White truffle honey

One of my sisters sent me a gift package this Christmas just past, from Williams Sonoma. One of the items was a jar of white truffle honey, which I had never heard of before then, and never opened until this morning. We made some blueberry muffins (from a boxed mix, it's still too early in the morning for serious thinking on my part, ok?!), and I wanted some honey on my muffins, so... I grabbed the jar of truffle honey, and after I had spooned a little on the third muffin, it hit me that the strange aroma I was smelling was coming from the jar of honey. Frankly, it reeked of garlic to my nose, and my first thought was "AARGH! I just put THAT on my muffins!?"

First question - WHY would someone perpertrate THAT on perfectly good honey? Ingredient list says: clover honey, white truffle oil, salt. I wish I had read that first...

Second question - what in Hell is one supposed to do with the stuff (besides trash it)?

Not sure about that as I've never had it. Maybe it's something to go with cheese??

Maybe is is for cheese. Regardless, two hours later, I still can't get rid of the taste of it.

One of my sisters sent me a gift package this Christmas just past, from Williams Sonoma. One of the items was a jar of white truffle honey, which I had never heard of before then, and never opened until this morning. We made some blueberry muffins (from a boxed mix, it's still too early in the morning for serious thinking on my part, ok?!), and I wanted some honey on my muffins, so... I grabbed the jar of truffle honey, and after I had spooned a little on the third muffin, it hit me that the strange aroma I was smelling was coming from the jar of honey. Frankly, it reeked of garlic to my nose, and my first thought was "AARGH! I just put THAT on my muffins!?"

First question - WHY would someone perpertrate THAT on perfectly good honey? Ingredient list says: clover honey, white truffle oil, salt. I wish I had read that first...

Second question - what in Hell is one supposed to do with the stuff (besides trash it)?

This might answer your question as to what to do with it. I would not trash it until you have tried something else.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products ... le%20Honey

Second question - what in Hell is one supposed to do with the stuff (besides trash it)?

Sell it on E-Bay. Promote it as the latest culinary "must have" condiment that is the secret of an up and coming, certain to be, Michelin 3 star restaurant in France.

Karen, the description on the WS website has no resemblance to the actual taste and aroma I experienced. It reeks of garlic to me, and completely overwhelmed the sweetness of the honey (which is not hard to do with clover honey, as it is on the delicate and understated side at best), and frankly speaking, it tastes horrible. Perhaps cooking it with a pork roast would mellow the taste somewhat, but since there are plenty of other pork seasoning methods that I know I like, there doesn't seem much point in assaulting my senses yet again with the stuff.

FWIW, I just sent the company an email with my thoughts on the product. It will be interesting to see if I get a response...

[Jenise]

Never had that stuff myself, but if Williams Sonoma decided to sell it there's a reasonably good chance they loved it enough to think it would/should sell, so your complaint will likely fall on deaf ears. But a question: have you had white truffle anything before? If you're new to it (and white is more pungent than black), it could be rather offputting especially when it appears to taint something you already know and love like honey.

No, I have never experienced white truffle before, and my nose and tastebuds are telling me that this had better be the last time. Also Gail thinks it reeks.

Some people find the smell of truffle intoxicating, and can't get enough of it. I include myself in that group. Others can't stand it.
That said, your truffle honey was made with truffle oil, and truffle oil gets its flavor artificially - there's no truffle in it. I'm not a big fan of truffle oil, though the stuff I've had does smell pretty much like the real thing. It has a tendency to go rancid quickly - maybe your stuff was bad?

If you've never experienced truffle, I could certainly understand your reaction.

[Jenise]

No, I have never experienced white truffle before, and my nose and tastebuds are telling me that this had better be the last time.

That made me laugh--but I understand. Mind, I'm in the Loves It group when it comes to truffle aroma and you may never be, but I read about truffles and dreamed of truffles long before I tasted them, and I both expected the experience and expected to love it when the day finally come. In your shoes with none of the above in place, and moreover expecting something entirely different--yeah, reek it would!

Truffle does indeed tread a fine line that's not so far removed from a 6 day old unemptied bin. Hence imitations can be running a real risk of being plain foul.

FWIW I tend to prefer black truffle products for cooking, leaving white truffle experience for the real thing, sliced over eggs.

Best truffle story - a forumite on winepages talked of how he'd bought a tree with roots infused with truffle spores. He was going to train his dog to sniff out the tree with the truffles... until he realised he didn't need the dog to find the tree as it was he who planted it and he ought to know where it was

[Jenise]

Best truffle story - a forumite on winepages talked of how he'd bought a tree with roots infused with truffle spores. He was going to train his dog to sniff out the tree with the truffles... until he realised he didn't need the dog to find the tree as it was he who planted it and he ought to know where it was

LOL! Had he gone much further, you could have nominated him for a foodie version of a Darwin award.

Speaking of truffles, I read recently that someone has finally got truffles growing outside of Italy that actually taste like the real deal. Several in America have tried that I know of with lackluster results, like in Oregon. But this guy's truffles are heady and pungent, and several top chefs have attested to their quality (for the sake of validation, they're not for sale yet.) Oh, he's in Tennessee. Where did your chap hail from, if you know?

I adore truffles.

I adore honey.

The combination of the two, though, seems revolting in the extreme.

-Paul W.

Trust me on this, Paul, revolting didn't even begin to cover it.
I did get a form email back from Williams Sonoma today, to the effect of that if I wasn't completely satisfied with a product they sold, then I could return it for a full refund (with receipt) or store credit (without receipt). I will take them up on the offer.

I've had some pretty good white truffle honey. The best use I ever found for it was as a glaze on ham.