Truffle Slicer with Olive Wood Handle

From Patricia and Walter's Paris kitchen, this truffle sliver is one of those objects that reveals everything about its owner's cooking priorities. Patricia laughs, calling it "another single-use object!" — but for anyone who has attended one of her winter truffle classes or cooked alongside her in Paris, a dedicated instrument for this single ingredient makes complete sense. The grater itself is a beautifully resolved piece of kitchen design: a polished stainless steel blade, oval and flat, fitted with an adjustable blade controlled by a small knurled thumbscrew that allows the thickness of each shaving to be precisely calibrated. The handle is turned from warm, honey-toned olive wood, its grain visible through a smooth finish. In *The Paris Cookbook*, Patricia asks: "Why make such a fuss over a rather gnarled and unprepossessing black tuber? Because of its rarity, its unpredictable nature, its overwhelming and unique fragrance." This sliver would sit beautifully on a kitchen shelf or in a utensil crock, ready for the moment a truffle appears, or simply as a reminder that some pleasures are worth preparing for properly.