FINE-DINING
Heavenly flavour
KISHORE AND SMITA IYENGAR
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Discover the eclectic tastes of truffles.
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Photo: Kishore and Smita Iyengar
Delightful: Atlantic cod, tuna and pink salmon with white truffle oil.
"THEY can on certain occasions make women more tender and men more lovable," said Alexandre Dumas. The fires of gourmet passion light up the moment you take in their singular, unmatched aroma... What are these?
Priceless gift
They are called truffles. They are among nature's most priceless gifts to man. They are fervently hunted out, relentlessly sought after, savoured and ranted about, they are a true gourmet indulgence par excellence, sans parallels.
Visualise this... It's getting dark by the minute. The distant hills shrink into a grey misty veil of diffused mystery. Silence pervades the countryside of Alba, in the Piedmonte region of northwestern Italy. The hilly, grassy terrain of Acqualagna and Campi resound with a rather unwelcome vocal intrusion as shrieks, cries and shovelling take over and the earth's gold is wrenched out with excitement from within its dark confines...
Truffles. Creamy white, smoke charcoal black, irregular nuggets of the crusty earth. Found around oak, poplar, hazelnut and chestnut forests in Italy and France. Here they thrive, nurture and grow with blessings from Mother Nature. These magnificent, subterranean fungi, with their uniquely sharp, pungent, earthy flavours and soil fragrance make discerning gourmands waltz with culinary passion.
These mushroom-like gastronomic treasures are used to create a bewildering range of signature, fine-dining dishes, custom-made to transform your mood and titillate your taste buds. Making a gracious and brief appearance for just a month each year, they fetch astounding prices... a conservative US$1,000-1,500 per kilo!
Gourmet magic
Truffles in India are now appreciated at eclectic fine-dining dinners. To commemorate the grandeur of truffle-based cuisine, Chef Paul Noronha of Peshwa Pavillion at the ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton Hotel and Towers Mumbai created that once-in-a-year gourmet magic on a limited edition menu, heralded and celebrated with truffles, this season...
There was Ricotta and white truffle cake with marinated zucchini for starters, Lasagne of summer truffle and boutique vegetables, Gremelli tossed with shrimps and white truffle oil as the main course delights and truffle-infused Tiramisu and light profiterole with truffle-flavoured Chantilly cream!
There can be no great dining experience without grand wines to harmonise with. Showcased at a special winemaker's dinner at ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton Hotel and Towers itself, some of Piedmonte's most respected varietals were presented by Gabriele Griziotti of Cossetti Wineries in Asti. The mesmerizing collaboration of truffles with the legendary attributes of super Italian wines is a romantic journey into gastronomic altitude.
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