Truffle lovers eagerly await the mushroom season every year. The delicacy only possesses its best flavor when freshly harvested. The coveted gourmet mushroom is available in various varieties and qualities. When using them in the kitchen, you should keep a few things in mind to fully enjoy the rare aroma!
What exactly are truffles?
Truffles are so-called ascomycete fungi that grow underground into a tuber. Growing in symbiosis with certain tree species such as oak, linden, spruce, or nut trees, the fungus prefers calcareous soils and is only rarely found in coniferous forests. The skin of the tuber is similar to tree bark, and the flesh of both white and black truffles is marbled.
The irregular shape certainly influenced the naming of this gourmet mushroom, as the word truffle is derived from the Latin tuber, meaning lump or bump. Before haute cuisine discovered this gourmet mushroom, truffles were a staple of country cooking in their regions of origin.
The best truffles come from Italy and France
Truffles are rare and hard to find. This makes these edible mushrooms so precious and is also reflected in their price. A good truffle will therefore always have a high price, while an expensive truffle is not always of high quality.
The best truffles come from Italy's Piedmont, and from the Périgord and Provence regions in France. But Spain, Istria, Hungary, and Turkey are also known for this gourmet mushroom.
Australia and New Zealand cultivate the delicacy in so-called truffle groves. However, cultivation is demanding, and yields remain extremely low even after years. Nowadays, you can even find truffles from China in our markets. They are cheap but clearly of inferior quality. In Germany, they are under nature protection and may not be harvested.
White truffles are available fresh from October to December, while black truffles are in season from December to March.
Why are truffles so expensive?
Truffles are rare and can only be found with time and patience. The flourishing of the fungus depends heavily on climate and weather conditions, and they grow 30 to 40 centimeters underground. Pigs have an excellent sense of smell and love truffles. The fungus emits the hormone androstenone, similar to a boar, thereby attracting female pigs.
However, pigs are reluctant to give up their prey once they have found the precious item. Therefore, trained truffle dogs are now mostly used for the search. The Italian dog breed Lagotto is particularly frequently used for this. Unlike pigs, the dogs also protect the forest floor. On Sardinia, even goats find the precious delicacy.
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