Movie Night Treats: A New Twist for Popcorn

If you haven't yet tried truffle oil, the following recipe may entice you to pick some up. Truffle oil gives finished foods a wonderful flair, a flavor that you can't really pinpoint but is so, so good. It doesn't last long, at most a year, and it must be kept in a dark, cool place to retain its freshness and aroma. Storage in the refrigerator is recommended, and it should be used and enjoyed as much as possible (use it or lose it). It does get solid, but if it sits at room temperature for about ten minutes it will liquefy.

I gave up in my search for a local source. I finally bought some Oregon Truffle Oil online, and reading about the difference between truffles grown in Oregon versus the ones grown in Italy was intriguing. I figured that if I had to pay the high price, and shipping also, that I should buy as local as possible. The Oregon variety does have a more complex flavor, and I thought it was so cool to buy such a specialty product out of...Dayton! Fun.

Anyway, one of their recipe suggestions is to put the oil on popcorn. What a waste, right? Well, when you try it, you'll be in love. It brings popcorn to a whole new level! Basically, you just mix a bit of melted butter with an equal amount of truffle oil, drizzle over the hot popcorn, and sprinkle with salt. Yummmm.

Last night I got a little creative with this basic combination. I melted a little butter and stirred in a bit of smoked sea salt (after grinding the large flakes a little so they'd dissolve faster). I added the truffle oil, stirred, and drizzled over the warm popcorn. Then, I sprinkled a pinch of sugar (well, evaporated cane juice) over the whole lot, and it was amazing!

Note: Yesterday I was in our local specialty cheese shop, A Leap Of Taste, and... they had both black and white truffle oil! For less than $15 per bottle. Figures!! I asked, and they'd just started carrying it, receiving their shipment one week prior. It's an Italian version, and I didn't look too closely at the brand. Maybe a starting point, but on some of these ingredients you get what you pay for. So research may be in order if you choose to purchase some. Keep in mind, also, the volatility of truffle oil and be sure you're buying fresh and not wasting your money on a flavorless product.