The Chefs' Warehouse Fresh Truffle Guide

FRESH TRUFFLE GUIDE Professional tips on how to care and store fresh black, burgundy, and white truffles.

BURGUNDY TRUFFLE

(Tuber Uncinatum)

SHELF LIFE: 5 - 7 DAYS

Season: September - November

ITEM #: BC802005 * Can be purchased in 4 oz. increments

Aroma: Delicate and Light Texture: Mealy Exterior

Flavor: Not as pungent as the Black Winter Truffle, but good for delicate truffle flavor Cooking Suggestion: Best to shave slices for finishing dishes, tossing with pasta, topping bruschetta, or folding into warm dishes.

Price: Medium

BLACK SUMMER TRUFFLE

(Tuber Aestivum Vittadini)

SHELF LIFE: 5 - 7 DAYS

Season: May - September

ITEM #: BC802004 * Minimum order quantity is 8 oz.

Aroma: Sweet and Chocolatey Texture: Slightly Coarse Exterior Flavor: Delicate

Cooking Suggestion: Dice and fold into cooked dishes like risotto, or toss in warm butter and oil for infusion of flavor.

Price: Least Expensive

BLACK WINTER TRUFFLE

(Tuber Melanosporum)

SHELF LIFE: 5 - 7 DAYS

Season: November - March

ITEM #: BC802002 * Can be purchased in 4 oz. increments

Aroma: Rustic, Strong, and Chocolatey Texture: Deeply Coarse Exterior Flavor: Intense and earthy, with notes of the soil it grows in

Cooking Suggestion: Classically used to make sauces, also good diced and folded into dishes, for infusing flavor, or to shave over a finished dish.

Price: High

WHITE WINTER TRUFFLE

(Tuber Magnatum Pico)

SHELF LIFE: 2 - 3 DAYS

Season: October - December

Available in 3 sizes: Small (# BC802001): 1-15g/pc

Aroma: Intense and Nutty

Medium (# BC802006): 16-60g/pc

Texture: Smooth Texture

Large (# BC802003): 61+g/pc

Flavor: Robust and Earthy

* Can be purchased in 4 oz. increments

Cooking Suggestion: Most delicate of all truffle varieties, needs the most care and attention. Best to shave slices tableside to finish dishes.

Price: Highest

TRUFFLE SEASONAL AVAILABILITY JAN

FEB

BURGUNDY

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

BLACK SUMMER

JUL

TRUFFLE WEIGHT CONVERSIONS AUG

SEP

BLACK WINTER

OCT

NOV

DEC

WHITE WINTER

OZ

LB

GR

OZ

LB

GR

1

0.06

28

9

0.56

254

2

0.12

56

10

0.62

283

3

0.19

85

11

0.68

311

4

0.25

113

12

0.74

340

5

0.31

141

13

0.8

368

6

0.37

169

14

0.87

396

7

0.44

198

15

0.93

425

8

0.5

226

16

1

453

STORING FRESH TRUFFLES •

Do not store truffles in plastic containers.

•

Immediately upon receiving truffles, inspect them for quality and then wrap the truffles in a fresh paper towel and store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Make sure to change the paper towel daily to avoid moisture retention, and several times a day for white truffles.

•

You want to make sure that the truffles are sealed very well. Their strong aroma tends to permeate their surroundings quite easily.

•

When a natural white haze begins to appear on the truffle, lightly brush with a truffle brush or potato brush to remove.

•

If a truffle becomes spongy or wet, remove it from the batch so it will not contaminate the other truffles.

CLEANING FRESH TRUFFLES We encourage an additional cleaning to ensure its best quality after transport. Follow the steps below: 1. Turn on your faucet to a gentle stream.

2. Grab a soft bristle toothbrush or nail brush.

3. Hold your truffle under the stream of water for 10 - 15 seconds, and using your toothbrush, gently scrub the exterior of the truffle.

4. Remove the truffle from the water and immediately dry it with paper towels.

HOW TO SHAVE A TRUFFLE Using a truffle slicer, shave truffles as thin as possible — while still obtaining full slices. Use a gentle but rapid up-and-down motion while holding the slicer. Be very careful when operating because the blade is extremely sharp. The purpose of a slicer is to shave onto the plate in an aesthetically pleasing way. * Handwashing the slicer is recommended. Putting in a dishwasher can dull or damage the blades.

TRUFFLE PAIRINGS For fresh truffles, there are a few rules of thumb to go by: 1. Fresh truffles best pair with dishes that are more subtle in flavor to allow for the truffles to shine. Think butter, creams, eggs, pasta, potatoes…all of which have a neutral flavor.

2. Fresh truffles pair well with fat. The aroma and flavor of truffles are heightened when paired with a pork belly, foie gras, wagyu, toro, etc.

3. Never pair fresh truffles with anything spicy or too acidic. Things like lemons, spices and tomatoes will overpower the truffle.