As a graduate student in London, she has eaten almost all the European cuisines.
I love eating now, and she "contributed a lot".
Long-term contact, naturally know what is "delicious" and what is "delicious".
Of course, I really feel the pain of "making too little money"
It was under her influence that I first ate truffles.
At that time, Miss L had just returned to China and was used to western food. From time to time, I will take her to a western restaurant for a rare meal.
"Zheng Xiaota, you should try truffles. It is delicious. It is also called the top three ingredients in Europe with foie gras and caviar. "
What she said made me curious.
Do you know that?/You know what? Do you know that?/You know what?
Truffles taste really special!
The first time I ate truffles, I was greeted by a strong smell, such as musk, garlic and wet leaves, which was terrible.
Chew like a mushroom, like eating a piece of paper.
At that time, countless question marks flashed through my mind. Is this the legendary truffle?
Is it truffle, which is called the top "diamond" ingredient in Europe?
Girl l looks normal, gesticulating with her hands.
"After cooking, the taste of truffles is much lighter!"
"I once smelled it at a classmate's house in Europe, and the freshly picked truffles were heavy!"
That's true.
Truffles also smell of gas, sheets that have not been washed for a long time, and some people even describe them as semen!
Not only that, the "penetrating power" of truffle taste is very strong.
Put it in the refrigerator, even if it is wrapped in several layers of plastic wrap, other vegetables and fruits in the refrigerator will be "contaminated" with the strange smell of truffles.
"What many people don't know is that truffles can be eaten raw!"
Over the years, Zheng Xiaota and I have had many experiences.
Usually Italian Alba white truffles are eaten raw, with a crispy feeling and a little sweetness. Don't heat it, it will lose the taste of truffles.
French Perigord black truffle is cooked, with stronger flavor and can stand cooking.
I will introduce these two truffles in detail later.
Many people think that truffles can be eaten alone, but they are not.
It is often used as seasoning to supplement the flavor of other ingredients, just like ham in Chinese food enhances the flavor.
The practice of truffles in cooking is more the same.
Chefs often cut it into thin slices or small pieces (planer as shown below) and sprinkle it on food, which will quickly enrich the taste of the dishes.
Due to the unique aroma and strong smell of truffles, no matter what dish you put in, you can immediately make this dish "shine at the moment".
As small as a black truffle fried egg and truffle bread, as large as black truffle sauce steak and black truffle braised pork.
Once in Shanghai, I ate a little spaghetti with truffles, which was completely different from what I usually eat, and my appetite increased greatly.
Just like going out on a date, some boys will wear some perfume, which will increase their charm.
So, you will wonder why many restaurants have many dishes with truffle names.
It is for this reason that one is "fame" and the other is "taste improvement".
There is also a truffle oil, but most of it is artificially blended. Eating more is not good.
For food and wine, I like to look up information and study its ins and outs.
Truffle, English name truffle, is a kind of mushroom, namely mushroom.
We usually think that truffles are produced in Europe.
For example, the famous white truffle in Italy and the famous black truffle in France.
In recent years, truffles have also been fried in China, such as Yunnan truffles.
The types of truffles can be divided into black truffles and white truffles.
The appearance of black truffle is black and uneven, such as scaly, white truffle and golden yellow surface.
After cutting, there are labyrinth lines, like marbles, and Spanish Iberian raw ham.
We only need to know two world-famous truffles: French Perigord black truffle and Italian Alba white truffle.
However, as China people, we should also know about Yunnan truffles.
Produced in southeastern France, Provence province, which is famous for lavender, accounts for two-thirds of the output.
The production time is 1 1 every year until March of the following year, and it is harvested during the day.
Alba, produced in Piedmont, Italy, is also a wine producing area. The famous barolo red wine barolo comes from here.
The harvest season is the end of summer and the beginning of winter every year, and the harvest is carried out at night.
This is an Indian truffle, which is produced in winter.
Compared with these two kinds of truffles in Europe, Yunnan truffles are stronger by the name of "truffles", which means climbing the dragon and attaching the phoenix.
It used to be called gymnospora, and the locals didn't like it. It is sliced and dried and used as spice and medicine.
I have been working as a sommelier for several years. I often deal with several five-star hotels in Hangzhou and help them train waiters.
In this way, there are many opportunities to ask the chef of the hotel for food knowledge.
They told me many stories about truffles.
Truffles grow underground and are annual mushrooms. They must be parasitic on oak trees and the roots of oak trees to get the nutrients they need.
I am also very picky about the growing environment, and I can't have too much precipitation. If the soil is alkaline, barren, soft and not too deep, it will not grow if the environment changes slightly. She is a "good girl".
Truffles also have a "strange temper"
As long as truffles grow on the roots, the surrounding plants begin to wither and tear, just like being bombed repeatedly by bombs, scorched earth.
"Truffles come, nothing grows", which is still a mystery in science.
The chefs talked about the harvest of truffles, which made me feel a little funny.
In the past, hunters in France and Italy would take a sow when harvesting truffles, because truffles grow underground like mines, and no one knows.
But sows can find it because truffles contain androsterone.
This substance is common in the saliva of boars and can induce estrus in sows. When sows smell the special smell of truffles, they will try their best to arch into the soil.
But there is also a problem. It is easy for sows to eat truffles when they arch.
So, hunters began to look for truffles with one-year-old sows. Now, they look for truffles directly with hounds.
In Italy, truffle hunters are a special profession.
Legend has it that they all have ancestral treasure maps and know where the best truffles are.
Interesting!
However, truffles are diamonds on the table.
Because it's too expensive.
I also have deep feelings about this.
Sometimes chatting with friends from France and talking about truffles makes them feel too much.
"Zheng Xiaota, the price of truffles in Europe is as good as that of fried Cordyceps sinensis in China."
The price of ordinary French Perigord black truffle 1 kg is between 340,000 RMB, and that of ordinary Italian Alba white truffle 1 kg is between 79,000 RMB.
Italian white truffle is more than twice as expensive as French black truffle, and it is also because Italian Alba white truffle is completely wild and cannot be planted artificially, with a yield of only about 2 tons.
French Perigord black truffles can be planted artificially, and the output exceeds 10 ton.
In 2007, Stanley Ho, the gambling king of Macau, took an Italian Alba white truffle weighing 1.5 kg at auction for 330,000 US dollars (about 2 1.5 million RMB).
Let the value of European truffles "rise".
However, Yunnan truffles are much cheaper, and the price of 1 kg is between 500- 1000 RMB.
Truffles are so expensive in Europe, not only because of their delicious taste and low yield, but also because of their high nutritional value.
Truffles are also rich in protein, 18 kinds of human amino acids, including 8 kinds of amino acids that cannot be synthesized by human body, zinc, iron, manganese and other vitamins.
It is very helpful for preventing Alzheimer's disease and atherosclerosis, improving immunity, resisting aging and improving sleep.
However, truffles are too expensive, and only local tyrants eat truffles for health.
It is said that eating truffles also has aphrodisiac effect.
The special smell of truffles, like sexy perfume, can arouse lust, so it is difficult to tell the truth from the false.
You ask me anyway, I don't know!
Several times at dinner, a girl would ask,
"Zheng Xiaota, did you also put truffles in truffle chocolate?"
Truffles have nothing to do with truffle chocolate.
Mainly because truffles also mean "chocolate" in English, and chocolate is wrapped in cocoa powder.
In addition, truffle chocolate looks like truffle, which is rough, so truffle is more suitable.
The girl suddenly realized.