"[Ian Purkayastha] has a true, deep expertise in everything he sells--caviar, truffles, fish. He knows the stories that we need to sell the stuff tableside . . . he can disrupt the entire luxury foods market." ---From the Foreword by David Chang Ian Purkayastha is New York City's leading truffle importer and boasts a devoted clientele of top chefs nationwide, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten, David Chang, Sean Brock, and David Bouley. But before he was purveying the world's most expensive fungus to the country's most esteemed chefs, Ian was just a food-obsessed teenager in rural Arkansas -- a misfit with a peculiar fascination for rare and exotic ingredients. The son of an Indian immigrant father and a Texan mother, Ian learned to forage for wild mushrooms from an uncle in the Ozark hills. Thus began a single-track fixation that led him to learn about the prized but elusive truffle, the king of all fungi. His first taste of truffle at age 15 sparked his improbable yet remarkable adventure through the strange -- and often corrupt -- business of the exotic food trade. Rife with tales from the hidden underbelly of the elite restaurant scene, Truffle Boy chronicles Ian's high stakes dealings with a truffle kingpin in Serbia, meth-head foragers in Oregon, crooked businessmen and maniacal chefs in Manhattan, gypsy truffle hunters in the forests of Hungary, and a supreme adventure to find "Gucci mushrooms" in the Himalayan foothills -- the land of the gods. He endures harsh failures along the way but rebuilds with tremendous success by selling not just truffles but also caviar, wild mushrooms, rare foraged edibles, Wagyu beef, and other nearly unobtainable ingredients demanded by his Michelin-starred clients. Truffle Boy is a thrilling coming-of-age story and the incredible but true tale of a country kid who grows up to become a force in the world of fine dining.

“The ultimate truffle true crime tale”*: A thrilling journey through the hidden underworld of the world's most prized luxury ingredient. *Bianca Bosker, New York Times bestselling author of Cork Dork Beneath the gloss of star chefs and crystal-laden tables, the truffle supply chain is touched by theft, secrecy, sabotage, and fraud. Farmers patrol their fields with rifles and fear losing trade secrets to spies. Hunters plant poisoned meatballs to eliminate rival truffle-hunting dogs. Naive buyers and even knowledgeable experts are duped by liars and counterfeits. Deeply reported and elegantly written, this page-turning exposé documents the dark, sometimes deadly crimes at each level of the truffle’s path from ground to plate, making sense of an industry that traffics in scarcity, seduction, and cash. Through it all, a question lingers: What, other than money, draws people to these dirt-covered jewels? Praise for The Truffle Underground “Investigative journalist and first-time author Jacobs does a remarkable job reporting from the front lines of the truffle industry, bringing to vivid life French black-truffle farmers, Italian white-truffle foragers, and their marvelously well-trained dogs.”—Booklist (starred review) “In The Truffle Underground, Ryan Jacobs presents a lively exposé of the truffle industry, reporting on the crimes that ‘haunt the whole supply chain.’ . . . Even if truffles are beyond your pay grade, there is plenty of enjoyment to be had in the sheer devilment portrayed in this informative and appetizing book.”—The Wall Street Journal “You’ll never look at truffle fries the same way after reading this book. . . . You can practically smell the soil as you follow truffle farmers and bandits through the groves and fields of France and Italy where the fungi are harvested and stolen.”—Outside, “Five Favorite Summer Reads” “[The] book is a rigorously reported, carefully written, endlessly interesting immersion in a high-stakes subculture.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Jacobs takes us on an eye-opening journey through the prized mushroom’s supply chain and the global black market for these tubers in this tale of theft, deceit, and high-stakes secrets.”—Real Simple

"A seamless blend of engaging mystery, insider travelogue, a primer in Italian traditions, and a guide to Italian food and viticulture." - Ambassador Magazine Northern Italy is the cradle for a precious culinary gem: the white truffle of Piedmont. Worth more than gold, the truffle is sought after by chefs and foodies alike. But this year, the truffle hunters are in a panic, as they discover that their usual harvest has been stolen from under their feet. Inexplicably, the bodies of murdered hunters turn up, but there are no truffles to be found. A young man from Tuscany, in tow with his aunt and her restaurant crew, pursues the thieves through the hills of Piedmont, and discovers the delicious wine and food of the region.

Truffles have a mysterious appeal about them, but the gourmet treats from a certain shop in New York have become dangerous, even deadly. In Imogen L. Jacobs' first case as a covert agent, she delves deep into the twists and turns of a global truffle business run by members of her family. Flesh and blood relationships, lifelong friendships, as well as nefarious connections with spy agencies, governments, and terrorist groups are interwoven into a multilayered tale of international intrigue, betrayal, and love. Join Imogen as the author's vivid imagination sweeps readers along on an entertaining ride--one that produces plenty of laughs and is generously peppered with steamy romance.

The Foodie Teen offers nutritious, delicious meals from the inspirational, award-winning teenage blogger Alessandra Peters. Alessandra is on a mission to inspire others to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Her approach to cooking centres around eating unprocessed, real ingredients and her recipes are for everyone. They not only taste wonderful, but will make you feel incredible. Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and nutrient-rich, The Foodie Teen contains over 100 dishes, including: - Oven-Baked Meatballs with Courgette Noodles - Salted Caramel Brownie Stacks - Breakfast Burrito Wraps - 'Doesn't-Taste-Like-Pondwater' Green Smoothie - Salmon Patties with Spiced Cauliflower Rice - Pesto Eggs with Avocado and Garlic-Lemon Spinach Alongside her 'dishes to get out of bed for,' after-school snacks and everyday eats, Alessandra also offers yoga sequences, 5-minute meditations and advice on how to deal with stress and anxiety: everything teenagers (and anyone else, for that matter) need to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

A delightful recipe collection of raw cookie dough confections, this is the perfect whimsical treat to “tempt your inner child,” and “highly recommended” for dessert lovers everywhere (Library Journal) Food blogger Lindsay Landis has invented the perfect cookie dough. It tastes great. It’s egg free (and thus safe to eat raw). You can whip it up in minutes. And, best of all, you can use it to make dozens of delicious cookie dough creations, from cakes, custards, and pies to candies, brownies, and even granola bars. Included are recipes for indulgent breakfasts (cookie dough doughnuts!), frozen treats (cookie dough popsicles!), outrageous snacks (cookie dough wontons! cookie dough fudge! cookie dough pizza!), and more. The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook features clear instructions and dozens of decadent full-color photographs. If you’ve ever been caught with a finger in the mixing bowl, then this is the book for you!