I saw dave Chappelle’s recent comedy specials when he mentions truffle butter a few times. Since he is a multi millionaire I figured I’d check how much that stuff costs.
Prices I’m seeing are about $10/oz for truffle butter. Is that a fair price? What does it taste like?
Hi Wesley,
I am not certain I have ever tasted a truffle. A couple years ago I bought a bottle of black truffle oil for about $75. It had a strong truffle flavor, and more than a couple drops could overwhelm a dish. It has a strong odor like stinky cheese, but not necessarily unpleasant.
Then I found out that truffle oil is usually a scam and that they put in a chemical that is supposed to resemble truffles, that is what most people think is the smell of truffles. Real truffles are perishable and can lose their aroma quite quickly.
Other scams are wasabi horseradish (regular horseradish colored green) and olive oil (usually adulterated.)
I see the flakes of “truffles” in the butter. I would be skeptical regardless of the price.
I went to a restaurant the other day that had truffles in the recipe, again I have a strong suspicion they just use the truffle oil, but didn’t make a fuss as the food was excellent.
https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/truffle-oil-fake-no-truffles-priceonomics
Here’s a reputable site for truffles. The link shows black truffles at $80/ounce; for the record, an ounce is a tiny amount, a mushroom maybe the size of a walnut. That said, a tiny amount can go a long way - shaved thinly over pasta or eggs, one ounce will be enough for 3-4 portions.
As far as flavor, I find them more of an aroma than a flavor. Like saffron, it comes on subtly but once you get a nose for it, it’s huge. Mr. Athena got me a truffle for Christmas this year, and the smell alone was heady. I remember just opening the package and it hit you like a hammer.
They’re fun to have every once in a while, but I’m not so nutty about them that I want to pay the price very often.
Fettuccine with butter and black pepper, topped with thinly-shaved white truffles. That’s what they serve in Paradise.
Truffle oil is a scam and over-done anyway. Use the real thing or don’t bother. Same goes for truffle butter.
Everyone says this, but I’m fine with both. Sure, it’s not the same as real truffles, but I’ve bought the oil/butter on occasion, and (assuming you buy a decent quality) it adds a hint of truffle to a dish.