This article is the first of a 3-part series I’m writing on Alba’s White Truffle Festival and Celebrity Cruise executive chef, John Suley. You definitely want to tune in to the other posts
2014 was a great year in my wanderlusting around the globe. A few Caribbean islands and Mexico are always a good idea, and quite frankly, relatively simple to make happen if you live on the East coast of the US. But when an invitation to get lost in Europe, exploring the food, wine, social culture and anything between is extended, the Islands suddenly seem like a drive up to the Hamptons for a quick rendezvous and not a well-planned vacation to bask in the sun and white sandy beaches. And when the purpose of the invitation is to dig up the world’s most expensive food ingredient, literally and figuratively speaking, in your favourite country, you quickly brush up on your language skills and go all in. That’s exactly what I did just a few months ago when Celebrity Cruises, known for their lavish and top-notch on-board experience, invited me to tag along with their ships’ executive chef, John Suley. The task was to explore the hype behind the wildly coveted and lowly affordable white truffle in Alba, Italy, and cheer on chef John as he conjured up ways to incorporate it into his cruiser kitchen. I was in. All in.
CASTELLO SANTA VITTORIA
I was excited to meet the chef of this larger-than-life, uber sexy-looking ship, — though I can’t say I know what a cruise is like — a man I was sure had 30+ years experience and was sturn, whipping chefs in line in order to maintain the utmost perfect environment. Oh, was I wrong. The man running the culinary program is a young guy, no more than 40, and bears an inviting and highly unpretentious aesthetic. I was shocked to meet John, but incredibly excited about the tone he set as we settled into our intimate dinner at the restaurant within Castello di Santa Vittoria. The centuries old castle turned boutique hotel, was nestled atop a bucolic hill, surrounded by nothing but vineyards along La Langhe, and cock-a-doodling roosters at 6 am. Oh, and a magnificent bell tower which I used as my alarm every morning for 6 days. It was beyond splendid.
The entrance was whimsical with colored ivy hugging the old brick columns. The brick driveway and entrance, which is very typical of Europe, makes it extremely difficult to walk in 5″ heels but it’s what complements the properties aesthetic. Surely, after a 10 minute meandering drive up to the hotel, the last thing you think of taking off your shoes. Especially because the lobby is a wonderful surprise. Juxtaposed is a chic modern lounge with low leather and velvet seating, cocktail tables, highboys, and of course, a wine wall where you select your favourite varietal to enjoy while playing chess or nibbling on truffle candy. The lounge music playlist invited many all-nighters for the group of 4 I was traveling with. It’s the most quaint boutique I’ve stayed in a long while, having the most special appeal considering the view from my suite was nothing short of epic.
The French door windows opened up to a magnificent, almost surreal water painting view of rolling vineyards looking down to Alba. Structurally short statured trees lining the path to the pool protect your privacy from passerbyers. The Clocktower to my right had a 3D effect as I tried to focus on the valley below; only the beautiful floral archway leading to the entrance was enough of an obstruction to enjoy. I spent plenty of real time in the vineyards, anyway. Imagine that scenery first thing every dewy morning. You couldn’t ask for a better morning rise.
Our home away from home for the week was the perfect host for a short but intense week of truffling.
VINEYARDS & TRUFFLE FAIR
The Piemonte region of Italy boasts formidable hospitality to the rest of world with its luscious and beautifully manicured vineyards. Equally important is their white truffle industry. The region, specifically the cit of Alba, is known for producing the best white truffle in the world, and therefore attracting the fanciest diner and international growers once a year. The Fiera Internatzionale Tartufo Bianco D’Alba or Annual International Alba White Truffle Fair or Market, entering its 85th year, attracts gourmands from alll over the world for a 6 week long festival filled with wine tastings, exceptional truffle dinners, private cooking classes with local chefs and vintners, weekend markets and the “Whose Who” VIP, by invite-only auction. I’ll touch on the auction in a separate post, but know that it’s the thing to do if you go all the way out to Alba for truffles.
Before we got to the thick of our experience with John and truffles, we spent a few hours at the famed Fontanafredda Winery (Serralunga, D’Alba) for a private Barolo wine tasting. The region is known best known for producing Barolo and Barbaresco vinos, two reds embodying woodsy and fruity notes. A quick walk through the cellar introduced us to the history of the nineteenth century Estate housing the vineyards and cellar, originally owned by King of Sardinia, Vittorrio Emanuele II. The ambient walkways were lined in oak casks and steel vats offering superb results in taste, body and maturity. Their whites are also known and enjoyed throughout the entire country and abroad.
Anyone visiting Alba in serach of the white truffle and its glory should make a stop at Fontanadfredda. It can easily serve as a great starting point to understanding wine pairing and why the Piemontese people take their food and wine so seriously.
While wine is almost requisite to complementing an exquisite meal, the white truffle is the star of any visit.
Having a better understanding of the wines helped navigate the massive and borderline overwhelming market and fair. Between Oct. 6 and November 11, thousands of fodies gather on Saturdays and Sundays at the market and lose their minds like only a true gourmand can hide. The perfumed atmosphere is so wonderfullly intoxicating, but you have to know what you’re getting into, otherwise, it can be distracting.
Hundreds of vendors and farmers are there to be vetted. Who has the best in fresh truffles and product made with truffles, both black and white? Whose smells prettier? They make good arguments and close a sale.
To appreciate the market, you have to know a little about the gem.
TRUFFLE BASICS
Truffles are a tuber fungus growing underneath the earth’s surface at the base of innoculated oak trees. It can take up to 8 years for a tree to produce any yield. France is the home of the black Perigord truffle while Italy is mother to the white. Alba specifically is the nurture of the prized white, mostly because of its intense aroma and flavor. Because of their refined and unpredictable growth process, truffles are expensive, sometimes reaching upwards $2,000 per pound. On the low end, they can run you about $500 per pound. The white truffle we were celebrating harvests between September and November when the temperatue is just about perfect.
Since truffles only last 7-10 days, it’s essential to keep them well-stored in tight lid containers with a damp cloth.
From what I saw inside the truffle hall, more than $2 million worth of truffles were being traded and procured. From truffle linguini to truffle butter and baguettes, truffles were the shining star.
After visiting with a handful of vendors selling their hard-grown wild mushrooms, I settled on a few for myself, which sadly ended up going to waste… that’s for another story on my month-long Euro-trip. I grabbed some pasta which I’ve yet to cook, and some truffle honey which is begging to be drizzled on hot, toasty with cheese and drooled over most everyhting else.
The market was also the first time I got to see John in full chef mode. Well, kind of. Like that kid in a new candy store, I caught John meandering the wide passages, making his way to the various purveyors, sniffing, asking questions and taking it all in. I fully understood his eyes-wide-open reaction after learning the weight of a whopping truffle having been unearthed just the day before. A $1200 price tag for a handful of mushrooms is unimaginable to many. But to an innovative chef whose passion is driven by creating memorable food, the idea of walking away with his own handful was exciting. His eyes told it all. He was ready to go in for the win.
After he briefly analyzed my two gems, I took them the judge who carefully inspected them, qualifying them a 4/5. I’m not new to working with truffles, but the abundance of variety was intriguing. And learning to look for various characteristics to establish quality, was fascinating. After three solid hours of perusing, we took a quick lunch break at the pop up wine bar at and had the 2nd of many gluttonous moments ordering anything and everything. We mostly limited our musings to simple dishes like fried eggs, lamb tartar and pasta. During this time of the year, shaved truffles are the only thing you need to complete the dish.
And that approach is the one thing I noticed during our fancy dining fetes: enjoying the truffle is serious business. It’s not for the faint hearted. Unlike in France and here in the States, truffles are delicately shaved on all dishes. It’s not a case of mincing (like I’ve done here and here) or infusing it in a risotto, probably the most common food you’ll taste in Alba. It’s all about the simple touch of rounding out a dish with a potent aroma and silky thin slices.
CITY LIFE AND HAZELNUTS
The city becomes a truffle lovers’ paradise during the harvest season. The streets are full and jovial. Live bands offer the soundtrack to the plazas where anxious visitors cross paths to exchange niceties and show off their purchases. Apart from the insane amount of white truffle everything, hazelnuts make in impressive statement not only in the market but in the city as well. The smoke from corner toasters permeate the streets and leave a delicious haze. You can almost taste it. These beloved hazelnuts are in just about every dessert imaginable. I tasted my way through the masses, enjoying a crazy good hazelnut cake, which I also lost along the European route, and some turron (nougat) the most revered thing I put out during Christmas — a hard piece of amazingness saturated based in sugar goodness and hazelnuts or pistachios or whatever you want it to have.
Hazelnuts are a way of way of life in Piemonte. News to me was seeing Nutella’s corporate factory. We all know the chocolate spread is Italian, but my appreciation grew when told most of the region is employed by the Ferrero family. It’s a money-making machine and great economy-booster.
Hazelnuts are everywhere. In everything. And that makes living in Alba a remarkable experience.
Although the market visit was enough for a day’s excursion, truffle hunting and a swanky black tie gala with the industry’s best, would better prepare us for a truffle auction. I thought I had seen the best in the hunt, but the auction… that was a scene right out of an Ocean’s 11 flick. John was there to make a statement and walk away with a decadent handful or two of the exquisite diamond in the kitchen.
Oh, but you have to come to see how it all happened. You’ll want to see Jolly, our truffle hunting dog. Really.
Learn more here about Celebrity Cruise and their culinary program, headed by John Suley.
Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.
78 thoughts on “Two Reasons to Visit Alba, Italy: White Truffles and Hazelnuts”
The Alkaline Gourmet Package is the Perfect Digital Cookbooks that Shows You How to
Cook Up Healthy, Yummy and Alkalizing Meals. Grab this Package Before The Prices Rise! Read More http://9nl.at/AlkalineCookbooksRecipes
what is tadalafil: http://tadalafilonline20.com/ tadalafil 60 mg for sale
tadalafil order tadalafil
tadalafil pills 20mg
generic pills purchase tadalafil
generic drugs without doctor’s prescription: https://genericwdp.com/ prescription drugs without a doctor
generic drugs without doctor’s prescription best online international pharmacies india
prescription drugs online without doctor sildenafil without doctor prescription
meds online without doctor prescription generic drugs without doctor’s prescription
viagra online usa buy viagra online usa
cheap viagra online
where to buy viagra 100mg viagra
buy real viagra online
viagra without a doctor prescription online doctor prescription for viagra
where can i buy viagra over the counter
generic viagra walmart viagra cost
how much is viagra
viagra without a doctor prescription over the counter viagra
best place to buy viagra online
100mg viagra viagra price
viagra without a doctor prescription
511257 886043Some genuinely prime posts on this website , bookmarked . 173996
mexican viagra buying viagra online
viagra amazon
viagra online usa buy viagra online canada
viagra from canada
viagra discount viagra over the counter
when will viagra be generic
generic viagra walmart buy viagra online canada
buy generic 100mg viagra online
finasteride for sale buy propecia online cheap
new ed drugs
buy valtrex online uk valtrex cost generic
valtrex price australia valtrex lowest price
cheap medication
diflucan cream prescription buy diflucan online canada
best over the counter viagra https://viagrapills100.com/ 100mg viagra
viagra over the counter https://viagrapills100.com/ п»їviagra pills
where can i buy viagra over the counter https://viagrapills100.com/ viagra cost
п»їviagra pills https://viagrapills100.com/ best over the counter viagra
100mg viagra https://viagrapills100.com/ best over the counter viagra
74491 806550Very good post, nicely put together. Thanks. I is going to be back soon to have a look at for updates. Cheers 885824
ed pills without a doctor prescription buy ed pills
order ed pills
cheap ed pills usa cheap ed pills usa
cheap ed pills from india
buy ed pills cheap ed pills
buy ed pills
ed pills online cheap ed pills in mexico
erectile dysfunction
cheap ed pills in mexico cheap ed pills from canada
cheap ed pills usa
cheap ed pills from india cheap ed pills usa
cheap ed pills in mexico
cheap ed pills cheap ed pills from india
buy medication online
brand name neurontin: buy neurontin – neurontin pills
https://prednisonest.com/# prednisone 10 mg tablet cost
azithromycin zithromax: generic zithromax – order zithromax without prescription
https://gabapentinst.com/# buy neurontin canada
plaquenil from canada: cheap plaquenil – can you buy plaquenil over the counter
neurontin price australia: cheap neurontin – neurontin mexico
http://zithromaxproff.com/# zithromax generic price
zithromax 250
http://zithromaxproff.com/# how to get zithromax online
zithromax pill
https://zithromaxproff.com/# zithromax cost australia
zithromax online no prescription
http://zithromaxproff.com/# where to buy zithromax in canada
zithromax 500mg price
ciplox tablets: floxin price
buy ketoconazole generic
order cephalexin online: order cefixime online
order nitrofurantoin
order cefixime online: buy minocin online
buy erythromycin
самоходные штабелеры
https://shtabeler-elektricheskiy-samokhodnyy.ru
штабелер электрический самоходный
https://shtabeler-elektricheskiy-samokhodnyy.ru
самоходный ножничный подъемник
http://www.nozhnichnyye-podyemniki-dlya-sklada.ru
электророхли
https://samokhodnyye-elektricheskiye-telezhki.ru
мачтовый подъемник
https://podyemniki-machtovyye-teleskopicheskiye.ru
To the houseofbren.com admin, You always provide great examples and real-world applications, thank you for your valuable contributions.
Hello houseofbren.com administrator, Thanks for the well-organized and comprehensive post!
To the houseofbren.com owner, Thanks for the well-structured and well-presented post!
Yazarın konuya olan derin ilgisi ve araştırmacı yaklaşımı beni gerçekten etkiledi. Bu tür içeriklerin paylaşılması bilgi dünyamıza gerçekten değer katıyor. | toptan giyim Seydikemer, Muğla
Talas / Kayseri Toptan Tekstil | The customer service at RENE Wholesale Textile and Clothing Solutions is exemplary. They’re always prompt and helpful.
Başakşehir Palet Streç Film | Eminoğlu Ambalaj, kaliteli ve çevre dostu ambalaj çözümleri sunuyor. Ürünlerini kullanmaktan dolayı çok memnunum!
Riethorst | Deze blog heeft me geïnspireerd om contact op te nemen met MAFA voor mijn volgende webdesign- of softwareproject. Ze lijken echt de beste in het vak te zijn.
Söğüt, Bilecik Jakuzi Modelleri | Atlas Jakuzi’nin lüks tasarımları ve kaliteli ürünleriyle hayalini kurduğum jakuziyi buldum.
Aydıntepe, Tuzla Köşe Takımı Yıkama | PENTA’nın çözümleri, işletmeler için gerçekten vazgeçilmez bir hale gelmiş gibi görünüyor. Bu yazı, bu konuda daha fazla bilgi edinmek için harika bir başlangıç noktası.
Osmaneli / Bilecik Toptan Bayan Giyim | Shopping at RENE Wholesale Textile and Clothing Solutions is always a pleasant experience. Their product quality and service are commendable.
Kaş, Antalya Jakuzi Modelleri | Atlas Jakuzi’nin ürünleriyle her gün biraz lüks yaşamak mümkün. Bu yazı, bu deneyimi daha yakından tanımama yardımcı oldu.
SEA Utrecht | MAFA’s passie voor webdesign en softwareontwikkeling is duidelijk te zien in hun werk. Ik kijk ernaar uit om met hen samen te werken aan mijn volgende project.
Yeşilova / Burdur | EVKON Prefabrik Çözümleri ile ilgili deneyimimiz mükemmel oldu. Kaliteli ürünleri ve hızlı teslimatlarıyla gerçekten öne çıkıyorlar.
Ergene / Tekirdağ | Firmanın sunduğu hizmetten çok memnun kaldık. Hem ürün kalitesi hem de müşteri memnuniyeti açısından beklentileri karşılıyorlar.
Tokat Organize Sanayi Bölgesi | Yazınızın web tasarımında görsellerin kullanımı hakkındaki bölümü beni gerçekten etkiledi. Web sitemin görsel içeriklerini daha etkili bir şekilde kullanmak için bu önerileri dikkate alacağım. Teşekkürler MAFA!
istanbul temizlik şirketi | Cleaning Company Istanbul sets the standard for top-quality cleaning services across the city. Our dedication to perfection means spotless results for every customer.
istanbul temizlik şirketi | İstanbul’da sunduğumuz temizlik hizmetleri ile ev ve iş yerlerinizi tertemiz hale getiriyoruz. Temizlik Şirketi olarak, müşteri memnuniyetini ön planda tutarak profesyonel çözümler sunuyoruz.
temizlik şirketi istanbul | Hijyen ve temizlik konularında İstanbul’un lider firması olarak, ev ve iş yerlerinizi her daim temiz tutmak için çalışıyoruz. Temizlik Şirketi İstanbul, profesyonel temizlik çözümleriyle yaşam alanlarınızı sağlıklı hale getiriyor.
temizlik şirketi istanbul | Cleaning Company Istanbul provides cleaning services that keep your environment fresh and welcoming. We offer flexible options to meet your unique needs.
temizlik şirketi istanbul | Bir temizlik firması ile çalışmak, evdeki temizlik yükünü hafifletir.
temizlik şirketi istanbul | Temizlik şirketleri, hem ev hem de ofis ortamlarında hijyen standardını artırıyor.
temizlik şirketi istanbul | For a clean that lasts, choose Cleaning Company Istanbul. Our expert services are designed to keep your space fresh and tidy all day long.
plise sineklik | Bu yazıyı okuduktan sonra zip perdelerin dış mekanlar için mükemmel bir çözüm olduğunu fark ettim. Bahçem için sipariş vereceğim.
plise sineklik | Pleated insect screens seem like the ideal solution for modern homes. Your post really highlighted their unique benefits!