Truffles Everywhere at the Walk on the Wild Side Oregon Truffle Festival 2015

Last week, I attended the Walk on the Wild Side Chef Showcase at the World Forestry Center. This is the 10th year for the Oregon Truffle Festival that celebrates native Oregon black and white truffles. However, it is the first year that besides the events in Eugene that include Truffle Dog events, cooking classes, and forums, there were a few events that were being held in Portland/Yamhill.

This event was a walk around cocktail style event where various chefs from Oregon and Seattle offered small bites in which they utilized Oregon black truffles or white truffles while guests were also able to enjoy various beer, wine and spirits.
Walk on the Wild Side 2015 Walk on the Wild Side 2015

Here’s a recap of the various truffle bites I enjoyed!

From Olympic Provisions, white truffles were incorporated into a salami with sea salt, while the black truffles were mixed into the mustard to add additional oomf to other cured meats on the charcuterie table.
From Olympic Provisions, white truffles were incorporated into a salami with sea salt, while the black truffles were mixed into the mustard to add additional oomf to other cured meats on the charcuterie table at the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015

Dustin Clark, previously of the now shuttered famous Wildwood Restaurant and working on opening new restaurant The Oddfellow Social brought Crispy Tater tots with fontina and tobiko and black truffle and also a Bánh nậm, a vietnamese dish of white truffle infused rice flour with roasted cauliflower and Meyer Lemon on a banana leaf.
Crispy Tater tots with fontina and tobiko and black truffle by Dustin Clark for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Crispy Tater tots with fontina and tobiko and black truffle by Dustin Clark for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Bánh nậm brought by Dustin Clark, a vietnamese dish of white truffle infused rice flour with roasted cauliflower and Meyer Lemon on a banana leaf for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015

Jason Wilson of Crush brought out a squid risotto with black truffle, cauliflower and grilled scallion sauce
Jason Wilson of Crush brought to the table squid risotto with black truffle, cauliflower and grilled scallion sauce for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015

Stephanie Pearl Kimmel and Crystal Platt of Marché Restaurant in Eugene celebrated black truffles and white truffles with dishes of Boudin Blanc with black truffles and mustard cream and a Celery Root Panna Cotta with white truffles and a apple celery hazelnut salad and trufle aioli. I also appreciated how they beautifully added to their tablescape with trees and pine cones.
Stephanie Pearl Kimmel of Marche in Eugene celebrated truffles with Boudin Blanc with black truffles and mustard cream and a Celery Root Panna Cotta with white truffles and a apple celery hazelnut salad and trufle aioli for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 tephanie Pearl Kimmel of Marche in Eugene celebrated truffles with Boudin Blanc with black truffles and mustard cream for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Stephanie Pearl Kimmel of Marche in Eugene celebrated truffles with a Celery Root Panna Cotta with white truffles and a apple celery hazelnut salad and trufle aioli for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015

Brian McCracken and Dana Tough of multiple restaurants in Seattle (and branded under the awesome McCracken Tough moniker) showed off a pastrami cured kobe beef Philly cheesesteak with melted cheddar and black truffle, as well as a White truffle headcheese with greens, white truffle cream, and shaved white truffle that showcased the truffle flavor the best I think that evening – every bite you can taste truffle.
Brian McCracken and Dana Tough of multiple restaurants in Seattle showed off a pastrami cured kobe beef Philly cheesesteak with melted cheddar and black truffle for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Brian McCracken and Dana Tough of multiple restaurants in Seattle (and branded McCracken Tough also brought my favorite truffle showoff dish of the night, a White truffle headcheese with greens, white truffle cream, and shaved white truffle

There were also two entries from Justin Wills for the Restaurant Beck with a Financier with arugula cheese and black truffle and a fancy modernist Crab bisque foam on Meyer lemon gelee with parsnip, tarragon crumble, watercress, and white truffle.
Financier with arugula cheese and black truffle by Justin Wills for the Restaurant Beck for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Crab bisque foam on Meyer lemon gelee with parsnip, tarragon crumble, watercress, and white truffle by Justin Wills for the Restaurant Beck for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015

Tyler Malek of Salt and Straw with Woodblock chocolate ice cream scoop, black truffle ice cream scoop, white truffle magic shell, white truffle gummy bears, shaved black truffle, seriously those gummy bears were awesome: here you can see him hand shaving the black truffle on top and then adding the white truffle gummy bears for every sundae served!
Tyler Malek of Salt & Straw hand shaving the black truffle on top of his offering for the evening, a truffle sundae with with Woodblock chocolate ice cream scoop, black truffle ice cream scoop, white truffle magic shell, white truffle gummy bears, shaved black truffle for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Tyler Malek of Salt & Straw adding the white truffle gummy bears on top of his offering for the evening, a truffle sundae with with Woodblock chocolate ice cream scoop, black truffle ice cream scoop, white truffle magic shell, white truffle gummy bears, shaved black truffle for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Tyler Malek of Salt and Straw with Woodblock chocolate ice cream scoop, black truffle ice cream scoop, white truffle magic shell, white truffle gummy bears, shaved black truffle for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Tyler Malek of Salt and Straw with Woodblock chocoalte ice cream scoop, black truffle ice cream scoop, white truffle magic shell, white truffle gummy bears, shaved black truffle for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015

Jason Stoller Smith of Timberline Lodge with pumpkin ganache with white chocolate, white truffle, pine nuts and microgreens and who doesn’t love egg? Now add chicken skin! AND truffle? So Jason brought sous vide egg, truffle infused whole milk, chicken skin with black truffle crumble, truffle oil, shaved black truffle and micro shiso
Jason Stoller Smith of Timberline Lodge with pumpkin ganache with white choclate, white truffle, pine nuts and microgreens for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Jason Stoller Smith of Timberline Lodge with sous vide egg, truffle infused whole milk, chicken skin with black truffle crumble, truffle oil, shaved black truffle and micro shiso for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015 Jason Stoller Smith of Timberline Lodge with sous vide egg, truffle infused whole milk, chicken skin with black truffle crumble, truffle oil, shaved black truffle and micro shiso for the Walk on the Wild Side, Oregon Truffle Festival 2015

During the entire evening, there were beverages provided by Erath Winery, Left Coast Cellars, Breakside Brewery, Gilgamesh Brewing, Bull Run Distillery, and Indio Spirits during the evening.

Special thanks to Heather Jones for the Industry Discount she informed me about which allowed me to fit this event into my budget so I could purchase a ticket and attend this event! Check out Heather Jones Consulting and her show with Chris Angelus of Portland Food Adventures, Right at the Fork – a podcast about the Portland food & beverage scene.

The Eugene events are this weekend, if you are interested a few still have tickets left!

What truffle dish sounds like it would have been your favorite?

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