Gourmet Treats For Dad This Father's Day

Father's Day is just a few days away and it's the perfect time to spoil any dad in your. At La Buona Tavola - Truffle Cafe, we have loads of treats perfect for dad - whether he's a die-hard foodie or just a guy that loves to eat and appreciates great food!

Here are a few of our top suggestions for your Father's Day shopping:

• Black Truffle Sauce (Tartufella) - Use as a ready to serve pasta sauce, or 1 tablespoon to baste turkey or chicken, add to your omelet, or simply on bread.
• Strawberry Preserves with Balsamic Vinegar - The taste is exceptional, combining the sweetness of the fruit with the bitter-sweet savor of our Balsamic Vinegar.
• Moroccan Mustard - All-natural Moroccan Spices and organic Dijon mustard have been blended to create a flavor frenzy in a jar.
• White Truffle Honey - Aromatic honey, infused with White Truffles - a product that you’ll be willing to lick off the counter, should it spill while you’re drizzling it over cheese, fresh fruit...or your finger.
• Mo's Milk Chocolate Bacon Bar - ABSOLUTELY delicious, deep, milk chocolate, 41% cacao Chocolate with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Alderwood smoked salt.

Here's hoping your Father's Day is a tasty one!

Recommended Reading

There are 3 kinds of cookbook people in the world.

1. Those who have no use whatsoever for cookbooks. Someone always does the cooking.
2. Those who use cookbooks as a tool and follow along religiously as they work.
3. Those who devour cookbooks like novels and use the recipes within as springboards for their own unique creations.

If you are a #2 or #3 type of cookbook person, we have a couple of recommendations for you. And if you're a #1...sorry, we just can't help you! But hopefully someone in your life is a #2 or #3 so that you can enjoy all this wonderful inspiration!

The Joy of Truffles

Features amazing photographs, truffle lore and delicious recipes.

Cucina Piemontese

Cucina Piemontese provides an opportunity to explore the region's cooking, known for its use of butter, cream, beef, and truffles, as well as humbler ingredients such as pasta, polenta, and root vegetables.

How To Use...Mediterranean Olive Bruschetta

Welcome to the first installment of "How To Use.." where we take a closer look at some of our favorite products and suggest some great ways that you can use them in your own kitchen.

First up is our Mediterranean Olive Bruschetta. This bruschetta is a tangy and savory blend of olives, capers, cauliflower, carrots, celery, garlic, pimiento and olive oil.

To easily add a little Mediterranean flavor, rely on this bruschetta as a go-to item when preparing many dishes. Here are just a few of our favorite uses:

• Pasta Salad
• Potato Salad
• Added to an antipasto platter
• As the middle layer of a hearty grilled cheese sandwich
• Slathered in a muffaletta sandwich
• Spooned on top of a grilled chicken breast with some tomato sauce
• As a dip or spread for crackers or thinly sliced baguettes

However you choose to use it, one thing we know for sure is that you will love it! 

Visit the La Buona Tavola - Truffle Cafe website to pick up your very own jar of Mediterranean Olive Bruschetta. It's just $12.95 for a 16 oz. jar, which will be enough for you to try out nearly all of the options listed above. And remember, all orders over $60 ship for free. Enjoy!

Small Vineyards Spanish Wine Tasting at Andaluca

SMALL VINEYARDS SPANISH WINE TASTING

AT ANDALUCA

Wednesday - May 25th, 2011 - 7:00pm

$70 per person (includes tax and gratuity)

We’re excited to present this menu from Small Vineyards’ Spanish portfolio, paired with Chef Wayne Johnson's delectable Spanish foods!

Chef Wayne intimately knows the flavors of Spain, having traveled throughout its most famous cities – and cooking with some of the top chefs in Madrid, Seville and Marbella! His foods bring the warmth and color of that country to life for us at Andaluca, which has been featured in numerous “Best Of” lists during his 10 years as its Executive Chef.

Small Vineyards is committed to preserving the traditions of thousands of years of intelligent farming and the artistry of each winemaker. Their Spanish portfolio is the result of an extensive search to find small, sustainable estates that authentically represent this rich culture.

MENU & WINE PAIRINGS

Gala Apple Salad

Martina Prieto SAUVIGNON BLANC

Clams with Garlic, Wine and Butter

Veria Baral ALBARINO

Seafood Unpaella

Finca del Tesso TEMPRANILLO

Tender Steak Skewer

Moruno Spice Rub and Marsala Glaze

Clua Domenech GARNACHA

Lamb Chops

Herb Risotto and Morel Mushroom Sauce

Lopez Cristobal CRIANZA

Click here to RSVP!!

See you then!

Truffle Salt for the Uninitiated

At La Buona Tavola - The Truffle Cafe, we want to make the indulgently delicious flavor of truffles accessible to all. For the uninitiated truffle connoisseur, we offer an easy means of introduction to this whole new world of extreme flavor.

Our Truffle Salt goes perfectly with virtually any food that you can think of. Sprinkle it on fresh tomatoes, steak, popcorn, french fries, grilled veggies, fish, chicken...the list is endless! Remember, a little goes a long way, especially with our truffle salt which, at 10% truffle, features a higher concetration than most truffle salts.

Truffle Salt is not meal specific; it goes equally well with breakfast, lunch or dinner. Here are a few recipe ideas to get you started with the goodness of truffle salt.

• Truffle Salted Salmon (made with our own 10% Concentration Truffle Salt)
• Fried Egg with Truffle Salt
• Farm Fresh Tomatoes with Truffle Salt
• Kale Chips with Truffle Salt

We'll be compiling an ongoing list of recipes that use truffle salt for your convenience. If you have any favorite ways you use truffle salt, please share in the comments. Thanks!

Truffle Goodness For Mother's Day

Mother's Day is just around the corner. Are you ready? If you're searching for some ideas for the foodie mom in your life, or if you need your own suggestions to whisper in your kids' ears, we've got you covered!

Here are some really DELICIOUS things she'd love (but would never splurge on herself to buy), like:

• Truffle Salt - our 10% concentration version kicks arse over all the others!
• White Truffle Cream - decadent, versatile, and just plain delicious
• 12 Year Riserva Balsamico - just a couple of drops on scallops, salmon, fruit, cheese...
• Lemon Curd - great between layers of cake, atop French Toast, or served with berries in pastry cup

Gourmet Dishes for Your Springtime Meals

Spring has surely sprung. The rain is falling...flowers are blooming...asparagus lines store shelves in overabundance. The arrival of spring is clear. So bring on the fresh-tasting meals and lighten up you dinner tables with a few Spring-inspired dishes.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. After each recipe link you'll find a link to one of our products, as used in the recipe, that is available for purchase online at The Truffle Cafe. Enjoy!

Photo Source

• Balsamic Chard Pizza with Fig Infused Goat Cheese  (Try it with our 12 Year Riserva Balsamic)
• Spring Pizza with Truffle Oil, Brie and Egg (Try it with our Black Truffle Oil)
• Squid Ink Pasta with Parsnips & Pancetta *Pictured above. (Try it with our Squid Ink Pasta)
• Manchego Stuffed Dates with Truffle Honey (Try it with our Black Truffle Honey)
• Baked Egg Linguine with Onion, Scallion and Umame (Try it with our Truffle Salt)

What special Springtime meals do you have planned for the weeks ahead?

Welcome to the Truffle Cafe Blog

La Buona Tavola - Truffle Cafe is staking out our little corner of the blogosphere. We're excited to start sharing and interacting with all of you.

On this blog you'll find all the latest Truffle Cafe news, in-depth observations into our products, links to great recipes we love, foodie tips and a behind the scenes look at running a shop in Seattle's famed Pike Place Market.

Thanks for joining us!