and I am wondering
> >> if one of those is the one I should be buying...
> >>
> >> I am not willing to put my money on the cheap ones that are not worth
> >> it.
> >>
> > I can only say Trader Joe's was a huge disappointment and I didn't
> > give buying give truffle oil another thought again until I had some on
> > a complicated sandwich at someone's house last year. I recognized the
> > container (it's all metal, so no exposure to light) at Safeway and
> > I've seen it in more than one store. As I said before, it's not
> > cheap. Did you read the Serious Eats article and look at
> > http://www.dartagnan.com/ ?
> >
> > What do you plan to use the truffle oil for?
> >
> >
>
> I just took a swig of the Trader Joe's white truffle oil that has been
> sitting around for awhile. It has a bit of truffle taste, especially the
> aftertaste. It's from Italy, and has genuine white truffle in it.
>

I bought some for someone 4-5 years ago and I didn't think that bottle
was very high quality. Glad to hear it's improved. TJ's doesn't
carry it all the time anymore, but it might be a Christmas item.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 11:16:13 -0800, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

> On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:54:18 -0800, sf > wrote:
>
> >so it wasn't worth it to me
> >to make a detour off the freeway into the bowels of Berkeley when
> >Nugget was already on the road I was driving on.
>
> The new Berkeley Bowl isn't in the bowels of Berkeley. It is a fairly
> quick on and off stop .. Take Ashby Ave, and turn left at almost the
> first stop there..which is 9th street. It dead ends into the parking
> lot of Berkeley Bowl. I say that is a really short distance off and
> off I-80.
>
Let's just say Nugget wasn't as big a detour and I didn't buy enough
to care.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sat, 3 Dec 2011 10:39:31 -0800, "Kent" >
wrote:

> I just off the phone with my favorite Italian SF deli, Lucca's at 1000
> Valencia St. They are out of their eight oz bottles of truffle oil. They
> have 4-5 varieties, all from Italy in small 4 oz bottles.

Kewl, thanks. 4oz is enough for me.

> I just bought a
> great 1lb bag of dried porcini mushrooms there. Luccas imports them
> directly from Italy and bags them there. They're the best dried porcinis I
> ever had, and they're only $39/lb. We have them on pizza, in pasta sauce, in
> meat loaf recently, and on and on.


--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

sf wrote:

> On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 11:16:13 -0800, Christine Dabney
> > wrote:
>
>
>>On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:54:18 -0800, sf > wrote:
>>
>>
>>>so it wasn't worth it to me
>>>to make a detour off the freeway into the bowels of Berkeley when
>>>Nugget was already on the road I was driving on.
>>
>>The new Berkeley Bowl isn't in the bowels of Berkeley. It is a fairly
>>quick on and off stop .. Take Ashby Ave, and turn left at almost the
>>first stop there..which is 9th street. It dead ends into the parking
>>lot of Berkeley Bowl. I say that is a really short distance off and
>>off I-80.
>>
>
> Let's just say Nugget wasn't as big a detour and I didn't buy enough
> to care.
>


If i were to think of the "bowels of Berkeley" i think of the old water
front industrial area but then it depends on whether one takes a
metaphorical or sociological view of Berkeley.

THe old industrial area could be a metaphor to the "guts" or bowels of
Berkeley but Berkeley also has its low income, high crime areas.
The Berkeley bowl is more on the periphery of Berkeley, really only a
few blocks from Oakland in south Berkeley, more like the surface of
Berkeley than its bowels. The Harriet Tubman memorial retirement
village is just across the street iirc
--
JL

On 2011-12-03, Christine Dabney > wrote:

> There is a new one now, JL. Berkeley Bowl West..just off of Ashby on
> 9th and Heinz. Much, much easier to get to...and lots of parking.

Does the new store still enforce BB's notorious banned-fer-life policy?

http://wikimapia.org/38211/Berkeley-Bowl

nb

On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 11:50:01 -0800, "M. JL Esq." >
wrote:

> sf wrote:
>
> > On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 11:16:13 -0800, Christine Dabney
> > > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>On Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:54:18 -0800, sf > wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>so it wasn't worth it to me
> >>>to make a detour off the freeway into the bowels of Berkeley when
> >>>Nugget was already on the road I was driving on.
> >>
> >>The new Berkeley Bowl isn't in the bowels of Berkeley. It is a fairly
> >>quick on and off stop .. Take Ashby Ave, and turn left at almost the
> >>first stop there..which is 9th street. It dead ends into the parking
> >>lot of Berkeley Bowl. I say that is a really short distance off and
> >>off I-80.
> >>
> >
> > Let's just say Nugget wasn't as big a detour and I didn't buy enough
> > to care.
> >
>
>
> If i were to think of the "bowels of Berkeley" i think of the old water
> front industrial area but then it depends on whether one takes a
> metaphorical or sociological view of Berkeley.
>
> THe old industrial area could be a metaphor to the "guts" or bowels of
> Berkeley but Berkeley also has its low income, high crime areas.
> The Berkeley bowl is more on the periphery of Berkeley, really only a
> few blocks from Oakland in south Berkeley, more like the surface of
> Berkeley than its bowels. The Harriet Tubman memorial retirement
> village is just across the street iirc

It's just a figure of speech. Anywhere off the freeway is in the
bowels, AFAIC. People who live elsewhere and only pass through SF on
the elevated freeway could say the same thing if they ever got on the
city streets for some reason.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 3 Dec 2011 15:54:10 +0100, "Giusi" > wrote:
>
>>
>>"jmcquown" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>>> Sorry, too fru-fru for me If I don't know what I'm going to use an
>>> ingredient in/for I generally don't go out of my way to look for it. Do
>>> they not sell truffle oil in New Mexico? I'd wait until I got there.
>>> One
>>> less thing to pack
>>
>>As a cook you resemble Christine in no particular at all. It should be
>>clear that the real thing is hard to find all over the USA.
>>
>
Sorry to piggyback, Chris, but since I've got gmail blocked...

To Guisi: I wouldn't attempt to resemble Christine. I'm a very basic cook;
the simpler the better. I'm a meat loaf and mashed potatoes kind of gal.

As for truffle oil, if Chris could get some recommendations for a specific
brand that everyone adores she could probably order it online. A bit of
creative googling might even find free shipping codes.

Jill

"sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio

> Such as?

Here in Italy they are almost all small and mom and pop gourmet shops.