Summer Truffle Menu at Celestino (Pasadena)

Celestino Ristorante in Pasadena is one of six restaurants owned by the four Drago brothers. The one in charge of Celestino is actually Calogero Drago who named the restaurant after the eldest brother.

Unlike the higher end Drago or Drago Centro, Celestino is intimate and rustic. It's a place where you'd feel at home and where by the end of dinner you know that the chef is going truffle hunting in two weeks and that your server's wife just gave birth to their second baby. In like with this feel, Celestino is offering an affordable summer truffle menu, which will be available until around mid or late June.

The truffle items are available a la carte, but to get the best value order the four course prix fixe for $58! The 4-course menu lets you choose one dish from the truffle antipasti, pasta, and meat/fish menu and finishes with Tartufo ice cream. Considering the a la carte pricing of $15-38, the $58 prix fixe is the way to go.

At Celestino, they stick with traditional recipes. The antipasti selection includes Tuna Carpaccio with Mushrooms and Truffles ($18)

Calogero explained that summer truffle is called bianchetti. These truffles are black on the outside and white on the inside. This was new to me as I'm used to having truffles with something richer, not tuna carpaccio. The mushrooms accentuated the truffles and the combination with tuna was both interesting and delicious.

Soft Polenta with Mushroom in Fontina Cheese and Shaved Black Truffle Sauce ($18)

The consistency of the soft polenta was pretty runny. I'm not sure if this is usual, but we ate it almost like it was soup.

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8 Flavors of Xiao Long Bao at Paradise Dynasty (Indonesia)

A restaurant chain in Asia is taking Xiao Long Bao (XLB) to another level with eight different flavors of XLB. At Paradise Dynasty, which has locations in Singapore and Indonesia, you can get XLB with black truffles, foie gras, cheese, ginseng, garlic, crab roe, and szechuan flavor (and of course, there's the original).

The XLBs were about the same price as Din Tai Fung, but if you order the sampler (a basket of all 8 flavors, they can get pretty expensive). If you know what you want to try or have a lot of people to share with, I'd suggest getting a basket of individual flavors.

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Easy Peasy: Truffle Making at Luxe Hotel Rodeo

So, I've posted a truffle recipe from Valerie's Confections before and it does look easy enough, but I still have never gone ahead and tried it. Maybe it was still harder than it sounds. But after watching a truffle making demo at Luxe Hotel, I have to say it's looking easier.

First, here is the recipe (from their hotel blog):
8 ounces of chocolate, milk or dark to taste
½ cup of heavy cream
1 tablespoon of coconut rum
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Using a double boiler, slowly melt the chocolate in the cream over boiling water - you don't want to heat it directly with the fire. Like this:

The boiling water is covered with a moist rag, and the bowl with the chocolate and cream is placed over that.
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Easy Recipes: Valerie Confections' Rustic Truffles

In anticipation of Valentine's Day, Valerie Gordon from Valerie Confections offered to share one of her recipes for my readers. If you've never tried Valerie Confections before, their salt and pepper truffles are addictive and they have some of the best toffees in town.

Don't worry, I got you covered and picked out the easiest-yet-delectable recipe (alright it's mainly so even I can make it).

Here is Valerie's recipe for her rustic chocolate truffles:

Rustic Truffles

2 1/2 cups 72% chocolate
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup unsweetened cocoa

Boil cream in a small saucepan.


Pour boiled cream over 72% chocolate, butter and salt.

Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until the chocolate melts.

Refrigerate until firm.

Using a small scoop or melon baller, scoop small rounds of ganache and drop in cocoa and coat completely.

Store in the refrigerator.

Yields: 50 truffles


Sounds easy right? And they look mighty good too. Now go and make your loved on some truffles. He/she will probably only need 20, and won't notice where the other 30 went ... ;)

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