On Tartufo...

Le Restaurant Albert 1er, Chamonix

Hameau Albert 1er hotel is located in green gardens, with chalets, farmhouse and of course, gastronomic restaurant the Restaurant Albert 1er Michelin twin-starred and run by chef de cuisine Pierre Carrier and Pierre Maillet.

Famous for its highly inventive cuisine and seasonal white truffles, have a 3 cozy if not bit rustic decorated dining room and piano bar. Signature dishes includes wild mushrooms garnished with ravioli stuffed with foie gras, bison steak, pan-fried scallops with risotto and lobster sauce, foie gras with truffles…

What we had tasted simply delicious:


Melting Brittany lobster aside with a homemade fresh pasta generously covered with black tartufo shavings, and fantastically balanced foamy lobster sauce....


silky roasted John Dory, puréed leeks, smokey onion, shellfishes and herb juice...

Washed down with:


2004 Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion, Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan
Smooth, silky and rich. Fantastic balance. The fact that this is only an entry level white Bordeaux... well it makes this wine simply amazing. (91 pts)

For desert we had picks from the trolley; a choice of fresh and aged French and Italian cheeses washed down with:


1998 Château Haut Marbuzet, Saint-Estèphe
Structured, silky, affectionate... (92 pts)

Absolutely unique experience!

Rating: 9.1 (out of 10.0)

Le Hameau Albert 1er
119 Impasse du Montenvers
74400 Chamonix Mont Blanc, France

My thoughts on sea food...

With end of the year coming (I'm talking for 2009), I've decided that it's right time for a proper seafood dinner, with a twist; lobsters, oysters, scallops and tartufi.

Aah... lobsters... oysters... scallops... tartufi... my favorite meals. There's just something deliciously enticing, subtle and sexy in it, especially the rich flavors and the hint of the sea. It's been a long time since my last tartufi dinner so nothing can be to much, plus, everyone is ready and crazy for decadent tartufi.


I'm shaving some wonderful tartufo for my dearest guests...


Starter: oysters... washed down with 2005 David Leclapart Champagne Cuvée l'Amateur...


First Course: scallops... washed down with 2004 Jean-Claude Bessin Chablis Grand Cru Valmur...


Entree: lobsters... washed down with 1995 Karl Erbes Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese...


Dessert: cranberry.... washed down with 1996 Roberto Anselmi I Capitelli Veneto IGT.

Yum-yum-yum in every way.

Tartufo Club

The Truffle hunting season continues... this time at M-Bar :-)


The Chef


Tasty and delicious vegetarian tartufo risotto a la Paul, washed down with


2006 Sebastien Riffault Sancerre Rouge Raudonas
Eye: Somewhat light read
Nose: Ripe, very nice and spicy...
Palate: Ripeness, acidity, minerals and spices...
Finish: Not so long but very nice and refreshing.
Decanted: -
Note: This is my first red from Sancerre, it is amazing Pinot Noir and I'll look for more. (87 pts.)


And tortelini a la Zoran, with spinach, carrots and tartufo...

Both dishes are simple, fresh, glorious ;-)

The Truffle hunting season begins...

I've been lucky to have first Tartufo dish this year...


Nice salad with carrot, spinach and orange peels


Marinade deer tenderloin with polenta and tartufo, a tasteful dish; simple and well-put-together.

Washed down with... well... we tried 1993 Pommard Robert Ampeau & Fils at first. Unfortunately bottle was spoiled (oxidized) :-/ So, we continued with Gigondas...


2001 Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas
Eye: Dark red
Nose:Grenache aromas with dust and spice...
Palate: Fresh and well balanced.
Finish: Medium
Note: Excellent food wine
Decanted: - (87 pts.)

That's all and looking forward for more.

My thoughts on Truffles

Mysteriously, the first time I ever ate a truffle was around 18 years ago in Singapore, at the French restaurant. I had a cooked chicken with a truffle-butter sauce…

As the story goes, one bite is all it takes; you ether love it or hate it. Not so, at lease not in my case anyway. A few years after, I had a foie gras with black truffles on toast. This time around, one bite and I was hooked.

Since then I've been fortuned to eat black and white truffles, in different restaurants, in variety of dishes. Also cooking my favorite recipes, but always using truffle products like truffle oil, paste, butter, truffle juice and such, until recently!


I found a good supplier in Denmark and I've start to use fresh tartufo. I've tried smashed potatoes with truffle, pasta tossed in truffle oil with shaved truffles, truffle risotto…


I've even both a retro truffle shaver :-D

Here's some home made dishes.


Ravioli tossed in truffle oil and shaved truffles


Beef with truffle (unfortunately not a Kobe beef)


Ready for scrambled eggs with winter truffle

By my opinion Tartufo is a sublime ingredient, a delicate and sexy. Truffles infuse their odor and flavor to everything around them, and they work perfectly with submissive and agreeable ingredients.

In short the truffle always take the center stage and work its magic!