I.... Am A Truffle Pig

Everyone has a food item/dish that if they see it on the menu, they MUST order it. I have a select few, but, on top of my list, are truffles. Match restaurant in SONO once had a truffle pasta dish on their special's menu that I am pretty sure caused me to hallucinate. Now, here at Middlebury Consignment we sell truffle products... foodies know what they are without question, but, for those who are less adventurous, I'm usually asked to explain what they are. So, for those of you who don't know what they are, here goes... Truffles, a member of the fungi (mushroom) family, are among the most expensive and prized delicacies on earth. Their being so expensive is a result of their being so scarce and hard to find. They are roundish but lumpy in appearance and intense in flavor. They're intensity and cost are reason that they're used sparingly. In Europe, specially-trained truffle dogs and pigs, both of which have a keen sense of smell, are used to locate mature truffles buried underground. (I failed my attempt at becoming a truffle pig). The fungus responsible for truffles can only survive in certain soil conditions. The fungus attaches itself to a tree root, typically oak, beech, hazel or birch, and produce one truffle per year. Truffles go well with a wide range of foods from eggs, to steak.... asparagus to cauliflower. A simple pappardelle with a truffle cream sauce is one of my favorites. Now, truffles come in lots of different varieties and forms. Here at the store we have truffle butter, truffle oil as well as whole summer truffles. If one wanted complete ownership of me, all they'd need do is present me with a black truffle. It would render me catatonic and it would be quite simple to fit me with a collar and a leash!