Fresh Black Truffles in the Can

What's the point of truffles? They cost a poltice and smell somewhere between rich chocolate and old leather shoes.

I have given them a go - they are completely freaking delicious. Canberra is now a sort of black truffle winter hub. In season, you can buy them from two freaky looking art students pretending to dress as unemployed, or unemployed taking on a slightly arty look. They may not be real students because outside of the groovy grunge, they are suspiciously clean.

Truffles in Can cost about $2.50 a gram, and 5 grams per person is a good start. So you are out of pocket $25 with a snaplock bag with a bit of kitchen paper and a brown smelly thing. After a few goes, I discovered that all the hype about cooking them simply to bring out the flavour of the truffle is totally true. I found a recipe online for pasta with truffles - I recall it had not much but oil, garlic and anchovie and truffles tossed in some fresh linguini, with the last quarter of truffle grated over the top. Possibly the nicest thing I have ever cooked and one of the best things I have eaten. I will find the recipe link in time and stick it on this post. The title had something to do with Umbria which is apparently famous for black truffle along with chocolate and racing cars.

Here it is. I have served it with salad on the plate, which is totally wrong because proper Umbrians would have the pasta as an entree on its own, but I was watching an episode of America's Next Top Model and didn't want to stuff around getting up to fetch more courses.

Hello - update. I found the link and it is something like http://lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/recipe/umbrian_spaghetti_with_black_truffles

I totally recommend you cook this sometime.

Today I am heading out for ingredients for Chilli Con Carne. I love Chilli. Who doesn't like mexican food? I make this often, even from the prepack Ol' El Paso things. I have also tried a dozen or so recipes from scratch but I have a strong feeling that this one from Jamie Oliver in America (or Jamie Does America, or Jamie Oliver in America Cooking Stuff or whatever it is called) may be the best in the world.