BLACK FOOD IS BEAUTIFUL NOW

The edible equivalent of black diamonds, black truffles, are our passion today, as we celebrate the Beautiful Dark this week. This funky fungus (Tuber melanosporum) has inspired passion for millennia -- their unique umami flavor and aroma never leaves your brain once you have partaken. Now scientists are starting to figure out why.

The full genome of the black Périgord truffle has been mapped out and published in the Journal of Proteome Research. They found more than 13,000 proteins, yet only 9 contribute to the sexy scent that keeps us ever-willing, regardless of trouble or price.

"This study has resulted in the functional characterization of novel proteins to increase our biological understanding of this organism and uncovered biomarkers of authenticity, freshness and perfume maturation," the scientists state.

The most prized truffles come from southern France, northern Italy and northern Croatia, and are available here only from December to the end of January. Périgord truffles grow in a narrowly defined ecosystem -- underground, around the roots of oak and hazelnut trees, and only in winter. Specially trained pigs and dogs sniff them out.

They used to be found only in the wild. They are rare, hard to find, and very perishable. So there has long been a high interest in trying to farm them. That’s not so easy either.

Black truffle-loving French researchers began to try to cultivate them outside their native habitat back in the 1960s.

Today, over 80% of all truffles are cultivated. But they are still a rare treasure. It’s not easy to get all of the variables right.  And now, truffles supplies are waning due to climate change, so prices are skyrocketing.

But there is good news coming from Down Under. In the 1990s researchers started to grow them in Tasmania, the wild Australian island state. The efforts spread to western Australia. And, after decades of trials and tribulations, finally we are seeing success.

Not only is this a welcome addition to the world black truffle supply in general, but it means that we can now get our Beautiful Dark foodie fix during our summer (Australia’s winter).

Truffle & Wine Co., which owns a 40-hectare farm in western Australia, now sells more than 700 pounds, and around 11,000 pounds globally, supplying black truffles to about 250 US restaurants a week.

We love the truffle-infused beef-cheek ravioli at Babbo restaurant in New York. We dream about the all-black-truffle menu at La Toque in Napa Valley, California. And every time we go to Paris, we make a pilgrimage visit to La Truffiere to indulge in a night of black truffle gastronomic heaven.

Can’t get to Babbo, or want to see if you can beat them? Check out this sumptuous, award-winning recipe for Millionaires' Ravioli with Beef, Wine, Thyme and Fresh Black Winter Truffle.

JEAN LOUIS PALLADIN’S BLACK TRUFFLE ICE CREAM

Truffles, being primarily a foraged food are particularly prized by foragers like Hunter & Gatherer Cook and Alan Bergo, aka the Forager Chef. Bergo, who also serves as Executive Chef at The Salt Cellar, shares master chef Jean Louis Palladin’s brilliant Black Truffle Ice Cream recipe with us.

“You could use different species of black truffle depending on your price range. Tuber Uncinatum, or even Tuber Brumale will be fine if you don’t want the real thing (Tuber Melanosporum). You could also use black summer truffles, but I would increase the amount of truffles used in the recipe to taste since they aren’t as strong,” advises Bergo.

Jean Louis Palladin’s Black Truffle Ice Cream

Ingredients:

Method:

Combine the cream, milk, and eggs, sugar and salt. Heat the mixture until it is warm and steaming, whisking constantly and slowly so as to not make the eggs coagulate. You could also do this in a metal bowl on top of a simmering pot of water, also known as a double boiler or bain marie.

When the mixture is hot, pass it through a strainer to remove any pieces of egg that may have coagulated, you could also just put it in a blender.

Add the fresh truffles, then transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and process for 15 minutes, or until doubled in volume and creamy. Make darn sure to check on the ice cream regularly, if you overwork it, it can get hard and unappetizing.

Store the ice cream in the freezer. It is the most potent within a day or two of making it, but will last for months. Makes 1 quart.