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If you’re a fan of cooking shows, or if you love to dine out at high-class restaurants, then you might be familiar with that a white truffle is. If not, then let me tell you, you’re missing half your gastronomical life!
White truffles, or Tuber magnatum, is a truffle variation that is found in France, Tuscany and Italy. It has a stronger aroma compared to black truffles, so they are commonly used in high-class cuisine. White truffles used to be a luxury only available to professional chefs and those with a lot of money to spare. Because they are difficult to grow and find, and because of their short lifespan, truffles used to be so expensive.
However, nowadays, white truffles are now more accessible because of several preservation methods. Adding them to other ingredients like oils and butter also lengthen their lifespan, making them readily available all-year round. This is good news for many people because now you can use white truffles in your own home as much as you want, either as an ingredient for your dishes or even as a spread for your bread.
Now you’re probably wondering, “where can I buy white truffles?”. With the dawn of the Internet, the answer to that is pretty easy. Merely searching for white truffles on a search engine will net you hundreds of results. However, you must exercise caution when purchasing white truffles. After all, even if they’re cheaper and more accessible, they’re still considered expensive when it comes to food product prices.
If you want to buy white truffles online, websites like Amazon is your best bet. Not only are there several brands and types to choose from, but Amazon has a feedback system so you can see testimonies from previous buyers. This gives you information not only on the product, but the attitude of the seller as well. This ensures a safer, truffle buying experience for you.
If Amazon’s many white truffle products confuse you, and you don’t know which one to buy, we’ve compiled a small list of the website’s most famous white truffle products, complete with a brief description of the product, what you can use the product for, and which one is perfect for which purpose.
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Description: Truffle lovers say that fresh will always be better because any methods of preservation ultimately take away the unique taste and aroma of the truffle. While this is true, it doesn’t mean that several companies haven’t come close. Urbani is one of the many brands that offer preserved truffles that are as close to the real deal as possible.
Their white truffle paste is made from pureed white truffles. Even in its pureed form, the earthy, distinct taste of white truffles is still there. And because it’s preserved, it has a longer lifespan compared to wild white truffle. The paste is also easier to add to dishes compared to whole fresh white truffles - all you need to do is slather some of the paste on top of the dish before serving it. You can use it to top your dishes or just spread it on a cracker for a quick snack. The product comes in an easy-open 35-gram jar filled with rich, and thick white truffle puree. The flavor is concentrated so you only need a small bit to bring to your dishes.
These white truffles are...
Perfect For: Home cooks, hobby chefs.
2. Truffle Butter White
Description: Terroirs d'Antan brings you the best white truffle butter, made with the best ingredients to maintain. The white truffles are all hand-picked, mixed together with the finest and smoothest French butter. Natural white truffle extract and sea salt add more flavor. The result is a tasty, creamy and rich-tasting white truffle butter filled with real white truffle chunks for more texture. Each roll contains 1 pound of savory and creamy white truffle butter.
Aside from the chunks of white truffle, the butter itself is infused with the flavor and aroma of white truffles. You can use it instead of oil for frying and in lieu of normal butter for your baking and cooking projects. Just a small teaspoon of it can instantly add flavor and texture to your soups and sauces. You can even snack on it by spreading it on bread and crackers. It has a lifespan of around 1 week once you open the roll. Place the roll in aluminum foil if you want to preserve the flavor longer.
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Perfect For: Home cooks, hobby cooks, commercial chefs
3. Urbani Truffles Fresh White Winter Truffles
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Description: Nothing beats the real thing - and when it comes to white truffles, fresh white truffles straight from the wild are second to none. No products found.. You can choose what size of truffles you want, depending on your need. Large quantities for restaurant chefs, and small amounts for home cooks on their first foray into using white truffles.
White truffles emit a very distinct odor. Its aroma is so distinct in fact, that specially trained dogs are used to sniff them out from the ground. Since the white truffles are in its freshest state, it retains its odor and flavor, making your dishes and culinary creations come alive with just a few shavings or slices. Although its shelf life is not as long as preserved truffles, at least upon ordering you can order as much or as little truffles as you need to make sure you don’t waste anything. Urbani exports these white truffles daily straight from Italy to retain its freshness. However, white truffles are fairly seasonal so it’s difficult to find them. White truffles are in large supplies during the months of November and December.
These white truffles are...
Perfect For: Truffle enthusiasts, chefs for high-class cuisine
4. Fresh Flash-Frozen Alba White Truffles
Description: Everyone knows that the best types of truffles are fresh, wild ones. However, fresh white truffles don’t have a long shelf life, and it is seasonal, meaning it’s difficult to find a steady source all-year round. Chefs that deal with high-class cuisine don’t really like the preserved kind because the preservation process takes away the aroma of the white truffles and diminishes its taste a bit.
Flash freezing white truffles is a great compromise. Flash freezing them gives them a longer lifespan, and the process means exporters can hoard white truffles during seasons when they grow aplenty, to save them for seasons when white truffles are scarce. This means chefs who use white truffles in their cuisine can use truffles without fear of running out of supply. The white truffles are imported straight from Italy. Best of all, these white truffles retain their distinctive flavor and lose only a tiny bit of their aroma.
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Perfect For: Professional chefs who are picky with the quality of their white truffles
5. Whole White Truffle in Brine
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Description: In Italy, there’s a region called Marche, which is virtually untouched by modern technology. Here you’ll find No products found., the same truffles used in Tentazioni’s white truffles in Brine. The white truffles are hand-picked and certified free from any chemicals and pesticides, ensuring that each truffle manufactured by Tentazion is of the highest quality in terms of flavor, aroma and safety.
These prized white truffles are then preserved in salt and water to prolong its lifespan. This process is done so that the white truffles won’t lose their intense flavor and aroma. Instead of losing its flavor, it seeps slowly into the brine solution so that in time, even the brine solution tastes like truffles. The white truffles can be shaved over ready-to-serve pasta, meat steak, and rice meals for more flavor. The brine solution can be added to soups, sauces, and other delicacies. Each jar contains 12.5 grams of truffles in brine.
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Perfect For: For home cooks and commercial chefs who love to cook with truffles all-year round.
6. White Fungus Mushroom Tremella Premium Grade
Description: White truffles are not the only type of fungi that can be used in cooking. A lot of chefs, especially those who specialize in Asian cuisine use White Fungus Tremella either as an alternative or a preference. Also known as snow fungus, looks like a bathing loofah at first glance. Chefs who dabble with white truffles also use snow fungi for their dishes, not only for their unique texture but also their health benefits.
The product is 320 grams of dried white Tremella mushroom fungus . The mushroom fungi are dried to preserve its texture and flavor while lengthening its lifespan. To use the Tremella, all you need to do is reconstitute it by soaking it in warm water until it puffs to around double its original size. The mushroom can be chopped finely and added to almost any dish you can come up with, from pasta to meats, and even beverages like teas. The fungi is said to have anti-inflammatory properties In Asia, it is believed that adding the fungi to your everyday meals will stave off aging and cure common illnesses like colds and cough.
These white truffles are...
Perfect For: Home cooks, professional chefs and advocated of alternative medicine
7. Elle Esse - Italian White Truffle Paste
Description: Specially hand-picked white truffles from Italy, pureed into a thick and creamy paste. The truffles undergo a process that transforms wild, fresh truffles into white truffle paste mixed with salt and extra virgin olive oil, without diminishing and compromise its robust and unique flavor and aroma. On the contrary, the flavors seem concentrated and mere dollops into your favorite dish can instantly transform it and make it more flavorful and delicious. Best of all, the process is all-natural and uses no artificial preservatives and chemicals.
The white truffle paste comes in 90-gram jars. The paste is best used as a base for sauces, pasta, fondue, ravioli and risottos. The oil base makes the white truffles easier to mix with other ingredients, and it also makes it easier to spread over crackers and bread. Truffles have a limited lifespan, and while preserved white truffles last longer than fresh truffles, a jar would only last a week or two.
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Perfect For: Home Cooks, and for anyone who likes to cook as a hobby.
8. Urbani Truffles Truffle Thrills, White Truffles and Porcini
Description: Urbani Truffles, one of the biggest providers of truffle products, now comes with an entirely new twist that makes the amazing taste of truffles even more delectable. If you like the robust, unique flavor of white truffles , you’re going to love this combination of white truffles and Porcini mushrooms. The earthy, strong taste of white truffles, when mixed with the nutty, unique texture of porcini mushrooms create a whole new product that is great on its own or as a base for many dishes.
Each 6-ounce easy open can contains porcini mushrooms, white truffles, extra virgin olive oil, premium maize butter, Grana Padano cheese, garlic, parsley, white pepper and much more. You can use this as a spread for your toast or crackers. The product is a great addition to your sauces and soups. The extra virgin olive oil where the truffles and mushrooms are soaked in can be added to your normal cooking oil or drizzled over fried dishes. Just make sure to add it near the end of your cooking process as too much heat can diminish the natural flavor of the truffles and mushrooms.
These white truffles are...
Perfect For: Hobby cooks, home cooks and professional chefs
9. Fabrique Delices White Truffle Butter
Description: From premier French food service provider Fabrique Delices comes White Truffle Butter with Beurre de Baratte. Designed to cater to commercial chefs, the product is sold in packs of 8 tubs, with each tub weighing 3 ounces. All 8 tubs give you around 30 weeks of non-stop truffle cooking, which is just under the product’s 36 weeks shelf life. However, once the tub has been opened, it can be refrigerated for 45 days before it spoils.
Beurre de Baratte is butter created from a special process that gives it its unique flavor and texture. Milk is mixed with bacterial culture starters to sour it slowly. Unlike other buttermilks, which undergoes an automatic centrifuge churning process, Beurre de Baratte is hand-churned, creating a creamier and richer flavor. When mixed with the unique taste of white truffles, you get an absolutely delectable spread to crackers and toast. You can use it in lieu of regular butter for baking and frying to give otherwise plain fried food a much-needed gastronomical kick.
These white truffles are...
Perfect For: Truffle aficionados, home cooks, professional chefs and butter lovers
10. Urbani White Truffle Butter
Description: White truffles are preferred by many because they are more aromatic compared to black truffles. Since truffles lose much of their aroma when preserved, using white truffles instead of black gives you a stronger aroma when using preserved truffles or truffles mixed with other ingredients like butter. Urbani gives you this white truffle butter made with rich, creamy butter mixed with small white truffle bits. The truffles are mixed and blended into the butter slowly for a long time so that the butter itself is infused with the distinct aroma and flavor of the truffles.
The package comes with two 8-ounce tubs of pure white truffle butter. The aromatic odor of the truffles come alive as soon as you open the tub for the first time. Add it to your normal cooking butter for frying or baking to give your cakes, eggs, fried rice and meats a richer, bolder flavor. You can even use it on its own, as a healthy and tasty spread for your bread and crackers..Each tub only has 8 ounces, which might seem small at first, but because it retains so much of its unique flavor, you’ll only need a little bit for your dishes so each small tub comes a long way.
These white truffles are...
Perfect For: Home cooks, professional chefs, and aspiring chefs
White Truffle Tips and Tricks
To help you out with your white truffle purchase, here are some tips and tricks that will help ensure you get the product you want and how to preserve it for as long as possible.
- Don’t forget to look at product reviews. They’re the most important part of the purchase process, but strangely enough, people seem to ignore them when they see a price tag they can’t refuse.
- Don’t look for reviews on the product alone. It’s also important to check for reviews that give details on how professional the seller is and how successful the delivery is. You might have bought a legitimately great product, except the seller has a really bad product delivery system. If that’s the case just look for the same brand from another seller.
- White truffle oil and butter are far removed from fresh, wild truffles, so beware of descriptions that say they are the same as eating the real deal.
- In the same respect, avoid wild, fresh truffles that are within the same price range as truffle oils and butter. Legitimate fresh truffles that are exported straight from the wild are super expensive.
- If you receive fresh, white truffles with dirt still on them, don’t complain. It’s actually a good sign that the truffle is straight from the wild. Also, dirt actually helps the truffle retain its flavor.
- Be wary when it comes to buying truffle oil and butter. Some manufacturers claim that their oils have truffles on them, when all they have is olive oil that has been infused with artificially-made truffle flavor. Remember to look at the ingredients for real truffle bits. Also, go for products with see-through packaging so you can see the truffle bits for yourself.
- Read the product descriptions carefully. Sometimes you get one large jar of pureed truffles, while other times it’s actually 4 small tubs. If you don’t cook with truffles a lot, it’s better to get small packs as truffles have a short lifespan, even when preserved. Only buy large jars if you use them a lot.
- Don’t open your jars or tubs if you’re not going to use it yet. Preserved truffles have a longer lifespan when left in a cool, dry shelf, compared to if it's opened and kept inside the fridge.
- When in doubt, stick to well-known brands like Urbani and Fabrique Delices.
- Contrary to popular belief, white truffles are actually firm to the touch. If your truffle is spongy and soggy when squeezed lightly, it might mean there are holes and even worms in the middle.
- Placing white truffles near other food items diminish the flavor of the white truffles, but the flavor is absorbed by the food around it. Don’t do this unless intentional. In Asian households, white truffles are placed in sacks together with uncooked rice so that each bowl of rice made from the sack tastes like truffles.
- Buying white truffles when they are in season (November and December) will give you lots of options and you can even find a variety in price range when the supply is large.
- If you’re going for fresh white truffles, avail of expedited shipping if you can afford it. Ideally, you should receive your truffles in one day.
- When buying truffle oil, be wary of the ingredient 2,4-dithiapentane. If you see this on the list of ingredients, it means that the flavor of truffles is synthetic and it’s not made of real truffles.
- Check the country of origin on your white truffles. The best truffles are from Italy, France, and Spain.
What do White Truffles Taste Like?
One of the most common questions that people ask when they’ve never had a chance to try a truffle before is simply, “What does white truffle taste like?” Although nothing quite compares to sampling it for yourself, it’s a good idea to have some concept of what you’re getting into before you ever try to purchase your first truffle. This way, you’ll be able to gauge whether or not you’re going to like the taste, and determine if it’s really worthwhile for you to spend so much money on such a rare ingredient!
What is the Flavor of a White Truffle?
When it comes down to figuring out what do white truffles taste like, they really aren’t all that different from black truffles. Although the size, texture, and color of the truffle all do vary greatly, the flavor isn’t too unique between the two types. White truffles, like their darker counterparts, tend to taste a lot like the trees they grow on, which makes sense! If a truffle grows on the roots of a hazelnut tree, for example, it’s bound to have more of a nutty flavor than one that doesn’t. However, the tree itself doesn’t dictate the sole flavor of the truffle.
Most white truffles tend to taste like earth and mud, with a hint of garlic in the smell and flavor both. Think about what a rich mushroom like a Portobello tastes like, and then imagine eating one that’s much fresher and has been compounded into an even more powerful flavor with a little garlic on top. That’s pretty much what a white truffle is like.
What do White Truffles Taste Like in Food?
You’re probably wondering what adding something musky and funky to a dish really does for it, other than making it much more expensive. In fact, the description of a muddy garlic fungus might not make you want to try eating a white truffle at all! However, it’s important to remember that this ingredient can make a huge difference when it’s incorporated into cooked dishes.
White truffles are most commonly served raw since they tend to become inedible when they’re fully cooked. You might find them slightly heated and either stirred into a dish or laid on top of it, and you’ll usually see them shaved or grated instead of sliced thickly like other types of mushrooms. When they’re added to food, they bring a very rich taste of garlic that accentuates Italian cooking particularly well. They don’t tend to soak up other flavors, but they do lend their muskiness to dishes and help pull a lot of hidden flavors to the surface.
What do White Truffle Products Taste Like?
There are two common types of white truffle products you’re likely to find on the market: truffle oil and truffle butter. Both of these can taste really great when you use them in the right way, but you should understand that they don’t really give you the full effect of actually eating a real white truffle. Truffle oil, for example, is oftentimes not made out of truffles at all! Although it’s marketed as though it is, this oil is usually derived from olive oil and added flavorings and spices that make it taste close to the flavor of a real white truffle. Very rarely are you getting a true truffle oil when you pick up these products in most markets.
Truffle butter is another common product you’re likely to come across. But what does white truffle butter taste like? This tasty concoction really is made from truffles themselves, and it’s usually made by infusing real, fresh, organic butter with shavings or gratings from white truffles. It tastes thick, rich, and garlicky, with a hint of nuttiness. This product is a much better choice if you’re looking for a more affordable way to sample the flavor of white truffles.
How Much Does a White Truffle Cost?
Once you find out what truffles taste like, the next question on your mind is likely to be, “How much do white truffles cost?” You might be surprised by the answer! Of course, most people understand that truffles are expensive culinary ingredients, but until you start really looking at the numbers, you might not realize just how expensive they can truly be. There’s a lot that goes into the price of a white truffle, so read on to learn everything you need to know about pricing these special treats.
How Much Does It Cost?
Depending on where it comes from, the answer to the question “how much does a white truffle cost” can vary a little bit. White truffles can be found in a few different places throughout Europe, but most of them are centered in and around Italy. When found in Alba, the white truffle price per kilo can be much higher than it might be for those specimens found elsewhere in the world. On the other hand, when white truffles are grown outside of Europe—such as those that can be found now and then in Oregon in the United States—the price goes down significantly. When it comes to the price of white truffles per pound, it’s really all about location.
So how much does white truffle cost when it comes from some of the most highly prized locations in the world? As of early spring 2016, white truffles were going for upwards of $160 or more per ounce. That means the white truffle price per pound clocks in at over $2500 for a prime specimen! Although the time of year when your truffle is harvested, as well as the place it comes from, can change this price dramatically, this is a good starting point when you’re trying to figure out what you can expect to pay for a truffle.
As a side note, the most expensive truffle in the world sold in 2007 for a whopping $330,000. It weighed over three pounds and came from Italy. Since then, no other truffle has cost as much, but a pair sold for the same price a few years later. When figuring out how much is a white truffle, sometimes it pays to consider these incredible auction prices, too!
What Makes White Truffles So Expensive?
With the price of white truffles per pound being what it is, you might be wondering what makes them cost so much in the first place. As we’ve discussed earlier in this article, growing truffles can be tricky business. It’s hard to convince them to grow in a specific place and at a specific time, and you might have acres upon acres of land filled with trees and none of them might end up producing truffles. It takes hours of effort to look for truffles, either alone or with the help of trained dogs. When they are found, they have to be harvested at exactly the right time, or they won’t taste like anything.
Since truffles are so perishable, they have to be shipped and served within just a couple of days after they’re harvested, or they won’t be of a high enough quality to eat anymore. There is a lot of effort that goes into cutting the truffle, cleaning it, and preparing it to ship to buyers and chefs all around the world. With so many steps that have to be completed quickly in the lifespan of a truffle, it’s no wonder the white truffle price per gram is so high!
We Hope You Enjoy Your White Truffles
That concludes our little list of white truffle products that you can buy online. Hopefully, this guide has taught you not only where to buy white truffles but also how to purchase your white truffles in order to receive the best quality product possible. When looking for white truffles to use for your cooking, don’t forget to go through our list of tips and tricks to ensure that your truffles not only arrive in top shape, but that you also know how to store your truffles to preserve its flavor for as long as possible.
Remember, this list is impartial to any manufacturer or exporter off white truffle products. All we want is for you to enjoy your white truffles and feel like you spent good money on your purchase.
