Truffle

In the world of gourmet foods, there is one treasure that is literally and figuratively worth its weight in gold – Truffles.

Depending upon the variety of truffle ,these delicious fungi are harvested from late summer to early spring . The truffles harvesters are a secretive lot that keep their special truffle groves to themselves, often taking long winding paths at night or in the early morning fog to confuse those that would try to follow This secrecy has ensured that these rare edibles are still around for us to enjoy and not ravaged by poachers, who would not dig with the care to preserve the truffle forming fungus underground. The actual finding of the truffle is done by either a trained pig or by a mongrel dog (it is said pedigree dogs cannot smell truffles) with its superior sense of smell. Without these four-legged friends, truffles would be virtually unheard of.

The fine white truffle is called Tuber Magnatum Pico -the priciest among truffle. It grows from September till January and is eaten fresh usually shaved over hot steaming pasta, meat or fish. For this couture gastronomy treat get ready to pay a heavier price tag – it all depends on the weight, the quality, the season.

Tuber Melanosporum is the fine black truffle that grows from January till spring and is regarded as the best among the black varieties, quite popular in Istria. This truffle is the priciest among the black varieties.

Tuber Aestivium is also a variety of the black truffle that grows throughout the year with the price lower than the Tuber Melanosporum’s. The Tuber brumale variety is also black and grows in the winter time and also less expensive than the Tuber Melanosporum.