The early morning sun drifted in and out from behind the clouds and while it was chilly, I shivered not from the cold, but from the excitement that, standing there on that grassy Glen Ellen hilltop, I just might be looking at the orchard that may or may not, someday, produce more than $90,000 a year in fresh, cultivated European truffles. Simply the slightest mention of the word “truffle” – the fungus not the chocolate – conjures up images of foggy forests, beret-wearing Frenchmen and excitable dogs with their noses to the ground. Truffles have this magical, somewhat mythical reputation more than likely because of their exorbitant price tag and their elusive qualities. Truffles are among the world’s preeminent culinary delicacies, a form of aromatic mushroom that develops underground in symbiotic association with the roots of trees. Historically, the most prized truffles have been found in Italy and France and can cost upwards of – I hope you’re sitting down – a staggering $3,500 per pound. Although more affordable versions exist, like the less-fragrant Chinese ones and mediocre varieties from the American South and Northwest, the venerable and extremely odiferous European kind remain the most prized. Adding to the allure and mystery of the truffle is the belief that they can only be found in the wild, in the most ideal situations. To only be unearthed by specially trained dogs and pigs no less! Until now…
The first recorded attempt to domesticate the fungus dates back more than 200 years when, what turned out to be a questionable process, was dreamt up by a Frenchman and sadly, fruitlessly attempted by half of France. It wasn’t until the sixties, when another Frenchman, Gérard Chevalier, inoculated oak saplings with microscopic truffles, resulting in the first viable, cultivated truffle orchard in Europe. Well, fast-forward to 2000 when a mycologist from Oregon named Dr. Charles Lefevre learned Chevalier’s secret and immediately created his highly successful business selling truffle-inoculated saplings, coined New World Truffieres. The man behind the exciting, albeit dicey, Glen Ellen truffle-farming project is Sonoman Paul Curreri, owner of Compass Vineyard Management. More than a year and a half ago, he contacted Lefevre, who traveled from Oregon to consult on the endeavor. He got the thumbs up on the site and immediately ordered 600 inoculated baby Holly Oaks at $22 a pop. After tedious soil treatments to ensure the pH levels were ideal for the fungi to thrive, each little oak sapling was lovingly planted in diamond formation left to just do its thing for a painfully long, six to eight years.
I know just what you are all thinking. Oh gosh, will it work? I hope so and certainly Curreri hopes so too. A plant pathologist in Tennessee successfully harvested a crop of Périgord truffles from trees he inoculated himself in a similar manner. If Curreri’s orchard flourishes – mushrooms so to speak! – he will be among a selective group of growers in the United States, certainly only a handful in Northern California, changing the face and possibly the price of the current European truffle industry. Just possibly affording us common folk the opportunity to shave a little bit of that elusive fungus on our spaghetti sometime soon.
On the Menu
One of the last of the series of great Girlfriends Getaway events happens tonight, Thursday, March 31, at 6 p.m. The El Dorado Corner Café will be hosting a special wine on tap networking event led by local wine expert and founder of Thirsty Girl LLC, Leslie Sbrocco. Mix and mingle with Leslie while learning all about this new trend of wines on tap and enjoying deliciously paired bites from Executive Chef Justin Everett. For tickets, visit brownpapertickets.com/event/163621 or call The El Dorado at 996.3030.
Next Wednesday, April 6, is another of Wild Thyme’s Dining Club Rive Gauche dinners. This time, its “Provence in Spring” with French accordion music and a lovely sounding four-course menu that includes a Provencal beef stew, cheeses and a quince tart. Just $30 per person; wine is BYOB. Make your reservations by calling 996.9453. Wild Thyme is located at 19030 Railroad Avenue.
• To help raise money for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Three Twins – the producer of to-die-for handmade ice cream in the Oxbow Public Market – is producing a limited edition of Pliny the Elder beer ice cream in pints. Pliny the Elder is the hard to find, much obsessed over, high alcohol, double IPA, produced by the Russian River Brewing Company. Pints will be $20 each with all proceeds donated to the relief in Japan. Pints may be ordered from now until mid-April by calling 257.8946, to be picked up at the Oxbow Public Market.
• The Sonoma Garden Park is now accepting applications for this harvest season’s CSA. Community Supported Agriculture is a way for people to directly support a local farm while receiving a weekly supply of local produce. Members will receive a weekly bag full of both fruit and vegetables for the entire 25-week season at the Garden, and can be picked up from the Park from 3-6 p.m. each Tuesday. Each share provides enough produce for 2-3 people, and costs approximately $20 per week. There is also an option for a weekly bouquet of flowers and/or eggs from Nix Chix. For additional information, or to sign up, contact Vidya Quigley at 996.0712 ext. 107, or by emailing vidya@sonomaecologycenter.org.
• On Saturday, April 16, beginning at 8 a.m. McEvoy Ranch is having a “Spring Olive Tree Sale.” This is a rare opportunity to visit the Ranch, while receiving huge discounts on their beautiful, organic Tuscan trees of varying sizes. An aside: A great day to head to Petaluma, their “Annual Butter and Eggs Days Parade” is also that afternoon. Visit their website at mcevoyranch.com/events for more information and directions.
• Every other Wednesday evening, find Ed Metcalf of Shiso Sushi at Sonoma’s Best whipping up some tasty rolls, sashimi, nigiri and other Japanese small plates. Receive Happy Hour prices on a selection of items from 4 to 5 p.m. and, all evening; choose from a nice selection of affordable wine and beer by the bottle or glass. Speaking of Ed Metcalf, his Westside sushi spot in the Lucky shopping center is still on schedule for a mid April opening! For more information, visit winecountrysushi.com or call 933.9331.
• On Sunday, April 17, trek over to Green Valley near Sebastopol for the fifth annual Earth Day celebration at one of my favorite wineries, Iron Horse Vineyards. This year’s theme is “Our Common Future,” and will feature a conversation with special guest speaker and media mogul Ted Turner. The event also features winery tours, special food and wine tastings, an art exhibit and a tasting and debate of “future food.” Proceeds from your $65 ticket benefit the Captain Planet Foundation, founded by Turner in 1991. For additional details and to reserve your space, call 887.1507 or email joy@ironhorsevineyards.com.
The best thing I ate this week
One recent, particularly horrid evening, with the icy rain blowing sideways, I knew there was only one truly idyllic spot to warm me up. So, that is how we ended up in front of the roaring wood-burning oven at LaSalette, digging into an appetizer of the most perfectly tender, long-cooked, homey Tongue with Chanterelle Mushrooms. I know what you’re going to say and trust me, a few short years ago, I would have agreed. But honestly, tongue is not yucky and is truly divine when prepared well. My first introduction to tongue was at Mario Batali’s Lupa, where it was sliced paper thin and merely embellished with a bit of white onion and orange. LaSalette’s decadent version could not have been more apropos for that sort of wintery Sonoma evening. Unbelievably tender and liberally doused with an herby wine sauce. This ain’t your grandma’s tongue folks.
Truffled chicken spaghetti gratin
Serves 6
4 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade (if using store-bought, choose low sodium)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
5 whole black peppercorns
1 California bay leaf
2 whole cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons medium-dry Sherry
3 tablespoons truffle butter
1/2 lb. spaghetti
2 pounds shredded chicken meat
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Bring chicken broth, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf and cloves to a boil in a 3 to 4 quart saucepan, then simmer until reduced by half. Pour broth through a large sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and return to saucepan. Keep warm, covered.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow 3 quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over moderately high heat and sauté mushrooms with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring, until they begin to turn golden, about 8 minutes. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 3 quart saucepan over low heat, then add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add warm stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Add cream, Sherry, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper and simmer over low heat, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in truffle butter.
Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain well.
Toss together spaghetti, mushrooms, and half of sauce in a large bowl, then transfer to baking dish. Stir together chicken meat and remaining sauce in same large bowl. Spoon chicken on top of pasta and sprinkle dish with cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbling and top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
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