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Black truffles are already commodified in a sense that the main aroma compound has been isolated, is very cheap to synthesize [1] and it's used extensively in "

Black truffles are already commodified in a sense that the main aroma compound has been isolated, is very cheap to synthesize [1] and it's used extensively in "truffle-flavoured" products. That's what makes it possible to pick up a bottle of "truffle oil" in your supermarket of choice. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,4-Dithiapentane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,4-Dithiapentane

safety1st 4y ago
Yep, that ship has sailed. Burger King in Singapore was selling a "Truffle Mayo Chicken Tendercrisp" a few years back, for heaven's sake.
zionic 4y ago
>Black truffles are already commodified in a sense that the main aroma compound has been isolated, is very cheap to synthesize [1] and it's used extensively in "truffle-flavoured" products. Just made some truffle-oil infused smoked mac-n-cheese. Sometimes, capitalism is _delicious_.
hristov 4y ago
And those truffle flavored products taste terrible and are not at all comparable to the real thing.
- CPLX 4y ago
  Nah, they're just different. And often quite good.
- s1artibartfast 4y ago
  Chocolate ice cream and dog shit are comparable, just not favorably for the dog
cbtacy 4y ago
Truffle oil most often contains no actual truffle. Instead, most uses a product like 2,4-dithiapentane which mimics the aromatics of truffle. Most if not all chefs hate truffle oil with an unholy passion.
- JumpCrisscross 4y ago
  Yeah, truffle oils are the vanilla extracts to whole vanilla beans. Surprisingly close. But noticeably far from the real thing.
  - johncalvinyoung 4y ago
    Closer to artificial vanilla, actually.
  - OJFord 4y ago
    You probably mean vanillin to vanilla (where its extract is the real deal, just a processed bean)? Sometimes an 'essence' vs. 'extract' distinction is made, but double-checking that prior to commenting it seems that's not reliable, they're also sometimes considered synonyms. Vanillin is no substitute for actual vanilla. At least in cream for custard or something - things where it's best used anyway - maybe if the thing already tastes 'flavoured' (I sort of know what I mean by that, but have no idea how to write it.. I realise it sounds silly) then there's no difference, like a sponge cake for example.
    - CaptainNegative 4y ago
      Synthetic vanillin is fine for baked/heated goods because the differentiators present in actual vanilla extract are overwhelmingly volatile compounds that evaporate in the first few minutes of baking. By the time you pull the goods out of the oven, the result is nearly chemically indistinguishable. This is why many no-bake custard recipes specify that the vanilla should be added only as one of the last few steps, after all heating is completed.
- binarymax 4y ago
  Yeah - don’t buy truffle oil unless you can actually see truffle shavings in the oil itself. Truffles are so aromatic, that just a sliver can infuse a small bottle.
  - GuB-42 4y ago

safety1st 4y ago

Yep, that ship has sailed. Burger King in Singapore was selling a "Truffle Mayo Chicken Tendercrisp" a few years back, for heaven's sake.

zionic 4y ago

>Black truffles are already commodified in a sense that the main aroma compound has been isolated, is very cheap to synthesize [1] and it's used extensively in "truffle-flavoured" products. Just made some truffle-oil infused smoked mac-n-cheese. Sometimes, capitalism is _delicious_.

hristov 4y ago

And those truffle flavored products taste terrible and are not at all comparable to the real thing.

CPLX 4y ago
Nah, they're just different. And often quite good.
s1artibartfast 4y ago
Chocolate ice cream and dog shit are comparable, just not favorably for the dog

cbtacy 4y ago

Truffle oil most often contains no actual truffle. Instead, most uses a product like 2,4-dithiapentane which mimics the aromatics of truffle. Most if not all chefs hate truffle oil with an unholy passion.

JumpCrisscross 4y ago
Yeah, truffle oils are the vanilla extracts to whole vanilla beans. Surprisingly close. But noticeably far from the real thing.
- johncalvinyoung 4y ago
  Closer to artificial vanilla, actually.
- OJFord 4y ago
  You probably mean vanillin to vanilla (where its extract is the real deal, just a processed bean)? Sometimes an 'essence' vs. 'extract' distinction is made, but double-checking that prior to commenting it seems that's not reliable, they're also sometimes considered synonyms. Vanillin is no substitute for actual vanilla. At least in cream for custard or something - things where it's best used anyway - maybe if the thing already tastes 'flavoured' (I sort of know what I mean by that, but have no idea how to write it.. I realise it sounds silly) then there's no difference, like a sponge cake for example.
  - CaptainNegative 4y ago
    Synthetic vanillin is fine for baked/heated goods because the differentiators present in actual vanilla extract are overwhelmingly volatile compounds that evaporate in the first few minutes of baking. By the time you pull the goods out of the oven, the result is nearly chemically indistinguishable. This is why many no-bake custard recipes specify that the vanilla should be added only as one of the last few steps, after all heating is completed.
binarymax 4y ago
Yeah - don’t buy truffle oil unless you can actually see truffle shavings in the oil itself. Truffles are so aromatic, that just a sliver can infuse a small bottle.
- GuB-42 4y ago