Truffles in the PNW

I am interested in learning to hunt truffles. My husband is a gourmet cook and I like to make cheese.

I found this place http://www.natruffling.org/ and am planning definitely to go to the truffle festival. It sounds like fun.

I am particularly interested in not feeding anything poisonous to myself or anyone else.

Anyone else doing the truffle thing?


Ginger

Yes - at Godiva's.

In all seriousness, I was reading a short article about truffles & now wonder what the heck they taste like.
Please let us know. In the meantime, I'll stick with the Hazelnut version. yum. =:0)

Katye - I really chuckled at that.

Well.. I do the French truffle thing at Trader Joe's.

Real truffles taste like...hummmm.. truffles. Earthy goodness. I love Trader Joe's truffle cheese. I also like truffle oil. White truffles are found in Oregon and I want to get me some!!!


Ginger

Aren't they almost-sorta-kinda-prohibitively expensive, or am i thinking of another foodstuff?
The pigs must be well-paid for their work.
Now I am quite curious about experiencing flavours, and although not totally enamored of fungus, I will try anything once. Got to find a Truffle-tasting...

They are definite-sorta-kinda-prohibitively expensive...Which is why I want to learn to find them for myself :)


Ginger

Oh and you can train a dog to find them but I think my dog would eat them....

G.

Oh geez - so would my ridgeback.
Perhaps a ridiculous question, but is one able to grow them as other mushrooms?
I've seen a number of kits available, but never for truffles.

I love ridgebacks...well..most dogs actually..I am really a dog person except for small yappy dogs.

I think so....but will find out more at the end of the month.

Ginger

Unless of course they are looking at me with a sad pitiful face... then I like them too.

Ginger

Ridgebacks have that sad pitiful look down pat. It's almost disgusting!
Small yappies: I've got a problem with them - mostly the shrill voice.
Plus, I have to be more cautious about not stepping on them.
I do admire Terriers, though. But truly, they are toughies, and fearless to a fault.

No offense to small dog owners out there -- but my experience is they are often not well behaved (not their fault, but rather their owners'). I have a boxer mix who is not allowed on furniture and it is difficult for me when folks come over with their little guys and let them have free rein in my house (the humans are my clients, so I have to be a bit tolerant). One yapper in particular does his business somewhere in my home every time he is here, and I've had to scoop him off my kitchen table (yuck) while his owner just looks on. Jeez Louise !! I usually encourage them to let the dogs play outside, and do point out their boo-boos and ask the owner to please clean it up. Yikes.

grrrr...low growl here. Perhaps it is better that folks as you've described have dogs instead of children.
Why is it the obvious has to be pointed out? sheesh!

Oh.......truffles. Pasta with a truffle cream sauce. So so good. I would love to know how to find them here.

Well Judi....

http://www.natruffling.org/ is having a truffle festival on Jan 29-31 in Eugene... You should come. I am going to be there Saturday to check it out. It looks like they have monthly hunts on your side of the mountains... Then we could learn not to poison ourselves together!


Ginger