The Australian black truffle season offers a fleeting, glorious window of culinary indulgence. But for many home cooks, knowing how to handle, store and serve this luxurious ingredient can feel intimidating.
Pork Ewe Deli owner Sam Glover is here to help, lifting the lid on how to perfectly execute a truffle-infused dining experience at home.
Her popular Mayfield deli has launched a limited-edition Truffle Lovers Cooking Pack designed to take the guesswork out of gourmet cooking and turn the truffle-curious into truffle aficionados. According to Sam, the key to unlocking a fresh truffle's earthy, intoxicating aroma comes down to culinary science and proper handling. Here, she shares her top tips for getting the most out of fresh truffles.
1. Fat is your ultimate flavour canvas. Truffle flavour pairs perfectly with fat. Ingredients like butter, cream, cheese and eggs act as a blank canvas, soaking up and carrying that unique earthy aroma beautifully. If you are staying home and want to impress, always build your truffle dishes around these rich foundations.
2. Lock in and amplify the aroma. Truffle aromas are fat-soluble. This means that butter, cheese and cream can absorb, lock in, and amplify the delicate truffle compounds much better than the truffle can on its own. Infusing these fats not only enhances the flavour of your meal but effectively extends the life of your truffle.
3. Storage is everything. Fresh truffles are highly perishable and must be kept at a strict temperature between 2 and 4 degrees Celsius. Place the truffle in a jar with uncooked risotto rice. The rice will absorb excess moisture to keep the truffle fresh, and as a bonus, it will also absorb the truffle's aroma, giving you perfectly pre-flavoured rice for a rich truffled risotto later in the week.
4. Start small to build confidence. If you aren't quite feeling comfortable enough to cook with a fresh truffle just yet, do not let that stop you! You can still experience the magic of this incredible flavour profile by experimenting with high-quality truffle salt or truffle oil. Using these pantry staples as a finishing touch on simple dishes, like creamy mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, or even hot chips, is a fantastic way to train your palate and build your culinary confidence before graduating to the real thing.
Pork Ewe Deli's Truffle Lovers Cooking Pack includes a premium, fresh black truffle from Manjimup, WA, a handpicked selection of gourmet ingredients, and recipes for Truffled Silky Scrambled Eggs, a Truffled Whole Chicken, Rich & Creamy Truffled Risotto, and Truffled French Triple Cream Cheese.
"Our goal is to bring the absolute best of the season straight into the kitchens of our customers. By the end of this weekend, I guarantee you will be absolutely intoxicated with all things truffle," Sam said.
The Truffle Lovers Cooking Pack is available for pre-order now until Saturday, August 7, via the Pork Ewe Deli website. Due to the limited nature of fresh truffles, packs are expected to sell out quickly.
An open-fire, long-table vineyard dinner is taking place at Lovedale's Dark Horse Vineyard on Saturday, October 24.
It's called Atticus Asado, and it's the brainchild of Atticus Hospitality, the Sydney hospitality group behind Tequila Mockingbird in Paddington, Esteban in the CBD and Elliott's in Balmain.
The evening will centre around whole beasts cooked over fire, generous canapes, mains, sides and dessert, Hunter Valley wines, signature Atticus cocktails, live music and late-night DJs.
Designed as a destination dining experience, the event invites guests to settle in for a golden-hour long-table dinner that moves into a late-night vineyard celebration.
Tickets are $260 per person at atticushospitality.com.au/venues/whats-on/atticus-asado. Return bus transfers from three local accommodation hubs are included in the ticket price.
This sounds like a lot of fun.
Accommodation deals for guests are available at Chateau Elan and Rydges Resort Hunter Valley.
More than 30 distilleries are making their way to Bartholomew's on Newcastle's King Street on Saturday, August 8, for the Newcastle Whisky and Craft Spirits Festival.
Launched in 2019, the festival has become one of the city's most popular annual events. This year's line-up includes major international names alongside independent Australian producers, with whisky, bourbon, gin, rum, vodka, tequila and liqueurs all represented.
Organiser Phil Elsley said the festival was created to give Newcastle drinkers the kind of large-scale spirits experience normally reserved for capital cities.
General admission tickets include unlimited tastings, a festival tasting glass, food and access to the exhibitors. Guests can also speak directly with distillers, discover new products and purchase bottles from their favourite producers.
VIP entry begins at noon, with general admission from 2pm. Tickets are on sale now at wacsfestival.com.au.
