|
The Truffle
King
of table and taste, typical product of Alba, the
truffle is a fungus that lives underground, has a shape of a tuber
made up of a fleshy mass called "glebe", covered with a sort
of rind called "peridium". There exist various types of
truffle:
the "Magnatum Pico"
commonly known as white truffle, the "Melanosporum
Vit" ( the black truffle), the "albidum"
(the ceruse), the "aestivum"
( the scorzone) and the "brumale"
( the winter truffle). The
truffle is born and grows in proximity of the tree roots , in particular
it loves poplar, lime-tree, oak and willow, and can be considered a
parasite. It lives in such a symbiosis with the plant which
"accommodates" it that the color, the scent and even the taste
depend directly on the type of tree with which the truffle is born and
grows. The shape of truffle is also determined by external
factors, but this time it is the land that according to its friability
conditions the tuber: the softer is the soil the smoother and more
perfect will be the truffle.
The truffle has been known since the ancient days, for example, it is
mentioned in the Babylonian texts dated 17th century a.c. and then in
Greek and Roman writings. Many have been the writers who have
mentioned this precious fruit of the earth in their creative works and
many have been the hypothesis of the tuber's formation : some attributed
it to the witches, some to the devil, some to the effect of the
lightnings that hit the land, some even thought it to be of an animal
nature. In the beginning of XVIII the century the truffle of Piedmont,
was well-known in all the European courts and was used by the royals of
Turin as a diplomatic gift of a safe agreement and later Camillo
Benso, the Count of Cavour used it for the same political purpose, and
not only for the satisfaction of taste. Taking a look at
nowadays we cannot but mention Giacomo Morra, the citizen of Alba,
innkeeper and restaurant owner. He is to get the credit not only
for the name given to the truffle "tartufo di Alba" but also
for the brilliant (and as much commercial) idea, in 1949 to give as a
gift to the famous actress Rita Haywort the largest truffle found.
This tradition, never interrupted, is still carried on nowadays and
every year mass media tells about some "trifulao", the truffle
seeker, sending the precious treasure of the earth of Langa to one of
the world-famous personages.
This is how the white truffle of Alba has become well-known on a
world-wide level, a fruit that cannot be cultivated but every year is
donated by the generous nature to the man. Truffle is the
world-wide ambassador of Alba and the Langhe. If you have not ever had a
chance to taste "trifula", the way we call truffle in
Piedmont, when you finally have a chance to taste it, please, pay much
attention to the scent before taste the truffle and your senses we will
be delighted and completely involved, close your eyes... You will
get an impression of flying over the green cozy hills where the truffle,
king of table, comes from!
 |
Valuable
White
Truffle, scientific name TUBER
MAGNATUM PICO. It is the truffle for antonomasia
and it is better known as Tartufo d' Alba or of Piedmont
because it grows much in this region (Langhe and Monferrato)
even if it can be found, though in much smaller amounts,
in some areas of central Italy and in southern France.
The White Truffle has
a globular aspect, with numerous deepenings on the rind
enough to render it of an irregular shape. Nevertheless, the
surface is smooth and slightly velvety. The color
varies from pale ocher to dark cream, in some cases with a
greenish shades. The glebe can't be mistaken for anything
else and is white and grayish yellow with subtle white
venation. Its scent is pleasantly aromatic and
different from all the other species. It lives in symbiosis
with oaks, limes, poplars and it is rarely found in
concomitance with other truffles. The White Truffle, in
order to be born and to grow requires particular ground and
climatic conditions: the soil must be soft and humid for the
great part of the year, other than rich of calcium and
with a good circulation of air . All these characteristics
make the White Truffle rare, highly esteemed and always in
demand. The season of collecting the White Truffles is from
September to December. |
|
|
 |
Valuable
Black
truffle, scientific name TUBER
MELANOSPORUM VITT known as the truffle of Norcia,
Spoleto or swindles de Perigord. It has an almost homogenous
and globular aspect with polyangular warts. The color is
blackish brown but the glebe is fair, its sense is intense
and aromatic.
It grows in the hilly and mountainous zones in symbiosis
with hazel, bay oak and British oak. After the White Truffle
it is considered to be the second valuable from the
commercial point of view. Usually there is little
grass under the tree that "accommodates" the black
truffle. This can be explained by the
mycelium
effect.
The curious detail is the presence of a particular fly
called Anisotoma Cinnamomea that lays its eggs in proximity
of the truffle. The
season of collecting the Valuable Black Truffles is from
December to March. |
|
|
 |
Valuable
Black
truffle, scientific name TUBER
MELANOSPORUM VITT known as the truffle of Norcia,
Spoleto or swindles de Perigord. It has an almost homogenous
and globular aspect with polyangular warts. The color is
blackish brown but the glebe is fair, its sense is intense
and aromatic.
It grows in the hilly and mountainous zones in symbiosis
with hazel, bay oak and British oak. After the White Truffle
it is considered to be the second valuable from the
commercial point of view. Usually there is little
grass under the tree that "accommodates" the black
truffle. This can be explained by the
mycelium
effect.
The curious detail is the presence of a particular fly
called Anisotoma Cinnamomea that lays its eggs in proximity
of the truffle. The
season of collecting the Valuable Black Truffles is from
December to March. |
|
|
 |
Winter
Black
Truffle,
scientific name TUBER
BRUMALE VITT. It can be confused with the Valuable
Black Truffle because it shares the same habitat and the
type of symbiosis plants . The surface is warty and its
color is brownish black. The glebe usually becomes darker
thus highlighting the white venation. It smells of
muscat and it grows in winter under broadleaves in moderate
climate. Its trade value is approximately half of that
of the Valuable Black Truffle. |
|
|
 |
Summer
Truffle, or scorzone,
scientific name TUBER
AESTIVUM VITT.
It can reach remarkable dimensions and is very much like
the Valuable Black Truffle. The peridium is covered with
brown warts. The odor is aromatic and intense. It can
be told from the Black Truffle as its glebe does not become
dark as it ripens, but becomes dark yellow. It grows
both in sandy and clayey soils of the broadleaf forests and
sometimes can even be found in the pinewoods. It is
much appreciated and is often used for the production of
sausages and sauces. The season of collecting the Scorzone
is from May to December. |
|
SaporiDiLanga.com
advises you, if you have a chance, to taste this wonderful product in
its place of origin, here, in Piedmont, in the Langhe. The truffle can
be bound perfectly well any taste, whether it is tenuous and velvety or
strongly fleshy. The Langa offers a great number of ideal wines to
accompany the taste and a fairy-tale landscape of the area is able to
enrich the olfactory and gustative feelings with the visual ones,
filling those who have the fortune to visit the Langa with a storm of
intense emotions that can not be put in words.
At this point an invitation to come visit us is inevitable. The
Langa knows to host you in every season. Feel free to contact us
for any information or advice you might need about this magic area. |
