Truffle is an admittedly a strong and distinct flavor: some people love it and others aren’t as big of fans. One person who is a fan, though, is Oprah Winfrey, and that is where the story of our truffle offerings starts. 

In November of 2019, only six months after we launched our gourmet soft pretzels for online purchase, we developed our first variety box of pretzels, our Gourmet Soft Pretzel Gift Box. We created this box for the holiday season, hoping that customers would be interested in sending boxes as gifts or setting their holiday tables with a delicious variety of soft pretzels. We were surprised and delighted when this box was named by Oprah herself to her prestigious list of Oprah’s Favorite Things. 

As awed as we were to be selected for such an esteemed list, we were honored, too, by the company we found ourselves with, both from that year’s list by those companies and product who had been named to the list in years past.

Alumni of Oprah’s Favorite Things can in a way be considered an exclusive club that share a few similarities: They are companies of people dedicated to the craft nature of their offerings, which are delicious and high quality products known and loved by a small but loyal following before being named to the list. After being named to the list, however, these companies find their product garnering attention from a much larger audience.

That was the case for Eastern Standard Provisions, and it was then that we met the folks at Sabatino Tartufi. A well-respected company focused on creating high-quality but accessible and affordable truffle products, Sabatino’s range of blended truffle salts had been named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2017. When they learned about our gourmet soft pretzels, and the fact that we were a fellow Oprah-endorsed brand and product, Sabatino were inspired by the idea of two high-quality ingredients coming together. A gourmet pretzel needs a gourmet salt, after all. 

We were inspired, too, when we learned about the attention to detail Sabatino Tartufi paid in not only the crafting of their products but in the sourcing of their truffles from Umbria in Italy. We felt a kinship with the brand given their family roots and our shared locations in New England.

Working with Sabatino Tartufi, we developed three unique and elevated flavors that we felt not only paired perfectly with our pretzels, but which we thought would wow our discerning customers. The first was White Truffle Pretzel Salt (1 oz packet, $7.49), a classic medium grain sea salt perfect for topping pretzels mixed with dried black summer truffles to add a distinctively rich layer of truffle flavor. That was followed by the addition of Truffle Mustard (4 oz jar, $9.99) —  which offers both the light heat of Dijon mustard and the luxurious flavor of black summer truffle  —  and Truffle Hot Sauce (4 oz jar, $9.99)  — a creamy sauce made featuring both the heat of Calabrian chilis and the earthiness of black summer truffles. 

These exceptional products have been available in a variety of items on our site, including for individual purchase, in combo packs, and in some of our fan-favorite variety boxes including our Let’s Get Saucy Gourmet Soft Pretzel Pack.

It has always been our mission to create high-quality, interesting and exciting snacks, be they gourmet soft pretzels or sets of craft condiments that are perfect for pretzel pairing. Through our partnership with the truffle masters at Sabatino Tartufi, and thanks to our shared recognition as alumni of Oprah’s Favorite Things, we are proud and excited to have extended that mission to a wider and increasingly distinct audience.