Europe's Truffle Shortage Blamed On Global Warming

Farmers say production is down by 50-75% this winter season and they blame global warming, warning that if thermometers keep rising — as many scientists predict they could — France's black truffle will one day be just a memory.

This year, reduced output and good quality truffles have pushed the price of Italy's renowned white truffles to new heights, some reaching up to Lit7.5m (3 873 [euro]) a kilo.

This is not the first time weather has caused a dramatic downturn in French truffle production. A severe drought in the early '60s more than halved the harvest, bringing it down to about 50 tons. But the trufficulteurs, as truffle farmers are known, contend this current dry spell is longer and more acute.

Production in France has been in slow decline for 100 years — from 1,000 tons a year to just 50 tons, according to the Agriculture Ministry — under the march of urban sprawl into the fungus' forest habitat and the migration of farming folk to cities.


http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming

Mushrooms Prefer Paper to Plastic

FOOD TIP

Mushrooms are special: They detest too much moisture.
In a plastic bag, they drown in their own liquid in a couple of days.
But they keep well close to a week if refrigerated in a closed paper bag.

Easy Mediterranean Tuna Salad

6 medium roasted red bell pepper strips from a jar.
2-3 cans Italian or Spanish tuna packed in oil, about 8 -10 ounces
1/2 pound ripe but firm tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices, then halved
12 green olives, without pimentos
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
6 tablespoons fruity extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Kosher or sea salt

Slice the peppers into 3/4-inch strips and place in a bowl. Slice the olives in half. Add the tuna, broken into chunks, the tomatoes, olives, and parsley.

Mix the oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt to taste in a food processor. Fold the dressing into the tuna mixture with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Storage Life of Select Food Items

The following list is the generally accepted minimum shelf life for the mentioned products. If the can, pouch or jar is dented or damaged in any way the time on this list may not be accurate.



Brand/Item Approx Shelf Life

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda indefinite
Boston Baked Beans 36 months
Campbell Soups 18 - 24 months
Campbell V-8 Juice 18 months
Capri Sun Juice pouches 18 months
Carnation Evaporated Milk 9 - 15 months
Carnation Instant Bkfst Powder 15 months
Carnation NonFat Dry Milk 12 months
Contadina Spaghetti Sauce 24 months plus
Contadina Tomato Products 24 months
Crisco indefinite unopened
Crisco Butter Flavor 18 mo. unopened
Del Monte Fruits 30 months
Del Monte Vegetable 24 months
Dinty Moore Stew or Chili 60 - 96 months
Dole Canned Juices 36 months
General Mills Wheat Flour 6 months
General Mills White Flour 15 months
Green Giant Corn or Peas 36 months
Green Giant Green Beans 24 months
Green Giant Mushrooms 48 months
Hanover Canned Vegetables 24 months plus
Hormel Corned Beef indefinite
Hormel Spam 60 - 96 months
Kellogg Cereals 12 mo. past date
Kellogg Pop Tarts 6 - 9 months
Libby SauerKraut 18 months
Libby Vegetables 24 months
Libby's Canned Salmon 24 months
Mariani Prunes 12 months
Motts Apple Juice 12 months
Motts Apple Sauce jar 12 months
Nestle Products - Candy 8 - 15 months
Ortega Salsas and Sauces 36 months
Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix 18 months
Progresso Black Beans 24 months
Progresso Soups 36 months
Quaker Instant Oatmeal 18 months
Ragu Pasta Sauces - jar 24 months
Rumford Baking Powder 18 months plus
Skippy Peanut Butter 24 months
Snackwell Granola Bars 6 - 8 months
Star Kist Tuna 60 months
Toll House Morsels/bars/coco 24 months
Welches Grape Juice Plastic 12 months
Welches Grape Jelly 12 months

Hazelnut Hummus

This different, nutty alternative to plain hummus can be served with pita chips, crudites, or crackers.

1 cup toasted hazelnuts (about 4 oz.)
1 can (14 oz.) garbanzos, rinsed and drained
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons or less Salt and pepper

To toast the hazelnuts, bake in oven at 375 degrees until golden under skins (break one to test), 10 to 15 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, rub in a kitchen towel to remove as many skins as possible

In a food processor, whirl hazelnuts until smooth. Add garbanzos, olive oil, garlic, parsley, and lemon juice, and whirl again until smooth.
Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin to desired consistency.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

MAKES: 2 cups

Tangy Rice Salad



1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped radicchio
1 1/2 cups chopped spinach leaves
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese


In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and the rice. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and with a fork.

Thoroughly process in a food processor, the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, pepper, pepper flakes, and remaining tsp. salt.

Add rice to dressing and toss to combine.

Add spinach, toss, and let sit until no longer steaming, about 20 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or cold.

MAKES 6 to 8 servings

TRUFFLES


Truffles are a rare and delicate type of edible mushroom that grow mainly in France, and Italy; truffles are also collected in the United States in Oregon and Washington.

The truffle has been described as: diamond of cookery, fairy apple, black queen, gem of poor lands, fragrant nugget, black pearl, holy of holies for the gourmet.

Truffles grow underground among the roots of oak, elm, chestnut, pine and willow trees where they form a symbiotic relationship with their environment.

To date, no one has been able to cultivate truffles: they grow randomly in certain regions (44 – 46 degrees north latitude). The more truffle oak seedlings are planted, the more chances exist for harvesting some.

There are three types of truffles – black, grey, and white. Black truffles generally come from France, white from Piedmont and Umbria, Italy and grey can be found in North America.

Pigs, trained dogs and goats are used to sniff out truffles, which grow below the ground.


Truffles produce a chemical almost identical to a sex pheromone found in male pig's saliva. Sensing this odor prompts mating behavior in the female pigs as they rut and try to get at the buried truffles.

People have been eating truffles for almost 4,000 years.

In France, the truffle commerce has always been secretive. Truffle “hunters” try to avoid the taxman as much as drug dealers. Of course, black truffles found only in southeastern Var and Perigord regions of France are very expensive. They are rare (depending on weather condition, can become even rarer) and very time consuming to find. They grow underground (30cm) and must be “hunted.”



These days a kilo costs US $800 in French markets. By the time we get them in North America the price may be as high as $1,500 to $1,800, pending on store location, and fame of the establishment.


In 1892, French truffle production was about 1,000 tons.

Today average production is below 100 tons.


Truffle History
http://3quarksdaily.blogs.com/3quarksdaily/2007/02/shrooming_in_la.html
Pasta alla Chitarra con Fungi
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/

Truffled Bresaola Salad
http://members.tripod.com/~BayGourmet/truffles.html#bresaola

Seared Tuna With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce


3 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs tuna steak
1 ½ cup roasted red peppers (from water-packed jar)
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 green onion
Salt and ground black pepper


In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Season both sides of the
tuna with salt and pepper. Add the tuna to the skillet and cook for 2 ½
minutes per side, until almost cooked through (the fish will be pink in the
center, so cook it longer if you want it well done).

In a blender, combine the roasted red peppers, chicken broth,
lemon juice,ginger, garlic and green onion.
Process until the mixture is smooth.

Spoon the sauce over the tuna just before serving.

Serves 4

Side Dishes

Cooking Humor

I'm such a lousy cook my cat only has three lives left.

When we go on a picnic, the ants bring Rolaids.

I don't throw anything out. Last year the Health Department condemned my refrigerator.

Brussels Sprouts : How To Choose

Good quality Brussels sprouts should be bright green, without yellowing or discoloration, and have a firm texture.

The butt end may be slightly discolored, but should not be dark.

Brussels sprouts should be sweet and mild in flavor when cooked. Bitterness varies among cultivars and is associated with high concentrations of specific glucosinolates (sinigrin and progoitrin). Bitterness can also be induced by storage conditions.



Brussels Sprouts: Preparing and Cooking

Thoroughly soak in cold water and drain before using. Remove any discoloured or damaged outer leaves and trim stem ends. Scoring lightly with an "X" will promote even cooking.

They may be steamed, boiled, microwaved or stir-fried. Don't cook too long - it's important to stop the cooking process before you can detect a sulphurous smell.

You can also cream them, serve with melted butter and splash of lemon juice, or enhance with almonds, buttered bread crumbs or a cheese sauce.

Combining Brussels sprouts with chestnuts alongside turkey is a holiday favorite in England.

Brussels sprouts can also be included in vegetable soups, stir-frys and, grated raw, in salads.