To Truffle or Not to Truffle

What are truffles? Truffles belong to the fungi family along with mushrooms but unlike its cousin they grow below ground and don't develop a stem. Imagine finding a small oddly shaped potato with a pungent odor and most likely you are holding a truffle. Found in remote locations in the United States as well as other areas throughout the world these delicacies often demand a hefty price.

Truffles grow well in forested areas and have formed a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding flora and fauna especially near pine, willow, elm and oak trees. The truffle flavor is akin to garlic and is usually served raw as a topping for foods such as pastas, pizzas and even salads. A light sauce can be created using truffles and it goes extremely well with some cheeses.

In parts of Italy and France the height of truffle season falls late in the year beginning in November running its course up until mid March. Professional truffle hunters are known as trufficulteurs and if you are thinking of asking one to allow you to participate on a hunt don't hold your breath.

The truffle business is big so there is a fair amount of secretiveness. Traveling at night so as to hide colony locations, trufficulteurs use specially trained dogs to track down the pungent aroma truffles exude. In previous years female pigs were used because the smell of truffles closely resembles that of a male pig. Unfortunately the pigs love the taste of truffles so the hunters were hard pressed trying to keep a 200 pound swine from eating the merchandise.

There are a wide variety of truffles to choose from. The state of Oregon provides three basic types called white, black and brown truffles. The Oregon white has a firmer texture than its counterparts while the Oregon brown truffles have a sharp garlic odor more prominent than the rest. The black truffles are known for being larger than most tubers and they also grow deeper in the ground. Another type found in the United States is the Pecan truffle sometimes known as the Texas truffle.

France and Italy boast to having the best truffles in the world. France provides the Perigord otherwise known as the black truffle. The demand for this truffle has increased significantly and has been cultivated in some parts of the U.S., Australia and Spain. With a price tag of over $900 a pound you can see why trufficateurs are so secretive about truffle hunting.

The Italian white truffle or the Piedmont which comes from north and central Italy as well as Yugoslavia rank in price and flavor with the best of them. These truffles are very brittle and can be easily damaged when harvested. Growing at the foot of poplar and oak trees these truffles have a significant peppery flavor which makes it a big seller.

Truffles have been consumed for thousands of years and documentation suggests they were held in the highest regard. In our modern age truffles are used sparingly and alternative solutions are being used such as truffle oil to combat the high price fresh truffles demand. Surprisingly some truffle oils contain no actual truffles whatsoever and have been created by using artificial flavors. These oils are less expensive and can be stored for longer periods of time.