As the white truffle season draws to a close, I think back and reflect upon an interview I had with Alessandro Bonino at the famous Tartufi Morra truffle store in Alba (Piemonte, Italy). He recalls the time when the founder of the store, Giacomo Morra sent the largest white truffle ever (at that time) to President Truman as a gift. Legend has it that Mr. Morra received a letter from the President stating, “Thank you for the potato. Unfortunately it must have gone bad during the journey and we had to throw it away.”

Fortunately, we can continue to use the white truffles in our cooking even after the season is over. Specialty stores around the United States sell White Truffle Cream, and White Truffle Butter – two products wonderful for use in baked potatoes, scrambled eggs, and as a final touch in mushroom sauces. A teaspoon of White Truffle Butter is also wonderful on a Filet Mignon just prior to serving, and as an addition to Parmesan Risotto.

In this video, Alessandro talks about the history of the store (the first fresh white truffle store), how to store white truffles, and how to use them. It is a bit long (over 4 minutes), but if you are really into white truffles, give it a look. I, however, will be waiting in anticipation for next year’s white truffle season. Ciao!

Five Reasons Venice is Sinking (It’s not the high water)

Venice’s Population is Elderly and Dying
The population of Venice is just over 60,000 and shrinks by 3 to 5% every year. The population is elderly, and is not being replaced.

Jobs are Disappearing
As real commerce is replaced by souvenir shops and bad restaurants, high paying jobs disappear. The young are leaving in search of better opportunity (and more space) on the mainland.

Hospitals, Butchers, Poultry, Dry Cleaners, Fresh Pasta Stores are Leaving.
As these services disappear, life on the island becomes more difficult. As life becomes more difficult, residents (who can) leave. As more residents leave, more services do the same.

Foreigners are Buying Up the Stores and Cafes
I have been told that immigrating to Italy is much easier if you already own a business there. Many foreigners have been purchasing the cafes and clothing stores, replacing them with mediocre products, and “1 Euro” stores. Of course, these new store owners, like most other workers in Venice, live on the mainland, thus contributing virtually nothing to the social fabric of the city.

Building Maintenance is Unaffordable
Owning a home in Venice is very difficult as maintenance costs are too high for the residents to pay. Construction materials must be brought in by boat and usually hoisted up through outside windows. Re-surfacing the outside of your building frequently means building a temporary dock on which the scaffolding can be placed, and then having it removed after the work has been completed. Many residents, therefore, leave rooms or even floors of their building closed off, living only in the sections they can afford to maintain.

Six Reasons to Go Anyway

The Serenity:
There certainly is nothing like La Serinissima (The Most Serene city). There is a calm that comes over you walking along the canals after dark when most of the tourists (and most of the workers) have gone home that is indescribable. On some nights, the sound of the choirs practicing echoes off the buildings, like the sound of angels looking over the dark (and sometimes foggy) alleys.

The History
Walking the calli of Venice is like reading a history book. “Street of the Strangled Priest”. “Alley of the Geese”, St. Mark’s Square” – It’s 1500 years of history laid out in front of your eyes, just waiting for you to soak it in.

The Markets
While many markets have gone, some great ones still remain, such as the Rialto Fish Market and Fruit and Vegetable stands. Fishmongers still sing, the Fruttivendoli shout the praises of their produce, and old ladies still do their shopping while their men stand by waiting, and discussing soccer.

The Food
There is an old saying, especially true in Venice: “The more languages on the menu, the worse the food.” If you stay away from the tourists, and from the multi-lingual menus, you can find some wonderful seafood in Venice. And rest assured, it will be nothing like what you find in Rome, Naples, or Sicily. Ask a local.

The People
Venetians are extremely conversational and friendly. Think about it – they have no cars, so (for the most part) they walk everywhere, seeing the same people every day. The town is like one large family, and there is always room for a few more. Shopkeepers frequently will close up their shops to join you for coffee. Residents have been known to walk with you for a mile to be sure you get where you are going.

The Architecture
Because of Venice’s unique location, built upon millions of tree trunks jammed into the muck below, the architecture is like nothing you will find elsewhere. And the mix of Moorish, Gothic, and pure Venetian buildings is quite a treat.

Every year foodies worldwide wait in anticipation of the opening of the most prestigious white truffle fair in the world – here in Alba, Italy. That time has arrived!

Watch the video below, then look at the pictures of this incredible festival!

Are you one of the many who dream of visiting the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzura) on the Isle of Capri just off of the Amalfi Coast in Italy? I was too.

The Blue Grotto is a seemingly magical cave on Capri. When inside, the light coming from outside the cave reflects off of the white cavern floor giving the water a fluorescent blue color that seems to have been sent from the heavens. It should be on everyone’s list of places to see before they die. Unfortunately, most tourists are sent home disappointed, as the grotto is frequently closed due to high tides or rough seas. It’s too bad they did not know the secret.