Black winter truffles from Australia for sale
Truffle lovers typically have to wait until winter to splurge on fresh Perigord truffles, a rare and wildly expensive truffle native to southern Europe.
The black winter fungi ( Tuber melanosporum) is so revered by culinary professionals for its complex, earthy aroma and decadent flavor that it’s known as the “Black Diamond.” The variety takes years to develop underground near the roots of oak and hazelnut trees, and is harvested by dogs specifically trained to seek out the prize fungi.
So it’s pretty exciting that Cavan Patterson of Wild Purveyors, a wholesale grocer that distributes regionally sourced raw ingredients from Pennsylvania farms and forests, late last week was able to get his hands on a summer version of the prized truffle from the Land Down Under.
Last Thursday, the Chambersburg-based forager traveled to JFK airport in New York to pick up 6 kilograms (approximately 13 pounds) of black winter truffles from a farm in Australia.
“There were no connecting flights to Pittsburgh,” he explained.
The cargo side of the airport, where the fungi were checked over by a USDA inspector before being cleared through customs, “is it’s whole own world,” he said with a laugh.
If black winter truffles during barbecue season are something of a surprise, think back to geography class. Australia’s seasons are the opposite of those in the northern hemisphere, so it’s winter there. As a result, Australian black winter truffles come to market between June and September.
European Perigord truffles, however, are usually harvested between December and March.
Intensely aromatic with
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an inky black surface and white marbled flesh, black winter mushrooms are graded according to size and shape and priced accordingly (though size does not affect flavor). Extra class large, which can grow as large as a baseball, are at the top end while the lower-grade 1st and 2nd Class have imperfections and irregular shapes, and can be cut into pieces.
Most commonly used in pasta dishes, black truffles can also be shaved onto scrambled eggs, risotto or potato dishes, and added to flavor wine- and creambased sauces.
While Wild Purveryors has previously sold Perigord truffles in the winter months, this is the first time they’ve connected with a farm in Australia. The motivating factor, Mr. Patterson said, was Spork Pittsburgh’s executive chef and owner Christian Frangiadis.
“He has been asking for months, starting back in March,” Mr. Patterson said.
The chef used Australian winter truffles last year as a way to keep them on the menu past the winter months, and “it worked out beautifully,” he said.
One of his favorite ways to use the fungi is in a seared scallop dish served with truffle tortellini, truffle butter and a sherry truffle sauce. “It’s almost like a truffle explosion,” he said.
While Black Perigords can set the chef back anywhere from $600 to $1,000 a pound, depending on the season and quality, they’re almost always used sparingly. They’re so rich in umami that even an ounce or two can go pretty far, he said, especially if you’re emulsifying them with a fat.
“I can make a lot of tortellini and truffle butter,” he said. “They really carry through beautifully. The flavor benefits are enormous.”
Mr. Patterson found his Australian supplier, which prefers to go unnamed, through his extensive network of farmers and food producers. In addition to the nearly 750-mile roundtrip to the airport in Queens, he had to go through a “a labyrinth of paperwork” to import them. They were on the airplane within 24 hours of being dug out of the ground on July 20.
The truffles became available Wednesday at Wild Purveyors and are priced as follows: $60 for 2 portions (minimum ½ ounce); $100 for 4-6 portions (minimum of 1 ounce); and $150 for 6-8 portions (minimum 1½ ounces). You can pick them up curbside at the warehouse at 6901 Lynn Way in East Liberty or have them home delivered. Order on the website at wildpurveyors.com.
Once opened, truffles can be stored for 7 to 10 days in a small container in dry rice in the refrigerator.