Susan Alexander's “diamonds of the kitchen” will be served up on April 21, 22 and 23 at Bluecoast, Lupo Italian Kitchen, and Fish On.
Let There Be Truffles!
You can’t throw a rutabaga around here without hitting an entrée that’s been laced with the essence of truffle. Truffle fries at Nage. The Focaccia Robiola pizza at Touch of Italy (drizzled with olive oil spiked with truffle). Two-time James Beard-nominated chef Hari Cameron never met a truffle he didn’t like. JAM Bistro offers baked truffle mac ‘n’ cheese as an appetizer. The pea risotto at Michy’s Relaxed Dining is infused with truffle oil. Lisa Frampton’s wild mushroom pizza at Pig & Fish Restaurant Company blends roasted garlic aioli with a drop of truffle oil. This accounting is by no means comprehensive, but you get the idea.
A truffle is the fruit of an underground mushroom that thrives on or near tree roots. Because they’re often up to 12 inches below the ground, truffles are traditionally harvested using pigs and trained dogs. Pigs love the smell of truffles, and locate them quickly. They also like the taste, so they have to be watched closely to make sure they don’t eat up the profits (not unlike me at my last restaurant). Interestingly, dogs couldn’t care less about the aroma, but respond well to training that helps them unearth the little orbs.
At up to $2000 a pound, truffles are often thought of as being foreign and difficult to use. One woman is working hard to change that perception. Susan Alexander is the owner of Susan Alexander Truffles and Black Diamond French Truffles—the largest truffle orchard in the U.S. Her farm near Pinehurst, N.C. is becoming what she calls “the next Napa Valley of truffle” and she spreads the word not only on her informative blog (SusanAlexander-truffles.com) but in USA Today, Weightwatchers Magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Fox Business News, to name a few.
So, you might ask, what does all this have to do with the Cape Region of Sussex County? Well, Susan Alexander is not only a talented entrepreneur, but she is also a generous person. When she heard of Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth’s efforts to feed our homebound neighbors in Rehoboth, Lewes, and Harbeson, she loaded up her kit bag with truffle butter, truffle salt, truffle popcorn and a king’s ransom in the little scented orbs and will be joining SoDel Concepts chefs Doug Ruley, Jason Dietterick, Maurice Catlett and Chris Parks on April 21, 22 and 23 to create three truffle-laced fine-dining extravaganzas.
On Tuesday, April 21, Bluecoast in Bethany Beach will dish up truffled steak frites, popcorn grits, a shaved truffle poutine and plums with truffle honey. Wednesday will be Rehoboth’s turn when Lupo Italian Kitchen (formerly Lupo di Mare) serves black truffle arancini, mushroom risotto, tuna crudo with truffle vinaigrette, truffled guinea hen and olive oil cake with truffle gelato. Trufflephiles in Lewes will top off this trio of tantalizing tastes at Fish On, when truffle honey is drizzled over fried sweetbreads, lobster dumplings are treated to a dollop of truffle cream, and sweet corn ice cream is sprinkled with truffled popcorn. The menu items are just hints, and Susan, Doug, Jason, Maurice and Chris promise lots of aromatic surprises.
During the meals, Ms. Alexander will engage the chefs and diners in a discussion of the various appetizers, entrees, and desserts. She will demystify the fabulous fungus once and for all to make it more approachable in kitchens at home. Sounds to me like a foodie don’t-miss!
Call 302-537-0100 to reserve your place at Bluecoast, and 302-226-2240 to enjoy the truffled treats at Lupo Italian Kitchen. Truffle-laden tables at Fish On can be reserved by calling 302-645-9790. It all goes to benefit your local Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth, and every penny raised stays right here in Sussex County. So mark your calendars! “Let There be Truffles” sounds like fun.
Bob Yesbek’s column “The Business of Eating” appears every Friday in the Cape Gazette. Email Bob Yesbek