No one can deny the versatility a dish like truffle fried rice has, particularly when experiencing the many dishes in a city like Edmonton. The love of fried rice is challenging to deny by most, accompanying pork, egg, kimchi, and other immaculate ingredients. Our new truffle fried rice is available now across all of our locations.
Though not as expected, the truffle variation is a humble dish that is easy to transform. Length-wise, the dish only takes 15 minutes for someone to make. It’s a savory experience with a depth of flavor that even non-mushroom lovers will appreciate.
The dish combinations are endless, with some keeping it simple with the rice and truffle. Others enjoy adding heat or other veggies, making it a different dish depending on where you have it. It’s straightforward to eat like any rice dish but is higher on the price spectrum due to the rarity of truffles.
Truffle Origin
The origin of truffle fried rice dates back to the beginning stages of the truffle in culinary arts. It’s challenging for historians to pinpoint when truffles came to life, filled with mystery and superstition. Still, most understand that the mushroom is found in chestnut, hazel, oak, and beech trees.
It traces back to the ancient Egyptians, who held truffles in high regard and ate them covered in goose fat. According to legend, a rancher recognized his pig digging at the tree’s foundation, eating its mushrooms.
After realizing the pig remained healthy, the farmer tried the mushrooms, thus berthing the truffles as we know them today. Besides their taste, the ancient Egyptians looked at truffles for having exotic qualities in their aroma and flavour. The dish was soon popularized in the noble classes.
During the middle ages, truffles disappeared for no real reason. Some speculate it had to with churches banning the mushroom, claiming it to be a creation of the devil. Thus, few people sold or ate the dishes during this time.
However, during the renaissance era, truffles made a significant comeback during the reign of Louis XIV in France. Louis XIV pushed for the dish to be one of Europe’s most respected dishes. Eventually, truffles took over in the mid-1800s, with over 2,000 tons of truffles appearing throughout Europe.
Unfortunately, due to the World Wars, much of the destruction to rural lands lowered truffle production dramatically. It reached its lowest production-wise during the 1960s, with less than 400 tons. As a result, the truffle continues to remain a rare delicacy.
What months are Truffles in Season?
If you are are looking for Truffles in Edmonton, these fantastic fungi are found seasonally depending on the type of truffles you are hunting for.
September to December:
Winter Black Truffles (Tuber melanosporum):
These are know for their rich and strong flavor and are found during the winter months in Western Europe ( Spain, Italy and France ) and in Australia. The intense flavour of the black winter truffles make it best for cooking with hearty and rich foods such as pasta, potatoes, risotto or other meats.
Alba White truffle ( tuber magnatum):
These golden, spongy truffles are foraged in Alba, Italy and are famous for the earthly and pungent flavours, creamy center and pale gold color. You can find the Alba truffles in many fine-dining restaurants. Most often they are in french fries, risotto and pasta dishes where the fungi is fine-thinly shaved over using a metal truffle slicer.
May to August:
Summer Black truffles, (Tuber Aestivum):
Summer truffles are the most common variety in restaurants and truffle related products such as truffle chips. They are much lighter in aroma and flavour then their winter variety, hence they are also a much more affordable variety. Most describe them to have an earthy/chocolatey aroma and subtle flavour.
Summer White Truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico):
A similar but softer flavor to it’s winter cousin. Best used to thinly slice or shave the truffles already cooked dishes. The flavour characteristics are sweet, garlicy and musky. Truffle fried rice is often made with the summer white truffle especially during the warm months.
Fried Rice Origin
The other part of the equation is fried rice. While the specific starting points of fried rice are lost to history, it’s accepted that it came to life during the Sui dynasty (A.D. 589-618) in the city of Yangzhou in eastern Jiangsu territory.
Yangchow (Yangzhou) fried rice is still the norm by which any fried rice dishes are judged: pieces of fluffy rice thrown with cook pork, prawns, scallions, and peas. You’ll sometimes think that it is designated as special rice in American-Chinese cafes, though it varies depending on the restaurant.
Fried rice dishes are found throughout China, especially in the south, where rice is the staple grain. The key to making fried rice is utilizing rice that has been recently cooked. More established rice is dryer, diminishing your possibilities of winding up with a wet and gloppy dish.
Day-old rice is fine, yet rice that is a few days old is ideal. Most cooks rub the rice between their fingers to dispose of any bunches before cooking. Furthermore, restaurants prefer long-grain rice. This rice comes out fluffier, is less tacky than other rice, and is ideal for fried rice dishes.
Rather than plain white rice, scented rice is sometimes used if the cook prefers a different flavour profile. Experts claim basmati rice is desirable over jasmine rice, though it is subjective depending on a person’s preference. Regardless, at some point, a chef combined truffle with fried rice, berthing an exquisite dish we know as truffle fried rice.
Truffle Fried Rice Today
Nowadays, truffles are a rare delicacy reserved for special occasions. Though the market has recovered, it isn’t an everyday dish. Truffle Fried rice is slightly different since it doesn’t require more mushrooms and is less common than other fried rice dishes.
Consider making or trying truffle fried rice as a fine-dining experience if you have the resources. Save the occasion for a night to remember, such as a birthday or anniversary. There’s a reason why the mushroom is such a good treat for so many to experience.