Sirio Maccioni stops to smell the mushroom.Photo: Melissa Hom
It hasn’t been a great growing season for white truffles, but the pezzonovanti who frequent Le Cirque won’t let that bother them: Owner Sirio Maccioni has somehow managed to acquire a mammoth one-pound truffle recently unearthed in Italy. Sirio submitted the winning bid of $7,000 for the gigantic tuber, the biggest of its kind found in several years. Sirio’s son Mauro Maccioni, who runs the restaurant along with his father, was thrilled: “Truffles are very scarce this year, so to find such a pristine, large one is really amazing. It’s a gem. It’s almost a shame to eat it!”
Giddy chefsPhoto: Melissa Hom
The precious fungus is accepting your admiration all week. After that, it's time for a shave. Expect to see the truffle in chef Christophe Bellanca’s lush Tallegio-cheese-filled tortelloni and the chestnut-flour tagliatelle with porcini. We would prefer a plain truffle risotto, the better to enjoy the behemoth in all its glory. But since such a dinner would likely cost us a week’s pay, we’ll just enjoy the pictures, like (nearly) everybody else.
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