Truffles: Ultimate Luxury, Everyday Pleasure - Rilegato

The intimidating truffle of restaurant cuisine gets the home treatment in the attractive guide to using a variety of truffle products as well as the fungus itself.  Safina, president of a company that imports truffles and other foods, and food writer Sutton cogently describe the history, cultivation, and types of truffles and truffle products before presenting over 100 recipes for soups, appetizers, entrees, etc.  The explanation of truffle types and guidelines on buying are extremely useful, especially for the more affordable products like truffle butter and cheese, which may be even less well known than the fungus.  The book lives up to its title, with some recipes slathering on the luxury in restaurant fashion.  But many are simple, delicious, and entirely doable in a home kitchen, even on a weeknight.  Despite Safina s commercial connections, the book is free of advertising.  The one caveat is the steep price, not atypical of recent cookbooks.  There are few books available on this subject, but libraries that own The Joy of Truffles, and Foie Gras: Recipes for Divine Indulgence may still want to consider this. (Sutton has been LJ s cookery columnist for many years. Ed.) Devon Thomas, Hass MS&L, Ann Arbor, MI ( Library Journal, February 2003)

ROSARIO SAFINA is the president of Urbani USA, the world?s largest importer of truffles and other gourmet foods.

JUDITH SUTTON is a veteran chef and food writer and the author of Champagne & Caviar & Other Delicacies.