With a few quiet words from the trifolau, the curly-haired Lagotto Romagnola knew it was time to go to work. The truffle-hunting dog shot off into the dark woods with his master right behind him. He darted left and zigged right in no discernible pattern, nose to the ground pushing through the leaves. Suddenly he raced directly toward a tall oak and frantically dug in the dirt near the roots. The man caught up and took over digging with his vangeto, a long wooden pole with a narrow trowel at the end. As he carefully lifted the buried treasure from its hiding place, the air was scented with an earthy aroma – a primal musky smell with hints of garlic. He praised his dog and gave him a biscuit, then gently returned the soil to the hole so more of the fungi can grow. Only then did he hold out the pungent prize for us to see – a large walnut-sized white truffle.

When, Where and How to Hunt for White Truffles

Fall is white truffle season in Italy. Flavorful black truffles grow in the summer and late spring brings the milder biachetti truffles, but the “white diamond of Italy” as the white truffle is sometimes called, grows from September to December, and is the most prized variety. They can bring nearly $4,000 a pound in the global gourmet market!

 

Man has never successfully grown truffles in an artificial environment, so the trifolau (truffle hunter) and his dogs continue to hunt truffles in the age old fashion. Actually, dogs are relatively new to the sport, give or take a hundred years. Historically pigs did the hunting, but dogs replaced them because they are less destructive and don’t consume as much of the precious harvest. That’s not to say the sniffers don’t occasionally enjoy a very expensive doggie treat, but truffles are plentiful, if elusive.

Truffle hunters keep their hunting grounds close to the chest and are even likely to brag about coming home from a hunt empty-handed – even if not true – presumably to avoid taxes or the jealousy of their peers. But, somewhat surprisingly, many of them will take curious tourists and aspiring gourmands into their prized hunting grounds for a personal truffle hunting experience. Many excursions include tastings or an authentic lunch, all for a fee, of course.

Preparation and Presentation of White Truffles

The tartufo blanco (white truffle) must be consumed within a couple days of being pulled from the dirt, as they lose their flavor and scent quickly. To prepare them, the truffles are cleaned by shaking gently in water, then dried and carefully dusted with a metal brush. Next they are wrapped and refrigerated, then delivered to gourmet kitchens across the globe.

The taste of a truffle is akin to an intense mushroom flavor or has been described as meat, mold and even sweet body odor. That may not sound terribly enticing but the mysterious scent of truffles magnifies the allure. The tantalizing aroma of truffles is slightly earthy, with hints of garlic or nuttiness. It’s said that eating or even smelling truffles is like being drugged and the Romans considered the delicacy an aphrodisiac.

Words just can not adequately describe the sensory experience of a relatively simple truffle dish. Photo credit: Heather Cowper cc

Cooking white truffles lessens their flavor so they are often thinly shaved raw over simple dishes like fried eggs or buttered gnocchi. Black truffles, on the other hand, are best if sautéed in butter, but equally good over buttered tagliatellini. Pecorino cheese drizzled with truffle-infused honey, zolfino beans in a broth seasoned with onions and truffle shavings, or a hunk of fried beef sprinkled with grated truffles are only a few of the epicurean delights of white truffle season in Italy.

Festivals in Italy During White Truffle Season

The white truffle season in Italy is celebrated in numerous festivals honoring the mysterious, magical white truffle, including:

• Tuscany – La Sagra del Tartufo Bianco in San Miniato, a medieval hill town halfway between Pisa and Florence. The first three weeks in November 2013 will be the 43rd annual event. The small town of San Giovanni d’Asso also holds an event in mid-November.
• Piedmont – Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco  in Alba is a month long celebration, now in its 83rd year, with a truffle market, events and exhibitions.
• Umbria – Mostra Mercato del Tartufo, the Trade Fair of Truffles, is held in Pietralunga in mid-October. Citta di Castello also has a festival of truffles and forest products.
• Le Marche – Acqualanga, the self-appointed “truffle Capital,” has an annual white truffle festival.

Gourmands the world over know the exquisite delight of white truffle season and there is no better place than  to experience the delicacy than in right in its home of Italy. To find out more about truffle hunting trips in Italy, contact Covington Travel’s vacation experts.