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!