It seemed for a bit there like the recession might have killed it, but the absurdly expensive culinary treat that is the truffle is back and once again appearing on fancy menus around town. A part of the 1% looking to partake? Read on. And for the rest of you, well, read on and feel very poor. And don't for a moment think you're fooling anyone with your truffle oil-soaked French fries—those oils are sadly not the real deal. more ›

Even though readers were salivating over the return of truffle season, residents of 10 West End Avenue just wish it would end. Urbani Truffles recently bought space in the building, and brokers say the stench from their fungi is far from the delicate, earthy aroma that goes so well with anything from pasta to french fries. "The lobby smells horrific," said broker Robin Schneiderman. "It plays with your mind a little bit." Rosalind Rodburg even said the smell prevented her from selling her $1.8 million apartment in the building! But hey—one of Le Cirque's owners tells us the truffle aroma is "reminiscent of certain aromas created during romance." So maybe she should just try advertising in the back of the Village Voice? more ›

Click through on the images for Perbacco's black truffle deals, the Knitting Factory's "Summer of Riesling" concert and wine bar crawl, and Shake Shack's hotly anticipated midtown debut. more ›

Restaurateur Danny Meyer sat down with the Wall Street Journal to talk about the future of the restaurant industry. A number of Meyer’s competitors have gone out of business this year because of the recession, and while the USHG boss has been asked about cost-cutting maneuvers before, here Meyer specifically addresses the future of high-end dining in New York:

“I don’t think there’s going to be sustainable demand for restaurants that force you to spend hours there. Long tasting menus will continue to be elected by some but cannot be legislated by the restaurant. We’re going to have more bistros and trattorias. People will have luxury items—caviar, foie gras, truffles—less frequently, having done without them for a year and a half, but they will come to appreciate them more because it won’t be at every bar and grill in the city.”

This summer hasn't been too brutal, so there's no reason not to turn on the AC and make candies. These little truffles are addictive and delicious. more ›

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