White Truffle Extravaganza
Aria, Atlanta, GA
Tasted Tuesday, December 4, 2018 by MikeATL with 279 views
Introduction
I was honored and thrilled to be invited to a white truffle dinner featuring about one pound of fresh white truffles for a group of seven of us, with some old friends and a couple of new ones. Aria lived up to its usual standard of excellence, with a terrific menu put together by Chef Gerry Klaskala and outstanding service from the well-trained staff. Add in good wine and great company, and you have an incredibly memorable evening. Special thanks to Don for arranging to obtain the truffles and Alan for coordinating the planning.
Flight 1 - Siberian Sturgeon UGA Caviar (1 Note)
We kicked things off with a delicious morsel of Siberian sturgeon UGA caviar in a hollowed out Persian cucumber with Neufchatel and chives. The caviar is from Siberian sturgeon that are sustainably farmed in north Georgia by the University of Georgia.
Flight 2 - Chicken Liver Pate & Pan Roasted Jumbo Sea Scallop (3 Notes)
We enjoyed the remnants of the Krug and started on the white wines with a chicken liver pate on toast topped with shaved white truffles, a last minute addition by Chef Gerry, then enjoyed the white wines with a pan roasted jumbo sea scallop on a celery root puree with brown butter and shaved white truffles. The chicken liver pate was quite good, but the scallop and white truffle combination really sang. The Marcassin's richness was a particularly nice match.
Flight 3 - Vitello Carpaccio (1 Note)
Next came a naturally raised, seared, and chilled tenderloin of veal with a white truffle emulsion and shaved white truffles, which was my favorite course, and one of the best dishes I've had in a long time. The dish was both elegant and intense and paired perfectly with the Dujac.
Flight 4 - Oyster Mushroom Lasagnette (1 Note)
The oyster mushroom lasagnette with besciamela, parmigiana reggiano, and white truffle was another standout course that again matched the wine beautifully.
Flight 5 - Carnaroli Risotto (2 Notes)
Some of the group would have preferred that the carnaroli risotto with shredded short rib of beef, parmigiana reggiano, and white truffle would have omitted the beef, which they found overpowered the delicate truffle aromas and flavors. They had a valid point, but I enjoyed the course quite a bit.
Flight 6 - Roasted Breast of Guinea Hen (2 Notes)
The roasted breast of guinea hen with braised endive, chanterelles, natural jus, and white truffle raised some of the same concerns as did the previous course, with particularly objections to the endive's dominance over the truffles. I found that the rich, nicely reduced jus brought out some interesting nuances in the truffles that I hadn't found in prior dishes and loved the crisp skin on the guinea hen.
Flight 7 - Dessert (1 Note)
My memories of the dessert are kind of hazy, as I was somewhat distracted by conversation I recall an ice cream over spiced fruit and a not-too-sweet little cake with caramelized sugar on the top. I also recall devouring it with relish.
Closing
This dinner confirmed that, at least for me, there can't be too much of a good thing when it comes to white truffles. It was a rare opportunity to enjoy such a decadent meal with quality people, and and a truly special experience that I suspect we will still be talking about years in the future.
2004 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 93 Points
France, Champagne
Razor sharp acidity and minerality at the core, on the linear side at the moment but with enough flesh on the bones to keep it from being too austere. Right now it is better with food than on its own, but just sipping it still delivers plenty of pleasure.
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