![\"truffle](\"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/fidel11-300x300.jpg\")
There were a few key events in the mid 2,000\u2019s that led to my affection for Italy, and meeting Fidel Gamboa was one of them. We worked together in my dental practice\u00a0in Florida for a couple of years, and every day I listened to him talk about his dream of studying opera at one of the major conservatories in Italy.<\/p>\n
Eventually I saw him realize that dream when\u00a0he was accepted to the school in Parma. He quit his dental career, sold all of his things, and moved to a city that he had only visited during one short audition. He didn\u2019t even speak Italian at the time. Needless to say, I was happy for him–and more than a little jealous. It took me another 5 years or so to make the leap myself, but when I did, one of my first stops was in Parma to look up my old friend to see how he was doing. And he was doing just fine, living the bohemian lifestyle, and pouring his heart and soul into his music.<\/p>\n
Fast forward 5 more years and we are still great friends, even if both of our lives took unexpected turns. These days he has a growing business selling fresh truffles from his wife\u2019s home region of Piedmont to all the buongustai<\/em> (foodies) back in the U.S. \u00a0Now instead of practicing his arias, he\u2019s truffle hunting in Alba and enjoying the company of his newly arrived son, Diego. However, he\u2019s still willing to belt\u00a0out a short piece of Verdi upon request. (Listen to the podcast to hear the opening bars from Che Gelida Manina<\/em>.)<\/p>\n Truffles are cool. Even if you\u2019ve haven\u2019t yet acquired the taste, the mystical quality of them alone is enough to pique the interest of anyone who loves regional Italian cuisine. Even just locating them is cross between stalking rare game and panning for gold. You need a well-trained dog, a lot of patience, and fair measure of grappa to warm you up against the damp mountain air.<\/p>\n Then even once you have them in your possession, they\u2019re not immediately appealing to the uninitiated. Essentially, they\u2019re a dirty fungus that stinks to high heaven. But clean them up and grate them over your pasta, and a sort of alchemy takes place before your eyes, nose, and palate that transforms these grubby knobs of subterranean mold into something sublime and surprisingly delicious. Pair your dish of truffle pasta with a nice glass of Barolo and you\u2019ve entered gastronomic Nirvana. Your taste buds will never be the same.<\/p>\n During our interview, Fidel shares some more truffle lore with me, including recipes, tips for storing your truffles, and a recent auction for the world\u2019s biggest truffle that was sold for over $130,000.00!!!<\/p>\n His Website: Casa Truffle<\/p>\n Click the link to check out other episodes and see my list of the <\/span>best podcasts about Italy<\/b><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"truffle](\"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/fidel3-300x215.jpg\")
Truffle Hunting in Alba<\/h2>\nFidel Gamboa<\/h2>\n
![\"fidel10\"](\"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/fidel10.jpg\")
<\/a>I would like to give a big “GRAZIE, GRACIAS, and THANKS” once again to my good friend Fidel for taking the time to explain the enigmatic, misunderstood truffle to me. He has promised to take me truffle hunting in Alba in the fall, and I plan to hold him to that. But even without being plied with promises of culinary delights, I\u2019d still go just to see my old friend, visit a new region of Italy, and say \u201cCiao!\u201d to baby Diego for the first time. I can\u2019t wait. Oh, and it doesn\u2019t hurt that he lives next door to the Nutella headquarters!<\/p>\nPlease visit Fidel on his Facebook Page for fun photos, videos, and updates from the land of the magical truffle. Then when you\u2019re ready to dive into the deep end of the flavor pool, click over to his website to purchase\u00a0a nugget of pure taste pleasure, which\u00a0has fallen from heaven and buried itself in the rich Piedmontese soil. Buon appetito!<\/em><\/p>\n\n