White truffle calling in Jakarta

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 01/27/2008 4:00 AM  |  On the Town

Truffle, a seasonal mushroom the size of a golf ball, is one of the ultimate taste enhancers. Descriptions of the edible range from having "beautiful aroma" to "deep, earthy flavor". Some people bid for the rarest and biggest truffles at auction for high prices before they savor them later on.

I learned about the rare epicurean treat by reading the old Donald Duck comics in the 1980s. In one story, Donald, who was accompanied by a hound, was in a fierce competition with his foe, Gladstone, over who would find the most truffles in the forest. The sniffing capability of dogs or pigs is sensitive enough to spot the truffles, which grow on oak trees in Italy and France.

Although the comics has mysteriously disappeared from my parent's home long ago, my curiosity about the taste of truffles remained.

The chance is here for those who want to enjoy a white truffle and wine dinner.

The prized truffle will come from Alba in Italy. Michelin star guest chef Renzo Vivaldi from Piedmont will prepare the wine dinner at the Pacific Restaurant and Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton at Pacific Place on Jan. 31. Firenzo Dogliani, the third generation owner of Batasiolo wines, will share his expertise on pairing food and wine.

"This is the first time we do a wine dinner at the Ritz-Carlton at Pacific Place," said Sean Macdougall, executive chef of the hotel.

Macdougall, who came from Australia and has 25 years of experience as a qualified chef, said that most chefs only sliced the truffles raw and added them straight to other dishes, such as soup, pasta or scrambled eggs. "You can also steam them into a sauce and store them in jars. They can last for a year."

There are two kinds of truffles, black and white. White truffle, which is harder to find, is considered the best tasting, while the black truffle has a stronger taste. This year, the price of the rare treats is going up. "The price now is the most expensive that has ever been," said Raghu Menon, director of food and beverage at the Ritz-Carlton.

The menu for the white truffle event will be veal in tuna sauce, snails in cervere's leeks, white truffle egg in cocotte, white truffle homemade tagliolini and veal from Piedmont in Barolo Batasiolo sauce with polenta. The desserts are soft fruit with Moscato "Bosc Dla Rei" Batasiolo and a selection of coffee and tea.

All the dishes will be paired with different kinds of wine from the winery Beni di Batasiolo, including Gavi Di Gavi Batasiolo DOCG 2005, Chardonnay Morino Batasiolo DOC 2004, Dolcetto Arsiga' Batasiolo DOC 2003 and Barbera Sovrana Batasiolo DOC 2004.

People use the method of trial and error in order to pair food with wine. "It's a fascinating process," said the head chef.

Time Place, the fine watch retailer, will showcase their collection on the night of the white truffle dinner.

Pacific Restaurant and Lounge is strategically ensconsed on the 6th floor of the hotel in South Jakarta. The plush interior was designed in a rich earthy tone by Hirsch and Bedner Singapore.

Aside from the dinner, I asked the master chef about the possibility on combining truffles with popular Indonesian grub. "All you need is an imagination. Some Indonesian dishes, such as nasi goreng or mie goreng, can taste good with truffles," said MacDougall.

For more information and reservations, please call 1-800-241-3333 The Truffle and Wine Dinner price; Rp 558,000++ per person for dinner only, Rp 768,000 per person for wine dinner

Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place
Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD)
Jl. Sudirman Kav. 52-53,
Jakarta 12190

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