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Q & A WITH ROSARIO SAFINA

Q. What are the qualities that make your products unique?

A. All of our products use 100% USDA Certified Organic truffles. Unless the label says ‘100% Organic,’ you can't be assured that the truffles are real.  

Q. What is required to be the only USDA-Certified Organic White Truffle Oil on the market?

A. We go through the strict USDA process on every ingredient that we use in order to be certified 100%. A lot of people don't know that when a label says ‘USDA Organic,’  only 95% of the ingredients have to be organic.  Meaning the so-called ‘truffle essence’ (which is a non-existent food term, by the way) can be the 5% of the product that's synthetic. We refuse to do that.

 

Q. Do you have a particular truffle supplier that provides your organic truffles?

A. We have exclusive rights and production partnership with an organic farm in Italy. I've known the owner for over 15 years. He's the only person in the truffle industry today who's got a PhD in food science, one in mycology, and is a noted professor.

Q. What process do you use to infuse the oils with truffle?

A. Through a proprietary mechanical process that transfers the molecules of fresh organic truffles into organic extra virgin olive oil.

 

Q. How would you recommend using truffle oil? Pairings?

A. I drizzle truffle oil onto everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to grilled meats. It's unbelievable on a lobster roll.

I like a good Piemonte white or Prosecco to accompany even the most simple truffle dish.

Q. How would you recommend using truffle honey?

A. I love to drip truffle honey on fresh-baked pizza with ricotta, taleggio and grilled radicchio. It's great on grilled rare duck breast too, smeared on right before serving. And for dessert, it's delicious topping off vanilla ice cream. Easy way to impress the guests!

 

A. They know most truffle products are made with synthetic chemicals. That's why they're so excited to hear there's an organic line made with real truffles.

 

Q. What goes into finding your truffles?

A. Truffle hunting is a long-held tradition in Italy, that hasn't really changed in over a hundred years. Today they use dogs instead of pigs, because dogs do less damage to the truffles – and don't eat them!

 

Q. You have no preservatives in your products, does this mean there is a dated shelf life?

A. The average shelf life of our products is 18 months. We want to keep everything 100% organic and encourage people to enjoy the flavor of fresh truffles.

 

Q. Are there restaurants that you know of that are currently using your products?

A. John DeLucie [formally of Waverly Inn, now The Lion] uses our truffle oil on his famous Mac 'n Cheese. Along with Scarpetta, Nobu, Artisanal, and Morimoto.

Q. Can you share some helpful advice for home cooks about truffles? 

A. Just use them as you would any condiment. Truffle oil is great on salads or pot pies, or even toast smeared with truffle butter. I just made an appetizer of organic popcorn sprinkled with truffle salt, it was a huge hit.  

Q. Can you share a recipe using your oils or honey?

A. 3 recipes:

- Truffled Quail Eggs with Baby Asparagus and Prosciutto

- Crostini with Fresh Ricotta and Organic Acacia Honey with White Truffles

- Grilled Sea Scallop Salad with Organic White Truffle Flavored Olive Oil

Recommendations

Q. Purveyors whose products pair well with yours?

A. Wines from the Marche region.

Guanciale from Murray's Cheese.

[See details.]

Q. Off-the-beaten-track places to eat, that you’d be excited to take an adventurous eater? 

A. North Fork Table (Southold, NY) - amazing food in our favorite weekend/summer getaway.

[See details.]

Q. Some of your favorite places to eat?

A. Dim Sum Go Go - something for everyone in our family.

Terroir in Tribeca - lots of great small plates to try in a fun atmosphere.

Marea - Michael White does inventive takes on classic truffle dishes. Plus the setting is beautiful!

[See details.]

Q. Has an outstanding truffle-oriented menu?

A. Masa has a creative twist on basic Italian with Japanese accents.

[See details.]

Q. Places around the country for Italian food?

A. Paul Bartolotta's place in Las Vegas has the best, fresh Italian seafood in the world.

[See details.]