Know as the white diamonds and black gold of the culinary world truffles are a seasonal prize that the most famous chefs love to create dishes for. Most famously coming from France and Italy, other countries are discovering they have the rare delicacies growing in their soil as well. Croatia and China have been the biggest up and comers in the industry but Oregon is also making its mark. It makes perfect sense if you think about how Oregon is famous for its Burgundian style Pinot Noir due to being on the similar attitude and having similar terror. While the history of truffles here in Oregon is not as lengthy as those in Europe, the desire is.
Although you can obtain some sort of truffle all year-long, the most prized are the winter white and blacks. They have a very short season and grow completely underground. Scientists have never been able to grow any in labs and they perish extremely fast. Only found in fertile soil in damp areas within the reach of certain trees all adds to the extreme price of the truffles. Dogs are specially trained to sniff them out and then the rush begins to get them to market.
The Oregon truffle festival has several events taking place in the state but the one I attended was the market place in Newberg. Located in the heart of the Willamette Valley wine country truffle hunters, wine producers, chefs, and foodies later to offer their delights. There was an open market where you could purchase fresh harvested truffles from pickers. I picked up a 1/2oz of white truffles for $20. When I worked on the Las Vegas strip we use to sell them for $10 a gram so 14 grams for $20 is quite the steal. Several booths were offering other accompaniments such as local cheeses, vinegars, honey, fruits, and cured meats. Local chefs also featured tasting of their food paired with truffles in advertise their business. There were also live cooking demonstrations and even a truffle hunting education seminar featuring one of the truffle hunting dogs.
What would the truffle festival be though without some wine pairing. Several wine producers brought out their best local wines to pair with the truffles dishes and offer up a taste. Most of them were offering discounts on their wine so it was also a great opportunity to stock up on the bottles as well. Some of the wines featured were Argyle, Penner-Ash, Angela, Willamette Valley Vineyards, and Ladyhill. Most had hosted a wine dinner with a local chef previously or had just hand selected some of their best to help feature the truffles. A local distiller also featured some Oregon whiskeys and vodkas. I even had the opportunity to experience a white truffle beer. There was a new brewery who had not opened his facility yet but was kicking off the event featuring his hazelnut stout that was infused with fresh Oregon white truffles.
Wether you are looking to go on a truffle hunting expedition, experience a decadent meal prepared with one of the finest culinary ingredients, or just are a food and wine lover, look for the Oregon Truffle Festival next year in February. Several events occur not only in Newborn but also in Eugene and the Eastern portion of the state. Also take advantage of visiting some local wineries while there as they tend to be slow during the festival.