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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
Where to begin?! To a rabid truffle lover who enjoys truffle hunting, this unmissable book is absolutely sublime! Written in a witty and engaging style and resplendent with tradition, culture and information, this is a must read for anyone remotely interested in this beguiling fungi. Though I know a ton about truffles, I learned a lot here. Amazing, amazing stuff. Though non fiction, the writing flows conversationally, definitely NOT textbookish. The author travels all over to discover truffles for himself and the book is chock full of his brilliant and often amusing adventures.
Truffles are like nothing else on the planet. When asked to describe the aroma, taste and texture words fail me. The aroma is mysterious, elusive, foresty, earthy, intoxicating and pure magic (though you can't taste magic, this is an exception); the texture reminiscent of sliced almonds and the taste is mild but glorious. The aroma is evocative and transportive and brings tears to my eyes. No joke. I love that the author uses descriptions of several people to convey their experiences. He describes mycorrhiza which is crucial to the understanding of truffles. He also discusses fake truffle products, truffle dogs (I love the prevalence of dogs here!), truffle festivals, where and how they grow, "mating types", different species and even includes mouthwatering recipes!
Much of my truffle experience is from Istria, Croatia but have enjoyed eating truffles in other countries. However, to me nothing compares to the Tuber magnatum pico or Istrian white truffle which is harvested September to January. I live part time in Istria and cannot get enough of this fungi, especially with lightly-scrambled eggs, shaved over pasta and with fresh late figs drizzled with honey and walnuts, served with fresh cheeses. Always, always raw. The author includes a recipe for truffled duck which is divine with black truffles. The Beet Carpaccio with Truffles and Walnuts looks breathtaking as well. For the curious, festivals are excellent and these are highlighted as well.
The Oregon Grand Truffle Dinner is fascinating to read about. So is the information about the truffles which grow in Australia where lime must be added to the soil. They can even grow in comparatively cold Quebec! As the author says, it is about finding the right techniques for your area. But the best bits to me are those where the author spends time hunting and harvesting with locals. My first experience was during the dead of night with a hunter who had never taken anyone hunting before. He spoke no English but that didn't prevent us from enjoying it. Hunters' passion, enthusiasm and pride are infectious which is the experience of the author, too.
My sincere thank you to Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this awesome and wondrous book! I could not have loved it more.
Truffles are like nothing else on the planet. When asked to describe the aroma, taste and texture words fail me. The aroma is mysterious, elusive, foresty, earthy, intoxicating and pure magic (though you can't taste magic, this is an exception); the texture reminiscent of sliced almonds and the taste is mild but glorious. The aroma is evocative and transportive and brings tears to my eyes. No joke. I love that the author uses descriptions of several people to convey their experiences. He describes mycorrhiza which is crucial to the understanding of truffles. He also discusses fake truffle products, truffle dogs (I love the prevalence of dogs here!), truffle festivals, where and how they grow, "mating types", different species and even includes mouthwatering recipes!
Much of my truffle experience is from Istria, Croatia but have enjoyed eating truffles in other countries. However, to me nothing compares to the Tuber magnatum pico or Istrian white truffle which is harvested September to January. I live part time in Istria and cannot get enough of this fungi, especially with lightly-scrambled eggs, shaved over pasta and with fresh late figs drizzled with honey and walnuts, served with fresh cheeses. Always, always raw. The author includes a recipe for truffled duck which is divine with black truffles. The Beet Carpaccio with Truffles and Walnuts looks breathtaking as well. For the curious, festivals are excellent and these are highlighted as well.
The Oregon Grand Truffle Dinner is fascinating to read about. So is the information about the truffles which grow in Australia where lime must be added to the soil. They can even grow in comparatively cold Quebec! As the author says, it is about finding the right techniques for your area. But the best bits to me are those where the author spends time hunting and harvesting with locals. My first experience was during the dead of night with a hunter who had never taken anyone hunting before. He spoke no English but that didn't prevent us from enjoying it. Hunters' passion, enthusiasm and pride are infectious which is the experience of the author, too.
My sincere thank you to Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this awesome and wondrous book! I could not have loved it more.
challenging
medium-paced
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
As a lover of micro-history, I was excited for this book and a deep dive into all things truffles. I loved the content of the book, and the fact that the author not only explored the classic truffle cultures in western/southern Europe, but also the emerging truffle centers in eastern Europe, the United States, and Australia. Because he is talking with truffle hunters (human/dog teams usually) and truffle farmers in each of these regions, you can really get a feel for the differences in truffle culture in each place.
The author also tries his hardest to describe the different types of truffle and how they taste, and even includes a long recipe list at the end of the book with recommendations on which truffles to use for which dish. He even thought ahead for the obsessive googlers among his readers, and included a very informative list at the end of the book of all the truffles he mentions, along with common and scientific names, seasonal and regional availability, flavor profile, and COLOR PHOTOS! I loved it.
My only quip with this book is that sometimes the author's writing style got on my nerves, and was a bit childlike. However, that also makes this book very easy to read and in general I would recommend it! It will certainly make you super informed about a food you might only ever be lucky enough to eat a few times, and will make you want to taste truffles more than ever (my wallet is already planning for winter when most of them are in season!).
The author also tries his hardest to describe the different types of truffle and how they taste, and even includes a long recipe list at the end of the book with recommendations on which truffles to use for which dish. He even thought ahead for the obsessive googlers among his readers, and included a very informative list at the end of the book of all the truffles he mentions, along with common and scientific names, seasonal and regional availability, flavor profile, and COLOR PHOTOS! I loved it.
My only quip with this book is that sometimes the author's writing style got on my nerves, and was a bit childlike. However, that also makes this book very easy to read and in general I would recommend it! It will certainly make you super informed about a food you might only ever be lucky enough to eat a few times, and will make you want to taste truffles more than ever (my wallet is already planning for winter when most of them are in season!).
A quirky and niche novel seeking to capture the evanescent funghi and all the curious characters in this unusual industry. Part nature-writing, part travel log, part stunt-journalism. *Birthday present from Lachy.
“…the more I learn to appreciate a good smellscape, the more I’ve begun to wonder if dogs sniff the world mostly for the sheer gorgeousness of it, and I’ve started to think of truffles as the street artists of the forest, splashing smells across an airy canvas, blowing the minds of passersby”.
“…the more I learn to appreciate a good smellscape, the more I’ve begun to wonder if dogs sniff the world mostly for the sheer gorgeousness of it, and I’ve started to think of truffles as the street artists of the forest, splashing smells across an airy canvas, blowing the minds of passersby”.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
A masterfully written book about truffles. You'll learn a lot about their smell (eluding words), hunting (hard), trade (shady), geographic distribution (wider than expected), ecology (fascinating), dogs (needing a lot of training), chefs (often clueless), recipes (simple), oil (artificial), and future (science-based farming). The travelog parts will introduce some pretty quirky truffle hunters and their adorable dogs in places ranging from the predictable Piedmont to the surprising North Carolina.
funny
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
Great food writing. Not too precious, very engaging. The author wasn’t trying to prove his knowledge—it felt coconspiratorial rather than preachy. Big recommendation for anyone interested in food, or curious about truffles.