660398 Sat Oct 17 21:15:05 -0700 2009 14 12 Boston Area 0 5111506 Where can a non-chef, non-restauranteur buy truffles in or around Boston? Sat Oct 17 21:15:05 -0700 2009 260511 lobstaman 1 5111932 Tomasso in Southboro will sell them when available. Sun Oct 18 07:50:41 -0700 2009 5111506 27342 trufflehound 2 5115038 trufflehound, do you mean Tomasso? or the affiliated market, Panzano around the corner? Did you call ahead to get one? Mon Oct 19 13:25:09 -0700 2009 5111932 67233 ChinaCat 1 5112046 I have splurged on them at Savenors both Charles St and Cambridge Sun Oct 18 08:56:07 -0700 2009 5111506 11784 capeanne 2 5112769 Ditto on Savenor's at Charles Street. Sun Oct 18 14:48:18 -0700 2009 5112046 429926 CreativeFoodie42 1 5112186 Formaggio in Cambridge has had them in the past. Sun Oct 18 10:08:09 -0700 2009 5111506 77061 bear 1 5112982 I'll suggest John Dewar's as another spot to check/call, they do have truffle oil and maybe paste or pate. If they have any it will likely be only the canned/bottled "summer" type though. As an aside I once bought several handfulls of American truffles at the big Wegmans in Pittsford NY (I think that Oregon and NC are where these are from), outside Rochester. Decent price less than $10/lb, but not very fragrant. Sun Oct 18 16:37:22 -0700 2009 5111506 18264 steinpilz 2 5112988 Do you mean $10/ounce? Sun Oct 18 16:41:47 -0700 2009 5112982 77061 bear 3 5112997 No, it was a great price -- but they were American and didn't have a Big truffle smell or taste. I got the feeling a representative brought them by trying to get a regular contract but I only saw them that one time. Sun Oct 18 16:46:06 -0700 2009 5112988 18264 steinpilz 1 5113180 I was fortunate enough to run into Benjamin the mushroom guy outside the old L'Espalier a couple of times. I've bought a truffle from him. Sun Oct 18 18:33:17 -0700 2009 5111506 21331 BostonZest 2 5113239 Local? Sun Oct 18 18:55:55 -0700 2009 5113180 27342 trufflehound 3 5114068 no, he also sells imported truffles to the chefs. It was Italian and came with complete disclosure about the season and exactly what I could expect from this one. Mon Oct 19 07:59:45 -0700 2009 5113239 21331 BostonZest 1 5113465 The word "Truffle" applies to hundreds of species, as well as practically any fungus dug out of the ground. There are really only two types that are "godlike" - the Italian white and the French black perigord. As to where to buy them in the Boston area - you can't. Any that come in commecially are pretty much pre-committed to the restaurant trade. There are many other "truffles" seen for sale locally, mostly summer and Chinese, and usually pretty bland and tasteless, but sometimes worth an experiment. I'd suggest a bottle of truffle oil instead. Yeah, I know, there's no truffle in any truffle oil, but the synthetic organic used is one of the primary aromatics in real truffles. It is possible, at a price, to get real fresh truffles in season from a few select importers. I usually guard these reliable sources almost as closely as the hunters in Alba, but in the spirit of Chowhound here's a link to fresh white Italian truffles from a good source @ about $221/oz: http://www.markys.com/caviar/customer/fresh-truffles-whole Short season, limited supply, very expensive - but if you love fungi and flavor, a must try. FWIW - I've heard from sources I trust that the cultivated perigords from Tasmania are equal to the French with a longer growing season (but not any less costly ;-) Sun Oct 18 20:49:56 -0700 2009 5111506 1110586 taooffood 1 5113869 You can call Julio at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge or Mark at Wilson Farm in Lexingon. They will special order fresh truffles if they are in season. Currently available are Alba White Truffles ($200-ish/oz) and Black from Burgundy, France ($30-ish/oz). These special orders need a few days lead time. They don't keep them in stock because if they don't sell them it would be terrible for profits. Mon Oct 19 06:45:02 -0700 2009 5111506 66607 naughtywaitress 1 5117776 WIlson Farms in Lexington has them in stock and out on the floor -- I just noticed this for the first time this weekend. Perhaps this is new? I haven't tried them, so I can't vouch for quality, but they *looked* good -- not dried out. They live over in the cold case section that also has cut melon and suchlike. The truffles are sold in glass mason jars, half-full with dry rice -- and they're about the size of ping-pong balls. Tue Oct 20 12:42:19 -0700 2009 5111506 47694 litchick