Many years ago, when I was just a fledgling travel writer, I received an invitation to join a group of Italian journalists on an unbelievably wonderful truffle tour of Marche, Italy. For one unforgettable week we sniffed, cooked, banqueted on and hunted the fantastic fungi. It was an all too brief love affair that no mere man has ever measured up to.
Imagine my excitement when I heard that the American Truffle Company will be presenting the inaugural Napa Truffle Festival, December 10-12, 2010,featuring black truffles in all their glory, cultivation and culinary programs, leading truffle scientists, Michelin-star chefs, fabulous food and wine pairings, a truffle orchard excursion, epicurean market and so much more.
The luxurious Westin Verasa in downtown Napa will serve as the host venue and offers a special discount rate for the festival weekend. (Their signature Heavenly Beds® guarantee a restful night’s sleep, while visions of truffles dance in your head.)
Weekend Highlights:
The Napa Truffle Festival weekend kicks off Friday evening with an opening reception at The Westin Verasa and organized dinners at select Napa restaurants.
Saturday includes cultivation and culinary seminars, cooking classes, and a truffle orchard tour excursion.
Sunday concludes the festival with a Champagne Truffle Breakfast, followed by the Epicurean Marketplace.
The highlight of the Festival will be Saturday night’s Grand Truffle Banquet, hosted by Michelin-star Chef Ken Frank of La Toque restaurant, featuring a six course truffle menu (each course prepared by a Michelin-star chef) and wine pairing.
For tickets and more information visit www.napatrufflefestival.com.
About American Truffle Company…ATC was founded on the principle of applying significant
scientific advances in the cultivation of truffles. With a foundation rooted in over a decade of truffle
research and field experience, they have pursued cutting-edge truffle research both in the laboratory and
in their ever-growing global community of partner truffle orchards, resulting in one of the most
technologically advanced truffle cultivation methodology systems. For more information, visit
www.americantruffle.com.
ATC will contribute a portion of the proceeds from the event to the Hunger Project (www.thp.org) and
Feeding America (www.feedingamerica.org).