Freezing White Truffle Oil?

Chefs out there- I'm looking for some advice:

We have a number of small bottles of white truffle oil left at the store. While I love the stuff, I'd like to keep it as long possible (kinda my secret stash for special recipes ). I know it can be very perishable, (I keep my opened bottle in the refrig). So what's my best way to keep it: unopened at room temperature, or can /should I freeze them? Refrigerate them unopened?

Also, I was eyeing the recipe for Roasted Yellow Pepper with Goat Cheese crouton soup that Anthony (Lamas) so generously allowed to be printed by the unnamed paper. It sounds incredible and I was thinking of making a large batch (once I can find yellow peppers at a good price). I would think it would freeze well, don't you? And if it would freeze well, would you freeze it with the truffle oil in it, or add the truffle oil after re-warming?

Thanks,
Deb

[Robin Garr]

So what's my best way to keep it: unopened at room temperature, or can /should I freeze them? Refrigerate them unopened?

Deb, my instinct is that oils don't freeze well, although I can't say I've really experimented with it. Refrigerating, of course, caused oils to kind of jell and turn hazy, but bringing back to room temperature seems to clear that up.

I'm thinking that as long as the bottles remain sealed airtight, they should have a pretty good (though not infinite) shelf life, and it's only when you open the bottle and expose the oil to air that the clock starts ticking.

Dunno, though, and I hope someone who's actually fooled with preserving oils by freezing or refrigeration will speak up with the voice of experience.

Meanwhile, though, if you're willing to risk one of the bottles, since they're small, why not freeze one for a couple of days, then thaw, open and compare to a fresh bottle. If it looks, feels, smells and tastes the same after freezing and thawing, then you'll know.

A few years ago I was gifted with a liter of truffle oil. I knew I wouldn't use it all before it went bad so I put it in small (3oz) jars and put them in the freezer. To make sure that they didn't take on any freezer taste I wrapped them in foil and put each one in a ziplock bag. I was in truffle heaven for months after. The flavor didn't seem affected at all, or very little- the last bottle I opened was as fragrant as the first.

Gary,

A whole liter of truffle oil: Wow, I wish I had your friends! (even at cost the stuff is really expensive...)

Thanks so much for the sage advice. Any body else willing to chime in?.

Any thoughts on whether to freeze the soup with or without the truffle oil added?

Deb