The Urbani Family From The Burg: Truffles

The Urbani Family From The Burg: Truffles

From the Trenton Times 8/27/2001
Author: M D'AMATO, Staff Writer

Leading truffle importers host reunion

Rooted in tradition and truffles, generations of the Urbani
family gathered at Rat's restaurant for a reunion yesterday.
About 40 family members, including patriarch Paul Urbani,
91, celebrated the occasion with the prized delicacy with
which the family is associated. ''When you think of truffles,
you think of Urbani,'' said Urbani, a Lawrence resident who
was the first to import Italian truffles into the United
States. ''When you think of Urbani, you think of truffles.''
Considered a fungus, truffles are a delicacy used to flavor
food. Unlike the mushroom which grows above ground, truffles
are found 3 to 12 inches below ground, on or near the roots
of trees, usually oak trees. Truffles have a fleshy interior
and warty exterior and are black, brown or white. White
truffles are the rarest. In Italy, the Urbanis have been
in the truffle business for more than a century, starting
with Paolo Urbani in the late 1800s. His son, Carlo Urbani,
later began to can truffles. There was no American branch
of the business until 1907, when Vincenzo Urbani, Paolo's
grandson, left Italy even though his family urged him to
enter the priesthood. ''My grandfather didn't want to
become a priest,'' said Gina Urbani Welsh. ''He decided
to run away to America. While on the ship he met his
future bride, Gina Magi.'' Settling in the Chambersburg
section of Trenton, the Urbanis had five children,
including Paul Urbani, who would later corner the U.S.
truffle market. ''When I came out of the Army, I didn't
have a job,'' Paul Urbani recalled yesterday. ''I looked
at a truffle the family sent from Italy and wondered why
Italian truffles weren't sold in the U.S.'' But it wasn't
easy to compete against the French, who then controlled
the market. ''People didn't want to know about Italian
truffles,'' he said. But Paul Urbani built the business,
even presenting President Richard Nixon with a three-
pound white truffle as a gift in 1971. Since then, the
Urbanis have become the largest distributor of truffles
in America with headquarters in Long Island City, N.Y.,
and other distributors in Chicago, Florida, Texas and
California. ''Whereever they have good restaurants, we
have distributors,'' explained Richard Urbani, who has
continued the Urbani family tradition.In addition to
being the biggest U.S. distributor, the Urbanis lead the
production of truffles worldwide, with 100 tons annually.
Along with the Italian variety, the family also distributes
Spanish truffles from Catalonia and Valencia and French
truffles. Currently, the family is getting ready to offer
the rare white truffle from Alba, Italy. Truffles have a
strong odor which trained dogs and pigs can locate. The
Urbanis prefer dogs,the method they have used for 100 years.
''We don't use pigs because they are not as easy to control
as dogs,'' said Richard Urbani, who handles the Philadelphia
market. ''Also, once pigs locate the truffles, they want to
eat them. They are only a few inches underground and can
easily be damaged. We only want the animal to locate the
truffle and the farmer to dig it up.'' Truffles come in
various sizes, as small as a golf ball or as large as a
football. The cost varies by the color, white being the
most expensive, and whether it's a good or bad crop year.
''Last year was a bad year, and the cost of the white
truffle went as high as $3,000 for the pound,'' Richard
Urbani said. The taste of truffles cannot be compared to
anything, he added. ''It has its own unique taste.''
Some people at the reunion described it as a nutty,
earthy flavor. A cross between a fine-tasting olive and
a mushroom, said Peter Michael Urbani, a chef in
Philadelphia for 11 years. ''It's very earthy,'' he said.
''White truffles, on the other hand have a pungent, smoky
flavor and aroma. You sense it in your whole mouth.''
Beside flavoring main dishes, truffles can be infused
into butter, oils and pate. Among the dishes served at
the reunion were bowtie pasta salad and risotto topped
with slivers of truffles. The good food brought smiles
all around. ''We hope to continue to have these reunions,''
said Richard Urbani. ''We hope to have our Italian
relatives come over.''