The Truffle
Tuscany is a very important and famous region for the production of the truffles: in the uncontaminated woods of this surprising land are collected the tastiest varieties of this precious and rare fungus with the precious help of the dogs:
-The Precious White Truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico), the Spring White Truffle (Tuber Borchii Vitt), the Summer Black Truffle (Tuber Aestivum Vitt), the Winter Black Truffle (Tuber Uncinatum Ch) and the Precious Black Truffle (Tuber Melanosporum).
Some curiosities…
The truffle is an edible subterranean fungus therefore a fungus that develops, grows and reach its maturation underground living in symbiosis with some small bushes’ roots or trees like the poplars, nuzelnut trees, oaks, lindens and holm oaks.
The truffle gets essential nutrients like water (the 70%) and minerals from these kinds of plants and it gets the shape and the colour from the lay of the land: in this way the external part is more or less smoth and round accoriding to the hardness of the subsoil and the coulor more or less dark or light as in the case of the tufaceous soil of the Precious White Truffle.
At a first glance the truffles are like tubers coated with an external part whose name is peridium that may be either smooth or rough and whose colour, light or dark, changes according to the variety while the internal part, called gleba, presents marble veining. From the observation and analysis of the peridium and gleba we can recognise and distinguish the different species. Once it reaches the right degree of maturation, the fruit gives off a particular unmistakable and unique scent different from one variety to another.
The harvest of the truffles is regulated by a determined regional calendar and the truffle hunters must be in posess of a specific licence issued after they underwent a particular examination. The expert truffle hunter knows well the land and walks the woods’ paths with his faithful dog in the aerly morning far from prying eyes. The dog is well trained and thanks to its skills, succeeds in smelling the ripen truffle that is immediately gathered with extreme care in order not to break it with the help of a special spade.
Being spontaneous, the truffle is so cherished and uncommon to find because its development is strictly determined by an uncontaminated ground not touched by pollution. In the years, unfortunately, the areas of collection (that do not cover the whole Italy) and the quantities harvested reduced compared to the last century.
The harvesting areas are located in correspondance of particular areas whose feautures help and guarantee this precious fungus the contemporary presence of plants and humid and calcareous soils.
How to keep it…
In order to experience its taste and flavour it must be eaten in few days just because it is so perishable.
Useful tips to keep the fresh truffle for one week:
-washing the truffle only at the moment of use.
-wrapping every truffle nugget in a cloth or in a napkin (that will be changed every day) and store it a close glass jar.
-store in the refrigerator 2°-4°
How to use it…
Never clean the truffle ahead of time but few moments before its use: wash it with few drops of fresh water and brush it softly to remove the dirt then dry it carefully with kitchen paper.
The truffle is always served raw cut in thin slices (better with a truffle shaver) either on hot and warm dishes. It is amaziong on tagliolini and risotto but excellent on fried eggs!
Our truffles are carefully selected, cleaned and brushed, checked one by one and divided according sizes and quality, at this stage they are ready to be sold in our Store or to be shipped in Italy and in the main European and Asian cities with 24/48 h express delivery.
