Truffle Honey
What to do with truffle honey
Here’s one of my current favourite ingredients; honey infused with white truffles from Italy…
Heaven in a pot, the aroma is overwhelming, beatifully rich and pungent and perfect smeared over some warm brioche. A speciality from Tuscany, I use it to make a dressing for salads. I add a spoon of it to a pot of sauce vierge to which I add tiny leaves of lemon thyme and some finely diced tomato fillets.
Georgio Locatelli of Locanda Locatelli restaurant in London has a recipe for truffle honey ice cream in his extraordinary book ‘Made In Italy’ which we must try in the restaurant. Try a spoon of it drizzled over some goats cheese or as a flavouring to a fancy mushrooms on toast-use brioche in place of ordinary bread and you won’t regret it. You should be able to buy it in a good Deli or online, better still-go to Tuscany!
Miles,
I have not heard of this one before. Honey may become in short supply regionally. America has already lost significant stocks of its bee population due to disease.
Honey and bees have been in the news again here last week. The Government has been asked to urgently invest in research into the disease that is killing the bees. It is incredible that people are oblivious to the fact that without the bees there will be no pollination and we are in serious trouble. It does not even make the headlines. Heads in sand springs to mind.
Elsie
May 14, 2008 @ 6:07 pm
Miles,
This is new to me too… sounds fabulous but expensive according to my search. I wonder if the cheaper brand is any good with just essence of truffle, whereas the other kind had actual pieces of white truffle and a price tag to match. If you find it has anti ageing properties or something they call ‘radiance’, let me know and I’ll order a bucket of the stuff
Cid
May 14, 2008 @ 6:56 pm
Ladies,
It costs me about £16 for 200g but it is worth it as it is very strong and a little does go a long way.
There are all sorts of flavoured honey’s avaliable, I tried some lavender honey today but that paled in comparrison to the above.
Miles
May 14, 2008 @ 9:29 pm
Elsie,
You make a very important point, despite the warm weather I have seen very few bees or wasps for that matter. I have long thought bees get far less credit than they deserve.
A very interesting comment, thanks.
Miles
May 14, 2008 @ 9:31 pm
Miles,
Whilst on the subject of bees, I have just read that 30% of the bee population in a county of southern Germany has not survived the winter. Researchers have identified a type of pesticide that the bees have been in contact with. They have now banned that particular type and a number of others from being imported and used. They don’t know if that could have affected honey. It is also not known which plants may have been affected and for how many miles around, due to winds.
Elsie
May 16, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
Elsie,
I had no idea about any of this, I’ve been too busy feeding the birds cakes and oatmeal instead of bread! Seriously this is concerning and I am suprised more hasn’t been made of it. Thanks for making us all aware.
Miles
May 16, 2008 @ 9:46 pm