Donating their time and mad skills to serve up multicourse truffle menus for the event are three SoDel Concepts chefs: Chef Jason Dietterick for Bluecoast on the 21st, Chef Chris Parks for Lupo di Mare on the 22nd, and Chef Maurice Catlett for Fish On on the 23rd; and lending a hand at all three restaurants is their corporate chef himself, Chef Doug Ruley, who has received many awards, including those for menu creation and meal preparation at the James Beard House.

What’s In Store For You

1st Night: April 21 – Bluecoast Seafood Grill + Raw Bar 

Menu: Truffled Steak Frites, Popcorn Grits – Truffle Poutine, Octopus Carpaccio, Cockle Truffle Chowder, and Plums with Truffle Honey

For tickets, contact Shannon Colburn at 302.537.0100 or shannon@sodelconcepts.com.

2nd Night: April 22 – Lupo Italian Kitchen 

Menu: Black Truffle Arancini, Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Jus, OC Tuna Crudo with Truffle Vinaigrette, Truffle-Stuffed Guinea Hen, and Olive Oil Cake with Truffle Gelato

For tickets, contact Alexis Schreiber at 302.226.2240 or alexis@sodelconcepts.com.

3rd Night: April 23 – Fish On: Seafood Grill & Bar 

Menu: Fried Sweetbreads with Truffle Honey, Bacon & Egg Pincho, Lobster Dumplings with Truffle Cream, Dayboat Scallop in Truffle Broth, and Sweet Corn Ice Cream with Truffle Popcorn

For tickets, contact Lisa Wheeler at 302.645.9790 or lisa@sodelconcepts.com.

And as diners experience the wonders of truffles, Susan Alexander will be joining the chefs in discussing the courses further and demystifying the diamonds of the gourmet world in hopes of making them more approachable and less intimidating to cook at home.

Tickets for each venue are $75, and all proceeds will benefit MoW L-R and go towards providing even more meal services to local homebound residents. Reception starts at 6PM, and dinner at 7PM. Tickets are going real fast and seating is limited, so book your table today! Follow Susan Alexander on Facebook and join her on Twitter (#LTBT) for the latest updates.

The post Let There Be Truffles: Wine & Dine for a Good Cause appeared first on Susan Alexander Truffles.

That said, it’s so easy to be so good at being so bad at waiting! We expect for fast results, when some things actually do require time, hard work, and persistence. And growing truffles and being your own boss sure are among them.

The Hit-and-Miss Affair

Truffles are not for the impatient. Growing them is nothing like growing strawberries, where you plant them one day and know for sure how many number of days later they will fruit. It’s a notoriously tricky feat, which requires very strict and incredibly complex combination of soil, tree species, and climate. And even if every condition is met, there’s no guarantee that truffles will grow. But, hey, there’s also no guarantee that they won’t, right?

Susan Alexander inspecting truffle trees 

6-inch truffles, anyone?

I liked the challenge of it, I thought. It excited me! Sure, there wasn’t a lot of information when I first started out, but I woke up a beginner every day, tried different things, and experienced a lot of failures along the way. I knew I’d have to wait about 7-9 years for my truffles to grow; then again, who said you can’t do anything in between? I continued learning techniques from farmers, created more truffle products, and ultimately decided to take on the next challenging goal I had set to achieve: being the CEO of my own business.

Jumping the Corporate Ship

I became the CEO of Black Diamond French Truffles, Inc in 2007. The dream was to create a commercial truffle orchard in America consisting of growing the Black Diamond French Perigord truffle native to Europe. I had a clear vision of the journey I want to take and the things I want out of my business; however, I also needed to expand my vision on what’s possible. And what better way to do this than to read books about people you admire and study their success?

So then I turned to one of the world’s most recognized business leaders and the nation’s most effective energy expert, T. Boone Pickens, who himself is inspired by another successful man, the investing powerhouse Warren Buffett. I picked up Pickens’s book, The First Billion is the Hardest, which, by the way, references Buffett extensively throughout—and reading it sure felt a lot like learning from both of them. Starting out in the industry, I knew there were brilliant things to learn from people who, while in their 70s/80s, were (and still are) at the top of their game, kick-starting projects and enterprises that may not even reach completion during their lifetime but did it anyway, not only because they wanted to see them happen but also because they needed to happen. And Pickens’s book? A true reinforcement of my sky-is-the-limit theory. He made and lost billions more than once, and I truly discovered we get more than one chance.

Susan Alexander talking about truffles

With sheer hard work and persistence, my mission to bring truffles to America eventually grabbed international headlines and piqued the interest of such top media publications as USA Today, Fox Business News Prime Time, W Magazine, and Luxury Living. In 2009, I was invited to the San Diego Festival as a special guest, along with with Chef Gary Thompson; and in 2011, I got inducted into the New Hampshire chapter of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs as the Professionnel de la Table. I’m a member of Women Chef & Restaurateurs, a board member of the Agricultural and Technical College in Greensboro, and I work with State Agriculture departments, European truffle experts, and truffle growers throughout the world. I wanted to create something phenomenal, and so far, the ride has been just that!

Being my own CEO is as exciting and challenging as growing truffles. While the former calls me to venture the unpredictable lands of the corporate world, the latter teaches me the value in braving through and working extra-hard for great rewards. And like being a captain of a ship, you steer and give direction, and the company ends up in a good place! Much confidence and strength is required in being your own boss and growing the diamonds of the gourmet world, and if you persist hard enough, you’ll find yourself standing firm, caring about the people who share your passion, and creating an even stronger foundation for the future.

The post Persistence in Growing Truffles and Being Your Own Boss appeared first on Susan Alexander Truffles.

Digging, digging, digging!

Living in the Now

It all started when I bought a piece of land locally, and it was around the same time I had 3 deaths in the family. I lost my mother, my bulldog died, and one of my friends was fatally injured—all these within 3 weeks. It was depressing. I remember freezing in the moment. Acknowledging how impossible the situation feels (and even sounds) was all I could do—’til I got a call from a friend. She insisted that I check out this piece of property. “I don’t really feel like going anywhere right now,” I said. “Come with me. I really want you to see it. You won’t get it again,” she said.

So I came, and there was this huge lake and all this land, and I couldn’t believe the whole thing was up for sale. “No way,” I said. “Yeah,” she said. It was beautiful with all its unreal colors, like something straight out of a painting. And somehow, it was spiritual. The place called to me, and I thought, “I’ve got to have this.” And I usually don’t do that.

… but thanks to books like Lily-Therese Wiltfong’s Flash Forward, I realized I can claim anything I want in life—that instead of winning the Great Battle of Waiting for My Fate to Strike, I can bloom where I’m planted, and let my choices now design my future.

Embracing Present Opportunities

I put the land together and made a silly promise to not develop it (i.e. build condos on it). With 300 acres of land on my hands, it was easy to have long strings of what-am-I-going-to-do’s and a whole bunch of other worries. “Wouldn’t it be great if I could grow truffles?” I asked. Sure seems random, but trust me, it wasn’t. I love truffles—so much, that I would get them every year for Christmas. I knew little to nothing about growing them, though. But hey, I got to do what I got to do, so I went to France and explored, reached out to mycologists, and checked in with universities. And when I realized it hadn’t really been done here, I thought, “How about a commercial truffière?”

It was terrifying, but thanks to books like Lily-Therese Wiltfong’s Flash Forward, I realized I can claim anything I want in life—that instead of winning the Great Battle of Waiting for My Fate to Strike, I can bloom where I’m planted, and let my choices now design my future. Sure, there were heaps of knocks and bumps but, see, sometimes, really good things can happen in really messed up ways.

Me, examining a truffle tree with Chef Nick Stellino

The Future

There’s always this basic understanding that all is possible and we make things happen! And apologies for the exclamation overkill, but if that’s not amazing then I don’t know what is!

After what seemed like a long wait for truffles to grow, I decided to create some products. Everyone’s like, “What do truffles taste like?” anyway! And while I couldn’t afford to feed the world with truffles, I can whip up a simple truffled popcorn—and so I did. The next thing I knew, I was creating more truffle products… and developing a love for helping other businesses grow.

Nothing beats being in the presence of someone who shares the same passion and is as motivated as you. I’ve been involved in helping other entrepreneurs and businesses grow for years, and, busy as I may be, I do it because we need each other in these positions to generate ideas, share experiences, and direct guidance. Just imagine what brainpower generated by two or more chefs/ entrepreneurs/ business professionals can create! And while you’re at it, think about how much growth we’d have with others tapping into new insights and discoveries! There’s always this basic understanding that all is possible and we make things happen! And apologies for the exclamation overkill, but if that’s not amazing then I don’t know what is! (Oops, I did it again!)

When I first thought about growing truffles, I just knew how phenomenal it would be. I was presented with opportunities that match my passion, grabbed each by the balls, and made things happen instead of waiting for the future to unfold. I help businesses and get involved because I find the more you participate and share, the more enlightened we become.

So why a truffière? To that, I say, why not?

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Isn’t it everyone’s biggest fear, though? There’s so much that can go wrong—from mispronouncing easy words, down to blanking out. You get up there and you feel your stomach doing a 360, and adrenaline rush just hitting you hard. You plaster on a smile, then talk, but holy macaroni, those butterflies just won’t stop! It’s an entirely different story, though, when you’re on a crusade to change global gourmet with truffles: you put your #GirlBoss pants on and #hustle.

Little Steps to Fearless Speaking

Trust me when I say that I’ve tried different tricks to overcome this fear. Joke about my nervousness? Yup. Imagine the audience as friends I haven’t seen for a decade? Uhuh. Do power poses? Oh, yes! But reading Gary Genard’s Fearless Speaking was my favorite! Okay, not exactly a “trick”—books are learning tools, after all!—but it sure helped me unleash my vocal power. It’s this life-changing book filled with “Aha!” moments; a courage-builder that will, for sure, last a lifetime! And I say this because it offers a clear picture of how to make our voices heard to others exactly as we intended. The book cuts to the heart of what speakers of all sorts deal with, and it does that without resorting to picture-your-audience-naked type of clichés.

… those butterflies just won’t stop! It’s an entirely different story, though, when you’re on a crusade to change global gourmet with truffles: you put your #GirlBoss pants on and #hustle.

Now fast-forward to when more and more people were learning about the orchard. Many stories, interviews, and inquiries were being scheduled for me as president for media/press. All was good, as I felt like I was merely speaking with friends. They were like hosting a party, so it was a lot of fun—until Fox News called for a live TV interview for prime time showing. Dun, dun, dun!

Susan Alexander on Fox News

That One Time With Fox News

A remote camera crew came to the orchard and, man, oh, man, I was LIVE! I was nervous then excited then back to nervous. I really had to prepare in a different way—we’re talking about millions of viewers! And being in the CEO position, I also had to follow securities exchange laws. I practiced speaking clearly, had no single clue as to what questions I’d be asked—so much studying of all the possibilities! It was a very hot day, and many bees were swarming the area we were filming in, but hey, it was LIVE, so I had to ignore everything around me and answer the commentator.

It’s this life-changing book filled with “Aha!” moments; a courage-builder that will, for sure, last a lifetime! And I say this because it offers a clear picture of how to make our voices heard to others exactly as we intended.

It was light and easy once I got into the conversation of the interview. As Gary tells us, be yourself, and “on” it is a different place where you find your true voice. The interview was a total success, and I was nervous to begin with an adrenaline rush, anticipating the interview.

So does my stomach still do a 360? For sure! Do adrenaline rushes still hit me hard? Absolutely! But I’ve also come to understand how, whenever I get up in front of a crowd—regardless of how many times I’ve done it, I’m always going to be nervous. And that’s okay. Equipped with the wisdom I acquired from reading Fearless Speaking, I can now face any audience with confidence and ease.

The post On Leading Truffle Crusades & Speaking Fearlessly appeared first on Susan Alexander Truffles.

Susan Rice Alexander with Chef Janice

Now I sometimes get nervous when I do interviews but once I get started and dive into the conversation, I get an adrenaline rush, and let my inner fierce out (ha-ha!). What made this particular conversation so special, though, is it’s with two incredibly smart women who hang out to listen to people’s stories and share them in hopes of helping others discover how to be better in the kitchen, in business, and in life in general. Their podcast is their means of sharing all that to the world, and it warms my heart to know that my story’s deemed worth telling.

I’m pretty sure you know how podcast interviews go, but trust me, listening to this one will make you feel like you’re overhearing friends talk. You’ll hear passion come right through, loud and clear, and extreme fascination scream in between—especially around the part where I do a bit of cooking, and truffles’ earthy aroma permeates all over the room! It’s absolutely interesting, and if you’re keen to know my truffle story, then I suggest you give it a listen by checking out Say Yes to the Chef’s website (select Show 41 – Truffles in North Carolina… and We Don’t Mean the Chocolate Kind) or by clicking here.

Truffles will always be – as kids today say – “my jam”. I’ve dedicated years of my life to it, and it’s great to have had the opportunity to share bits and pieces of it with you (ah, technology!). If you wish to know more about truffles, you can check out my blog, or if you want to do some cooking yourself (truffles, you see, can be an everyday luxury at home!), browse through my selection of truffles recipes, or if you have questions you’d like to ask, know I’m only a tweet/Facebook message away!

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America’s leading truffle expert and founder of the country’s largest truffle orchard, Susan Alexander, has set up a shop at the popular Streets at Southpoint Mall (Durham North Carolina) for the month of December!

Truffles have a long history of being the “Diamonds of the Gourmet World” and are highly sought after in the top restaurants around the globe.

Do you have a food lover in your family or among your friends? Want to “wow” them with an amazing gift this holiday season? Yes? Then one of Susan Alexander Truffles’ high quality and tasty products will be perfect! Just hop down to Susan’s kiosk to pick up:

Black Perigord Truffles

Fresh French Black Perigord truffles
Black Winter Truffle Oil
Truffle Salt
Truffle Salt & Pepper
Truffle Popcorn Holiday Gift Boxes

Also, be sure to follow Susan’s team on Twitter because they’ll be announcing specials and free tastings from time to time, too! What’s more, they’ll announce when the enthusiastic and inspiring Susan herself will pop in to answer questions and discuss all things truffle!

The Susan Alexander Truffles kiosk is located on the ground floor – right in the middle of Southpoint Mall – behind Santa and Christmas tree. This treasure trove of truffles is adjacent to Michael Kors and William Sonoma, and by the exit of Barnes & Noble and Pottery Barn. More details here: http://www.streetsatsouthpoint.com/

Don’t put off getting that special gift for your foodie lover friends or family – hop in today!

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Take gourmet truffles for example. Only mature, high quality ones are the best ingredient offered in fine dining restaurants. Treated as scarce gourmet commodity, the sale of truffles remains quite exclusive. Truffle harvesters know this quite well so they do their best to get premium grade supplies for their select customers.

Susan Rice Chaine de Rotisseurs induction

Susan Alexander understands this perfectly. As a leading businesswoman and grower of high quality truffles, she has established a good name for herself and her business. In fact, she has been recently inducted into a prestigious food society, “Chaine des Rotisseurs” as the “Professionnel de la Table” for her efforts to bring French black truffles to the U.S. This elite recognition just strengthen the fact that she is the person to go to when it comes to truffle growing and marketing. Her truffle orchard is the largest in the United States and second largest in the world. This makes Susan Alexander the top provider for high quality truffles.

Gourmet truffles have an extremely short shelf life so if you need a good supply for this then you might want to look for a top supplier today. Sure, there are mushroom brokers and other growers around, but if you need a constant supply of it for your restaurants and food business, then it is best to contact Susan Alexander right away.

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Olivia – Italian Water Dog

Meet Olivia – the newest addition to the staff. She’s an Italian water dog that is specifically bred and trained to hunt truffles.

Early trufflehunting

Dogs like her were not the top choice to do the work back then. In the early days, only pigs do the job of sniffing and hunting truffles. These are also known as truffle hogs, who use their strong sense of smell to be able to locate and identify truffles from as deep as three feet underground. Swine’s nose work has proved to be really helpful for finding mature truffles, but eating these is inevitable, so it is best to keep a close eye on them while they do the job.

Now, dogs have surpassed pigs for finding truffles due to a lot of factors. For one, they have more energy and stamina to endure the task of sniffing and searching the truffles. This enables them to cover more areas of land in the process. Specially trained dogs are also attracted to mature truffles, thus prevents unnecessary digging and leaving unripe truffles deep in the ground.

Getting dogs to do the job of hunting truffles is quite expensive.They have to be trained well specifically for this purpose but once they’re done with it, they are proved to be a valuable asset to the business.

So the next time you eat your truffle, remember that someone like Olivia went to great lengths to find one for you.

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Susan Rice Chaine de Rotisseurs induction

It is always a great thing when your peers recognize you for your contributions to the industry. The prestigious Chaine des Rotisseurs inducted our very own Susan Alexander for popularizing the French black truffles in the American tables.

The induction ceremony was held during the “Vive La Truffle!” event organized at Portsmouth. It was the crowning glory of that wonderful occasion.

What is the Chaine des Rotisseurs and why their recognition should carry weight? First of all it is one of the most esteemed food and wine societies in the world. Second, they are considered the oldest and the biggest society of its kind, with its founding dating all the way back to 1248 in Paris. They always take into serious consideration their dining experiences and they help to spread the word so others can also experience them.

Some of their members include crowned heads of European countries and other distinguished individuals.

Susan Alexander’s recognition was the result of her establishing the largest truffle orchard in the whole of the United States. The orchard covers 200 acres of farmland, with soil and environmental conditions that are perfect for the production of high quality truffles.

Her passion with truffles and her culinary skills helped her create exquisite truffle products that the American market has grown to love.

Her induction to the Chaine des Rotisseurs is a testament to her successes as a food entrepreneur as well as her efforts to invite to people to take a bite of truffle inspired food creations.

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