Favorite Products: Truffle Oil

No, I'm not talking about oil made from chocolate. I am talking about oil infused with actual truffles, the fungi. If you know what I am talking about you are probably thinking, "truffle oil? Isn't that insanely expensive?". Which brings me to why Truffle Oil is one of my favorite products. Although real, fresh truffles can cost you as much as thousands of dollars a pound, truffle oil is a great way to enjoy the deep, earthy, rich flavour of truffles without filing for bankruptcy. There are many versions of truffle oil available, and some even available at your local Loblaw's. They can vary in price depending on whether they contain real truffles or not. The majority of truffle oils here in Canada are essentially just olive oil  that are infused with truffle essence, while others actually contain real truffles (obviously more expensive). Although not as good as the real thing, these truffle oils do a great job of making me feel like I am enjoying a 5 star meal right in my own home. A small bottle will cost you about 15 to 20 dollars, but since you only need a drop to impart that delicious truffle flavour, the bottle will last quite awhile.

Some of my favorite uses of truffle oil are:

• mixed with some mayonnaise to dip french fries in, or to enhance a sandwich
• drizzled over soup
• drizzled over some mixed greens
• to finish off a pasta dish (especially homemade white cheddar mac and cheese)
• mixed in with my scrambled eggs or omelets
  
• drizzled over steak
  

If you love the taste and aroma of truffles when you eat out in a restaurant, I highly recommend purchasing some truffle oil to keep on hand, for those necessary at home indulgences.