{"id":16071,"date":"2022-07-11T12:51:15","date_gmt":"2022-07-11T16:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winetraveler.com\/?p=16071"},"modified":"2023-09-25T22:25:44","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T02:25:44","slug":"truffles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winetraveler.com\/oregon\/truffles\/","title":{"rendered":"Oregon Truffles: Everything You Need to Know\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While it\u2019s always tempting to jet off to Piedmont to sample fresh, tasty truffles, you only need to get to Oregon<\/a><\/strong> to try some of the world\u2019s most delicious fungi. The Pacific Northwest state has four native species, all found primarily in the celebrated Willamette Valley wine region<\/a><\/strong>. While this region is best known for Pinot Noir<\/span><\/strong>, the terroir is equally suited for truffles, and the state has quickly earned a reputation among cooks and gourmands alike as one of the best spots to seek out–and sample–the elusive fungus. Oregon even has its own annual truffle event, the Oregon Truffle Festival<\/a>, complete with a truffle-foraging competition specifically for amateur dogs (i.e., local pets who do not forage commercially).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about Oregon truffles, we spoke to the person who knows them best: Dr. Charles Lefevre, Oregon’s foremost truffle evangelist and co-founder of the Oregon Truffle Festival. We also chatted with Willamette Valley Vineyards<\/a> Chef DJ MacIntyre, a culinary wizard apt at both creating truffle-based concoctions and pairing different types of truffle with wine. Here\u2019s what we learned.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn All About Oregon Truffles\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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  1. What are Oregon Truffles and why are they so special?<\/a>
  2. What dishes work best with Oregon truffles?<\/a>
  3. What wines pair best with Oregon truffles?<\/a>
  4. Where can I get Oregon truffles and how can I keep them fresh?<\/a><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n
    \"Truffle
    Truffle hunting with dogs is a common method in Oregon. Image courtesy David Barajas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    What are Oregon Truffles and why are they so special?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    There are four native species of truffles in Oregon: the Oregon Black Truffle<\/strong>, the Oregon Brown Truffle<\/strong>, the Oregon Winter White<\/strong>, and the Oregon Spring White<\/strong>. France’s beloved P\u00e9rigord Truffle<\/strong> is also cultivated in the state, usually in inoculated orchards, and as with many Old-World grape varietals, the Oregon terroir suits them well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cTruffles in the broad sense are nearly ubiquitous,\u201d says Dr. Lefevre, who also holds a Ph.D. in Forest Mycology from Oregon State University.  \u201cAnd there are truffles with notable culinary qualities throughout the temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere. It is true, though, that the best truffles are concentrated in just a few regions\u2014think Provence<\/a><\/strong>, Tuscany<\/a><\/strong>, Piemonte, Istria\u2014and Oregon is definitely on that short list, both for the quality and diversity of its native truffles, and the success that growers in Oregon are having with the cultivation of European truffles in orchards of inoculated trees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But what about native truffles?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cThe answer to why Oregon has so much truffle diversity and abundance boils down to luck,\u201d Lefevre says. \u201cOregon happens to be at a confluence of suitable climate, suitable soils, and suitable host trees. It also happens that most \u2018culinary\u2019 truffles thrive at the margins of human habitat, which, in Oregon, were created millennia ago and maintained ever since by the Indigenous people of the region. By burning annually, the Indigenous people maintained fertile prairies that produced the foods that sustained them. Those fertile prairies were the destination of the Oregon Trail, and they are exactly the kinds of places where truffles thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"What
    \u201c[They] add electricity to food. It isn\u2019t exactly a taste: it\u2019s a magic that takes place somewhere deeper\u2014behind and above your mouth.\u201d Image courtesy Easton Richmond.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    What dishes work best with Oregon truffles?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    While (artificial) truffle flavoring has been making an appearance in everything from olive oil to French fry seasoning in the past couple of decades, few people have experience cooking with real, fresh truffles. This is largely due to the fact that once harvested, truffles don\u2019t keep long. Fortunately for Oregon chefs (and diners), there\u2019s an abundance of local truffles available throughout much of the year. In many of the state\u2019s finer restaurants, truffles make frequent appearances in everything from savory pasta dishes to\u2014in the case of Oregon Black Truffles\u2014chocolate mousse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"The
    Image courtesy Easton Richmond.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cMost truffles are all about aroma\u2014and their aromas are enthralling,\u201d says Lefevre. \u201cBut a few truffles, like the Oregon whites, also come through clearly on the palate in addition to the nose,\u201d he continues. \u201c[They] add electricity<\/em> to food. It isn\u2019t exactly a taste: it\u2019s a magic that takes place somewhere deeper\u2014behind and above your mouth.\u201d Chef MacIntyre suggests pairing these magical whites with savory ingredients. \u201cWhen ripe, they have an earthy, garlicky, cheesy aroma, so they pair easily with pastas, meats, eggs, almost anything that contains fats or oils,\u201d he says. His suggested dish?  \u201cGoat cheese- and beet-stuffed pelmenis with a truffle-infused cream sauce and hazelnuts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cOregon Browns\u2014when I can find them\u2014remind me of saut\u00e9ed porcini mushrooms,\u201d he continues. \u201cSo I like them over a warm bagna c\u00e0uda [a hot garlic-and anchovy dip originally from Italy\u2019s truffle-rich Piedmont region] or sliced thinly over warm bread and butter with just a touch of sea salt.\u201d If you\u2019re thinking about integrating versatile Oregon truffles into your own recipes, Macintyre offers a bit of advice: \u201cTruffles are best when you let them do the talking. Keep it simple.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What wines pair best with Oregon truffles? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    MacIntyre suggests pairing brown truffle concoctions with a brightly acidic, fruity, and floral Chardonnay<\/strong><\/span>, but when it comes to Oregon\u2019s black and white truffles, the state\u2019s beloved Pinot Noir<\/span><\/strong> has his heart. \u201cThey both grow in the same terroir, so it makes sense that they carry the subtle flavors of the earth into their taste profiles,\u201d he says. Think \u201cred fruits notes with baked spices, minerality, cedar, and tannins paired with earthy, funky, cheesy-garlicky mushrooms that grow underground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Oregon
    Image courtesy Easton Richmond.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Where can I get Oregon truffles and how can I keep them fresh? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    While bringing fresh truffles back from Europe can get you into trouble with Customs, you\u2019ll face considerably fewer hurdles in getting fresh Oregon truffles into your kitchen. One of the nice things about having such a diversity of truffles available in the United States is that you can easily procure them, either by mail order or by heading out to Oregon yourself\u2014just be prepared to spend roughly $600 to $800\/lb. for dog-harvested truffles. If you\u2019re especially ambitious, you can even teach your pet dog how to hunt truffles. The easiest way to do this is by signing up for the Truffle Dog Training Seminar<\/strong> held at the Oregon Truffle Festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Truffle
    Charles Lefevre out truffle hunting with his dog. Image courtesy Easton Richmond.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    While procuring truffles is relatively easy for U.S. residents, things start to get tricky when it comes to storing them. Most experts recommend keeping truffles wrapped in a paper towel or stored single-layer in a Tupperware box lined with paper towels and then kept in the fridge\u2014MacIntyre suggests keeping them at around 40\u00b0F. To make the most of your truffles, consider storing them near eggs, butter, cheese, or cream. As truffle aroma is fat-soluble, it will naturally infuse itself into your dairy products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Just don\u2019t be surprised if once you\u2019ve started cooking with truffles, you won\u2019t be able to stop. While truffles aren\u2019t physically addicting, research has shown<\/a> that they contain anandamide, which can trigger an almost buzz-like effect in creatures with endocannabinoid systems\u2014including dogs, pigs, and humans. This may be one of the ways that truffles keep their species alive. Unlike mushrooms, which can send their spores out to new lands on gusts of wind, truffles use their enchanting scent to allure creatures to dig them up and eat them, consequentially spreading their spores around. \u201cThe one thing that all truffles have in common is that they\u2019re magical,\u201d says Lefevre. \u201cTheir intention is to manipulate you into eating them\u2014and they\u2019re good at it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Featured photo by Easton Richmond.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    You are reading \u201cOregon Truffles: Everything You Need To Know\u201d Back To Top<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    are there truffles in Oregon? Oregon white truffle, truffle hunting Oregon: outdoorsy food and wine experiences<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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