Kurt R.A. Giambastiani

Foodie Alert!

If you don’t know already, it’s black truffle season. What? What’s that? You can’t afford them? You refuse to pay $500/ounce for these bad boys?

I don’t blame you. I won’t pay that much for anything unless it’s going to save my frakking life. (Or my wife’s life, but don’t tell her. She’ll get a big head.)

So, where did I get these black beauties? No, I didn’t fly to France and take my snout for a walk in the woods. No, I didn’t waylay Gordon Ramsay on his way home from work. No, there isn’t some guy in a Pioneer Square alley with a trenchcoat and a gruff voice who says “Psst. Buddy. Looking for some fungi?” (Okay, maybe there is a guy like that, but (a) I haven’t met him and (b) he’s probably selling a different kind of mushroom.)

No, I found Oregon Mushrooms, a small(ish) but respected purveyor of mushrooms for over a decade. And they grow black truffles. Yep. Real black truffles. White ones, too (more about those after the jump).

Expensive? Well, yes, but at $20/ounce, it’s not impossible, at least not for a once-a-year treat. (more…)

Read Full Post »