by Katherine Tumminaro
The Food and Exercise Junkie
I am aware that this is a fitness and nutrition website and that I should really not be recomending french fries and sodium. That being said, I truely believe that the trick to a long-lasting diet is being able to live a balanced life-style and eat foods that really make you smile (but only once in a while). Something I have found to really help me with portion control is finding foods that are rich in flavor. Intensely flavored foods satisify me quickly and so I am less tempted to overeat. One intense seasoning that I have discovered is black truffle. The reason for my new found love is that black truffles leave me with a lingering after taste like a really good wine, olive oil or dark chocolate. There are two truffle flavored foods that have really made me happy.

Like the rest of America, I was really looking forward to a Thanksgiving feast at my in-laws. On the table were homemade gnocchi, turkey, green beans, Italian bacala and of course mash potatoes. However, the star of the show was an amazing truffle salt that created a party in my mouth. I drizzled it on mashed potatoes, on my turkey and on my green beans. The next day I sprinkled it on my salmon. This magic salt instantly turned any dish that I made into a delicacy. I loved this salt so much that I took a picture of it on my iPhone so that I could go home and order it myself. My father in law thought I was crazy, but I couldn’t get enough of this salt!

I later looked at my iPhone picture in order to do some research on where I could buy my own jar of happiness. I discovered that the flavor that I couldn’t get out of my mouth was Black Truffle Infused Sea Salt (Sale con Tatufo Nero). This black truffle infused Atlantic sea salt is from Italy and is sold by the truffle company named Tartuflanghe. A two ounce jar costs $23.99 on Amazon.com but is well worth the price because with a little pinch you can transform any meal and the jar will last for a few months if used sparingly. Now that I know who manufactures this salt, I plan on buying a few jars for myself.

The second truffle experience I had was in a little café called Café Brioche in Palo Alto. I went to Café Brioche with my husband for a romantic French date. We ordered the mussels and the lamb, but once again, I was memorized by the truffle. As a French fry lover (hence why I am also an exercise fanatic), I am always on the quest for the perfect fry. Almost every restaurant attempts to make French fries and thus you have to be especially interesting or unique in order to catch my eye. Café Brioche’s truffle oil French fries were DELICIOUS! They were cooked perfectly and full of flavor. I loved them so much that I had to go back the next week just for the fries. YELP gives Café Brioche 3.5 stars, which I agree with, because for French food you can really find more elegant places elsewhere. However, I give the truffle oil French fries 5 stars and will return to the restaurant just for them.

Until next time, the Food and Exercise Junkie

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