Fall in Italy: Truffles & Wine
/During one of my earliest trips to Italy, the fall truffle season and the wine harvest were well underway in the Piedmont region in October. We stayed in the small town of Avolasca between Genoa and Milan where my Italian friend lived. While there we visited a farm cooperative where several young farmers had joined forces to produce wine, pasta, cheese, pork and beef. The wine harvest was very busy, with pickers from several Eastern European and Middle East countries picking grapes all day, then sitting down for a group lunch. Lots of bread, pasta, pork, salad, cheese and wine were consumed before returning to the vineyards.
Wine harvest near Avolasca, south of Tortona.
One day we ventured a little further west to the hill town of Alba, known for the great Barolo wines and white truffles. In many of the restaurants of the Piedmont, you needed deep pockets to have white truffles shaved over your pasta or risotto. Lacking deep pockets, I enjoyed the aroma of them being shaved at the table next to mine. I would have to agree with the writer who said that the aroma is a combination of garlic, potatoes and dirty socks.
The Truffle Fair is held at the end of October and beginning of November in Alba, when truffles are the most plentiful. Held since the 1920s, you can meet the hunters and their dogs and sample a myriad of truffle dishes in addition to the regions outstanding cheeses (Gorgonzola and Taleggio), wines (Barolo, Dolcetto, Langhe, Barbaresco) and hazelnuts (Nutella anyone?).
Prized by gourmands for their sublime flavor, they are often hunted at night (to protect a hunter's secret spots) by truffle hunters (trifolau) with the aid of their dogs trained to sniff out the tubers hiding just underground. Truffles are commonly found around the roots of oak, poplar, willow or hazelnut trees in the Piedmont, but can found all the way south to Calabria. White truffles may be one of the most expensive foods you can buy, currently selling from $1,500 - $4,000 per pound depending on quality. A young proven truffle dog could cost more than $100,000, but if they find their weight in truffles, they can pay for themselves in one season.
M’tucci’s chefs believe that white truffles are best when eaten close to home (Italy), because they degrade quickly when shipped. If you consider that the desired pungency wains within a few days of excavation, it’s a fool’s errand to pay $200 an ounce (plus overnight shipping from Italy) for a product way past its prime.
If you feel like taking a chance!
When the M’tucci’s chefs and I were in Tuscany in the summer of 2019, we did a truffle walk and lunch organized by a company that produces truffle infused products (try the lardo with truffles!!). We were told at the beginning of the truffle walk that hunting truffles is like fishing - sometimes you have a lot of luck and sometimes you have none. The only skill involved is having an understanding of where truffles grow and, most importantly, having a well-trained dog with a refined sense of smell.
Andrea brought Giotto, a 3-year-old mixed breed (easier to train) who found five black summer truffles within about 90 minutes. Since he is young, once he started digging, Andrea had to hold him back so he wouldn’t damage the precious tuber. Once the truffle was uncovered, Giotto was more interested in getting his treat than eating the truffle. Later, our treats consisted of a truffle-themed lunch.
When we can all travel again, I highly recommend a late October trip to Northern Italy. It may be a little cooler at that time of year, but the wine harvest, truffles on the restaurant menus and the rich variety of produce in the markets will make it worthwhile.
$4,000 Euros for Fennel?? Nope, this was shot when Italy was still using Lire.
M’tucci’s & Sackett Farms Pork
All of our locations are serving dishes made with pork from our new partner, Sackett Farms, which raises Berkshire/Duroc heritage pigs. You’ll taste the difference!
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
Ravioli - Truffled Mushroom Goat Cheese, M’tucci’s Italian Sausage, Wild Mushrooms, Red Onion, Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce $23
Hand Cut 24oz T-Bone - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $35
Pan-Seared Coconaco Snapper - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $29
Braise - Osso Buco (Sackett Farms Pork Shank) Creamy Risotto with Haricot Vert, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Arugula, Roasted Butternut Squash $27
Gelato: Salted Caramel
Sorbetto: Lemon
Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27
M’tucci’s Moderno
6 oz Filet Mignon - Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $26
Pan-Seared Rockfish - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce, Capers, Prosciutto Powder $19
10 oz Cold Smoked Sackett Farms Pork Chop - Roasted Italian Succotash, Apple Bacon Bourbon Mostarda $19
Gelato: Stracciatella
Sorbetto: Mango
Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Pan-Seared Ono - Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Topped with Prosciutto Powder, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $24
14 oz Hand Cut Harris Ranch NY Strip - Grilled Asparagus, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Smoked Blackberry & Bone Marrow Butter $27
Gelatos: Coffee, Stracciatella
Sorbetto: Pineapple, Strawberry, Mango
Kirk Matthews Live @ M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, Friday (10/23) 7:30-9:30
The Ten Local Bartenders in our Competition
Some of the rare whiskey at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.
M’tucci’s Catering
Looking for special food and service for your holiday, lunch or office event? Let us handle it for you. As always, safe and tasty! Call Taña at 505-350-0019
Don’t forget to cast your vote this year! It is our civic responsibility after all! Our polls are open Monday -Saturday 11am-10pm and 11am-9pm Sunday.
Thanks for reading, see you next Friday. Ciao!
