Seventh Annual Oregon Truffle Festival Seeks New Culinary Talents With Inspired Recipes

Organizers of the upcoming Oregon Truffle Festival are calling on amateur chefs to submit original recipes featuring the native Oregon white and/or Oregon black truffles for the One Big Truffle Recipe Contest, a competition inspired by the earthy delicacy. A panel of acclaimed chefs will choose finalists whose recipes will be featured at the Oregon Truffle Festival, Jan. 27-29, 2012, in Eugene, Ore.



"The Oregon Truffle Festival is as much a celebration of people as it is food," said Leslie Scott, Oregon Truffle Festival managing partner. "This contest will bring new culinary personalities to the table and spotlight fresh ways of showcasing the unique qualities of Oregon truffles."



Three contest finalists will be chosen by a panel of chefs associated with the Oregon Truffle Festival, and their recipes will be interpreted by Chefs Jack and Chris Czarnecki, whose restaurant, the Joel Palmer House in Dayton, Oregon, is famed for its mushroom and truffles dishes. The three finalists will be invited to attend the festival's One Big Table gala on Friday, January 27th, 2012, and will receive complimentary lodging.



Weekend participants will be the final judges of the three culinary creations, choosing the dish that best represents the magnificence of Oregon truffles. All three recipes will be published on the Oregon Truffle Festival website, and the winning recipe will be published by food writer Molly O'Neill whose book "One Big Table" is the inspiration for this year's Oregon Truffle Festival. The winning chef will receive a full-access pass to all Oregon Truffle Festival events, plus paid lodging.



The Oregon Truffle Festival recipe contest is open to all amateur chefs and home cooks. The deadline for submission is Nov. 30, 2011. Submissions can be made online from the Oregon Truffle Festival website at www.oregontrufflefestival.com.





About the Oregon Truffle Festival

The first event of its kind in North America, the Oregon Truffle Festival will celebrate native truffles - from their hidden source in the forest to their glory on the table. Participants will be immersed in all things truffle - from tasting to touring to hunting this Oregon delicacy.

For the past six years, the weekend festival has enticed and delighted truffle enthusiasts, chefs, foodies, truffle hunters and truffle growers with tastings, tours, workshops and speakers from all over the world. Last year's festival garnered a place on Livability.com's list of Top 10 Food Festivals in America.

This year's festival is inspired by Molly O'Neill's book, "One Big Table: A Portrait of American Cooking." O'Neill previously worked as a food writer for The New York Times and is a James Beard Award-winning author. She wrote the book to debunk the myth that American home cooking had been destroyed by the accessibility to fast food. It features a collection of recipes and stories from people across America who still believe in the generative powers of eating together and the true meaning of "soul food." O'Neill reminds readers of the importance of remaining connected to the food we put on our tables, something that has always been a central theme of the Oregon Truffle Festival.



For more information on the festival, as well as a list of weekend programs and packages, visit www.oregontrufflefestival.com or email festival coordinators at info@oregontrufflefestival.com. Tickets for the various events and packages are available online.