4th Annual Napa Truffle Festival, January 17-20, 2014

I don’t know about you, but I always thought it was criminal that the 12 days of Christmas don’t include a gift of truffles. I’d so kick those noisy “calling birds” to the curb and replace them with a basket of these fragrant fungi.

If your sig other is any sort of foodie and you need a very last minute gift, there’s still time to score tickets to the 4^th Annual Napa Truffle Festival , January 17-20, 2014.

The American Truffle Company returns to Napa with the fourth annual Napa Truffle Festival – bringing together two complementary aspects of European truffles:  the best chefs in the world known for their truffle cuisine, and the best truffle experts/scientists in the world recognized for their expertise and data on truffle cultivation. Gourmands and aspiring truffle growers alike will find a bounty of activities throughout the festival weekend to satisfy their craving and curiosity for the flavor and knowledge of one of the world’s most prized and delectable foods.

Recognized around the world as a wine-growing and culinary Mecca, Napa Valley will again serve as the host for the festival weekend, partnering with The Westin Verasa Napa as “truffle central” with specially negotiated prices on rooms exclusively for Festival guests.

Chef Ken Frank

Unique to this Festival is our Michelin Star team of chefs led by Ken Frank of La Toque, presenting culinary demonstrations, and showcasing their extraordinary skills and talents in a tour de force Truffles & Wine Dinner on Saturday evening.

Leading the scientific track will be truffle cultivation expert Robert Chang and mycorrhizal expert/scientist Dr. Paul Thomas.  Plus other special guests tba.

Individual Tickets to one of these unique events make great stocking stuffers. Sniff out some of these offerings:

*Wild Mushroom Forage

*All About Truffles Seminar & Winery Lunch at Nickel & Nickel

*Truffles & Wine Dinner at La Toque

And you certainly won’t want to miss the FREE Napa Truffle Festival Marketplace, January 20th from 10 am -2:00 pm. This  is your chance to sample the extraordinary flavors of the mythic black truffle prepared in every sort of fabulous way by the merchants at Oxbow Public Market–from wild mushroom goat cheese truffle enchiladas, truffled grilled oysters and pizza al tartufo to truffle-infused martini cocktails, rustic rolled dark truffles with roasted almonds (the chocolate kinds), and cookies and cream cupcakes with little pink pigs (as in: they hunt truffles).

However, if the stock market treated you nicely this year the over-the-top, $1,250 Grand Truffle Experience is the only way to roll. Some of the exclusive benefits of this package include:

• You will be pampered from Friday through Monday in every festival activity, all included in this package.
• Meet and mingle with our Michelin Star guest chefs, sans toque, in the exclusive Welcome Reception Friday evening open only to Grand and Epicurean Truffle Weekend Package guests. This is a rare opportunity to interact with these culinary superstars while enjoying exquisite wine and hors d’oeuvres at the Michelin starred La Toque!
• You are guaranteed a place in the Wild Mushroom Forage, which is always in extremely high demand with very limited capacity.
• All transportation during the festival is included so you can freely enjoy all the spectacular wines.
• Includes $50 Truffle Bucks applicable for purchases of special truffle menu dishes at the Festival Marketplace on Monday.

For further information please visit the Napa Truffle Festival website  or if you’re ready to go you can

Buy Tickets here

Originally published on Examiner.com/girlfriend-getaways