The Truffle’s Tale

One late evening during a jazz after party, I took out a small round object from my pantry and shaved it over pizza. The Grecian philosopher, Plutarch of Chaperone believed it was created by Zeus when his lightning bolt struck an oak tree. I have discovered this little gem to be a rare type of fungi; unlike mushroom caps that spread spores, they live completely underground which makes them hard to cultivate. Foragers use dogs or pigs to track them down and unearth them due to the strong scent it emits. 

I stumbled upon the truffle at a specialty grocery store called Berkeley Bowl on a day trip out of the city of San Francisco. It cost $39.95 for two small ones, each the size of a raspberry. To be honest, I didn’t care for it or even know its history. I just know that, it’s very expensive, and they serve it in fine dining. I was curious to try it.

As I shaved it over the pizza, my friends were shocked. Here I was, using an expensive ingredient, often saved for a lavish meal, on take-out pizza. 

In my humble opinion, the truffle stands out not only for its value, but what makes it special is its potency and versatility. I confess, I like it because you can enjoy it raw, cream it, salt it, oil it, butter it, infuse it, candy it, glaze it, caramelize it, and the list continues, offering endless ways to dress up a meal with their distinctive sparkle.

The truffle serves as a reminder that through the simple act of enjoying a small, yet mighty ingredient, we’re reminded to embrace humility and have the courage to seek creativity. 

It holds the power to bring us together, not merely as diners, but as seekers of shared experiences and cherished memories.

All in all, I’d endorse the truffle. It’s the friend that can make anything work and a little better at the end of the day. However, be careful, because this ingredient can be overpowering and will take all the attention in the room. Similar to it’s less expensive and grosser cousin, but very delicious, durian.