The smell of truffles are intoxicating, the culinary equivalent of pure musk. I think that truffles have to be one of the best aphrodisiacs in the gastronomic world. Much sexier than raw oysters and champagne (although I admit raw oysters and anything are pretty yummy). So you can imagine my glee, when I opened my Valentines Day gift only to find not chocolates nor teddy bears nor books (books are a failsafe gift with me) but rather, a collection of truffle oils and pastes. I was a bit worried that my culinary skills wouldn't be up to scratch, but I quickly learned that the aroma of truffles is so characteristic and intense that they are actually quite easy to cook with. This is the recipe I made last night, using things I had in the kitchen.

Sorry guys. This is a little late for Valentine's Day. But come on, every day should be Valentine's Day with your sweetie.

Wild Mushroom and Truffle Pasta

3 cloves of garlic crushed

Olive oil

¾ cup cream

4 cups wild mushrooms diced ( I used porcini mushrooms)

1 tablespoon of truffle paste (I used white truffle and porcini paste)

Pepper

Grated parmesan

Pasta (probably best with an angelhair or spaghetti, although I used farfalle because that is what I had on hand)

1. Cook pasta.(Come on, you don't need me to tell you that...you should have the pasta going at the same time.)

2. Add olive oil and crushed garlic to a pan. Cook on medium for a couple of minutes. The point here is to brown the garlic a bit so that it infuses the oil with flavour. Remove the garlic from the oil.

3. Add the mushrooms. Cook until tender around 5 or 6 minutes.

4. Add the cream, the truffle paste and pepper to taste. Stir well. Cook for a couple of minutes. The cream will reduce quite quickly.

5. Add strained pasta unto the pan and toss with sauce for a few minutes.

Voila. And there you have it. Incredibly easy. Top with fresh parmesan and your done.

Enjoy.