Pizza and pasta are the Italian staples I am familiar with. That made the arrival of the white truffle to the table really awe-inspiring.

I enjoyed a gourmet meal prepared by Claudio Sadler (pictured right), two-starred Michelin chef with Ristorante Sadler at Ch'ien Men 23 in Beijing.

The starter was sliced tomatoes with a slab of mozzarella in the middle. The tomatoes were sun-dried and then slow roasted for hours. Two green basil leaves adorned the top, while capers and olive added to its creamy taste and yielding texture.