Truffle Oil and Reggiano Fries

Knowing how to use truffle oil shouldn’t be a skill reserved only for professional chefs!

It may seem like an exotic ingredient, but don’t let that keep you from using truffle oil in your everyday cooking.

Truffle oil — which is an infusion of either white or black truffles and high-quality olive oil — has an earthy, mushroom-like taste. It can add a hint of sensuality to a variety of dishes and is surprisingly easy to incorporate.

If you’re curious about how to use truffle oil in your cooking, here are three important tips to get you started.

Use it as a finishing touch.

Don’t try to use truffle oil as a replacement for your regular cooking oil. Heat can actually spoil the flavor! Instead, use it raw as a finishing touch for your recipes, similar to how you would treat fresh herbs or other delicate seasonings.

Drizzle.

Truffle oil has a rich, assertive flavor, so add it to your dishes sparingly. Use it lightly like you would with butter or dressing, drizzling on a little bit of oil at a time until you get the flavor just how you like it. One teaspoon per person is generally plenty!

Be experimental.

Some of truffle oil’s traditional complements include pasta, eggs, and salads. Try sprinkling it over soups and warm vegetable sides (e.g., roasted potatoes, green beans). It’s also a popular topping for casual dishes like mac-n-cheese and popcorn. You could certainly add some extra romance to your next movie night by serving organic popcorn drizzled with truffle oil rather than butter!

Do you have your own tips for how to use truffle oil?

Photo 1 (cc) via Flickr user julesjulesjules m | Photo 2 (cc) via Flickr user Dimitri N.

Without knowing exactly where it would lead her, Céline Labaune’s childhood dream was to travel abroad and represent a piece of her country, France.  She moved to the United States in 1995, completed her MBA in New York, and began working with fine food companies.  It was then that her dreams were realized – with truffles.

She was captivated by the earthy appeal, mystery and delicacy.  And, after working with other companies for a few years, Céline began her own company, dedicated entirely to truffles. Gourmet Attitude opened in Manhattan in April 2003.

From the beginning, Céline’s goal was to provide the utmost in quality and service.  She works exclusively with small scale producers, who provide quality truffles, each of which is hand brushed and handled with care.  Gourmet Attitude’s main producer is a fourth generation truffle hunter and producer, who still harvests his family farm.

After the truffles are imported from France, each one passes through Céline’s hands for her to ensure the quality and hand select for each of her clients.  She knows each client’s individual preferences and chooses truffles to meet them.  To provide the best service, Céline delivers truffles to her each client, including some of the top restaurants in New York like Daniel, Masa and Le Bernardin.

Céline’s dedication to quality has resulted in her own line of truffle delicacies, La Boutique de la Truffe – all made with the same love and dedication that she devotes to each individual truffle.    La Boutique offers 11 products, all produced in Piedmont, Italy, the heart of the white truffle region.  Try the unique white truffle honey, la tartufata (white truffle cream) or black truffle oil.  Order yours and add a bevy of unique flavors to some of your favorite meals.