One of my favorite coworkers and food-minded friends gave me an incredible gift this Christmas season and I was absolutely over the moon when I received it:  a bottle of white truffle oil.  Countless times I have watched Mario Batali finish a dish with a few shavings of these highly esteemed funghi and send whatever plate of goodness he has created completely over the top.  However, with truffles ringing in at well over $1,000/pound and being a chef with a moderate budget, I had little intention (or hope) of ever working with them myself.... until now.  As soon as I unscrewed the cap, my nose was on sensory overload with the pungency of the aroma.  I inhaled and instantly knew I was dealing with some serious sophisticated mushroom flavor.  Furthermore, I realized that just a little drop would go a very long way.  If I couldn't work with truffles themselves, this had to be the next best thing. Read more »