the (truffle) hunt is on

being as i like new experiences and adventures, i signed up to go truffle hunting!

the tour company took the 11 of us to a privately-owned forest (with strong instruction not to return without them!) and we followed a truffle dog through the fir trees until taking a break for an amazing truffle-inspired lunch menu in a cozy up-scale barn.

after having our fill, we headed back out, this time to help train a labradoodle puppy before being given one large or two small white spring truffles to take home.  then we were shuttled in the van back to our meeting place.

it's the gases in a truffle that give off the odor and taste, i learned.  in the fungi family but not a mushroom, truffles are the fruiting body of subterraneous mycelial connections and sell for a pretty penny.

as we speak one of my small whites is infusing eggs and the other i'm getting ready to open after 3 days in pyrex with butter.  i plan to microplane the actual truffle atop potatoes for dinner guests.

just one more lovely thing about living here in the willamette valley!