Title: truffles-msg
Subject: truffles. The mushroom and the candy.
Author: Edited by Mark S. Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: medieval, truffle, mushroom, fungus, chocolate, dessert

truffles-msg - 4/2/02

Truffles. The mushroom and the candy.

NOTE: See also the files: chocolate-msg, mushrooms-msg, cooking-oils-msg, p-pigs-msg.

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This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I  have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

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Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2001 18:12:52 -0600
To: sca-cooks  at ansteorra.org
From: Gorgeous Muiredach <muiredach  at bmee.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Chocolate truffles (OOP)

>These sound like they are a type of chocolate candy. What makes these
>a truffle and not some other kind of chocolate candy? The specific
>ingredients used? The shape?

The shape and size of them.

>And I thought "truffles" were the mushroom things found on tree roots,
>often hunted for with pigs. Am I wrong and those are called something
>else? Is the chocolate one derived from the mushroom one?

You are correct, truffles are a type of mushroom (well, not quite, but good
enough for our purposes).  They are round, have an uneven surface, and most
of them are a dark, dark brown, or black.  Some of them are also white,
though not quite as usual.  They grow most usually within oaks'
roots.  They are hunted by pigs, though that's mostly lore, and nowadays
all kind of animals are used.  They cannot be cultivated, hence their high
prices.

Chocolate truffles do not contain truffles.  They are named so because of
their shape and size.

Gorgeous Muiredach
Rokkehealden Shire
Middle Kingdom
aka
Nicolas Steenhout

Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2001 18:17:20 -0600
To: sca-cooks  at ansteorra.org
From: Gorgeous Muiredach <muiredach  at bmee.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Chocolate truffles (OOP)

>I've often wondered that myself.  I guess they're small, round and very
>dark brown/black, so they look like the mushroom truffles.  Which, by
>the way, I found for sale at Wegman's the other day.  If Craig wasn't
>there to stop me, I think I would have bought just one to see what the
>big deal really is.

Don't tell any of my professional uppity chef colleagues, but I think they
are highly over rated.  It is their aromas much more than their taste that
hits you.  If anything, get yourself some good truffle oil, instead of
buying truffles.

Gorgeous Muiredach
Rokkehealden Shire
Middle Kingdom
aka
Nicolas Steenhout

From: "Terry Decker" <t.d.decker  at worldnet.att.net>
To: <sca-cooks  at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Chocolate truffles (OOP)
Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2001 20:25:12 -0600

You might consider that the original word derives from the Latin vairant
"trufera" of the word "tuber" meaning "lump."   Since the confection
"truffle" is a ball or lump the name may hark back to the original meaning
or it may be as you suggest, a similarity to the fungii.

Bear

>> And I thought "truffles" were the mushroom things found on tree roots,
>> often hunted for with pigs. Am I wrong and those are called something
>> else? Is the chocolate one derived from the mushroom one?
>
>I've often wondered that myself.  I guess they're small, round and very
>dark brown/black, so they look like the mushroom truffles.  Which, by
>the way, I found for sale at Wegman's the other day.
>
>-Magdalena

From: "A. F. Murphy" <afmmurphy  at earthlink.net>
To: "SCA-Cooks maillist" <SCA-Cooks  at ansteorra.org>
Subject: RE: [Sca-cooks] Chocolate truffles (OOP)
Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2001 22:42:36 -0500

My turn to answer! *G* I get paid to tell people this one...

A truffle is chocolate blended with cream and often flavoring.  It is
formed into a shape, usually a ball, then covered. Often just rolled in
cocoa or nuts, commercially often enrobed in chocolate. The center is very
soft and rich. (It melts easily, too, don't ask me how I know this...)

The name, I have been told, though this I don't guarantee, comes from the
fungus. The chocolate was devised by French candy makers, and they wanted a
name that would convey the luxury and richness of the finished product.

Anne,
who represents chocolate companies in department stores, especially at this
time of year, which is probably why she's a bit giddy lately...

<the end>

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