Roberto Abbadati Mix & Food: inadvisable pairings for Precious Black Truffles

The Fine Black Truffle, or more correctly Tuber Melanosporum Vittadini, is the most precious and flavorful truffle on the market after the White Truffle.

Compared to the fine white truffle, however, it has the great added value of being able to be cooked, as its organoleptic qualities (scents and aromas) are not only not spoiled by heat, but are enhanced.

Its widespread, in the past even very widespread, use in cuisine is owed more to our cousins across the Alps, the French, who made it a fundamental ingredient in many dishes of classic court cuisine, paired with meats (poultry, feathered game, cured meats, and beef), crustaceans (lobster, spiny lobster, and crayfish), fish, potatoes, cheeses, and eggs.

It is mostly round and regular in shape, and can reach the size of an apple. It has a decidedly sweet flavor, which it retains even during cooking, and a delicate, balanced, and never intense aroma like the white truffle, but, compared to the latter, it is decidedly more versatile, both in cooking and in wine pairings, where it does not only prefer full-bodied red wines, but also, for example, classic method sparkling wines, preferably from Pinot Noir, or at least from dark grapes.

Unrecommended pairings with Fine Black Truffle

But let's turn now to what Claudio Morati, the creator of the NERO PREGIATO brand, specifically asked me about: the unrecommended pairings with Fine Black Truffle.

As we have already written, the Fine Black Truffle has a rather versatile taste, which makes it very well suited to many foods, even very different from each other in organoleptic terms. Furthermore, it is known that tastes are not to be debated; nevertheless, some pairings remain at least unrecommended.

• Among these, a not particularly happy pairing is with tomato, understood as tomato sauce, while if one absolutely wanted to pair it with tomato, it would be better to work more with confit tomatoes, or similar preparations.
• Other foods that don't particularly love Fine Black Truffle, more for consistency than flavor, are mollusks such as squid, cuttlefish, musky octopus, octopus, and also not shellfish like mussels and clams; oysters and scallops are decidedly better.
• Among cheeses, it would be better to avoid blue cheeses, because they are too overpowering for the delicacy of the Fine Black Truffle, as well as those that are too aged; instead, prefer more neutral, soft, and creamy cheeses, or aged ones, but not excessively (for example, Parmesan is fine, preferably not beyond 24-30 months).
• Among aromatics, those that definitely do not pair well with truffle are coriander, wild fennel, dill, basil, mint, and also origano varieties like marjoram, because they are a bit too fresh and exuberant; thyme, sage, and bay leaf are more interesting.
• Among spices, however, chili pepper and a bit of all Eastern and Middle Eastern blends are not very suitable; some peppers like white, green, and classic Sarawak black are better.
• Among vegetables, the least suitable are certainly beetroot, as well as eggplant, green broccoli, cucumber, and bell pepper, while there is a great love affair with, for example, potatoes, artichokes, asparagus, cauliflower, and pumpkin.
• Finally, with fruit, absolutely to avoid are cucurbits like melon and watermelon, grapes and strawberries, exotic fruits like kiwi, papaya, or coconut (banana and mango are already better). Citrus fruits can be worked with, but with their zest, not so much with juice or segments, while the situation improves significantly with chestnuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts, but also with some berries and pome fruits.

Hoping that this brief article can help readers navigate a little better in the boundless territory of flavors and their interactions, I take this opportunity to extend a sincere greeting and thanks for your kind attention.

Roberto Abbadati
Mix & Food
www.robertoabbadati.it

Cell. +39 3387074494

email: info@robertoabbadati.it
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