Prized by chefs and gourmands across the globe, truffles can be one of the most exquisite and expensive culinary ingredients. Notoriously difficult to cultivate, it takes up to ten years for them to form and only then in certain pockets of land, if the conditions are perfect.
Among about 70 species of truffle that can be found in the world, the black truffle is the most intense and the most revered, with France being its biggest producer. Terroir-driven with meticulous hand-harvesting traditions renders French truffles the epitome of gastronomic excellence, elevating dishes to sublime realms of taste.
How do truffles grow?
Truffles have a symbiotic relationship with hazelnut and oak trees. They will only grow if everything is aligned - the spores need to be inoculated into the roots of the trees, and the soil needs to have certain drainage properties and balance of minerality. The climate needs the right amount of humidity, rainfall, and other weather conditions.
It takes about five years for truffles to start appearing and about ten years to reach consistent truffle harvesting each season. The truffle enigma is that there are many factors, some unknown, that influence how and where truffles grow. Truffles unearthed from the same orchard on the same day can have wildly different aromas, from hints of beetroot to composting leaves and sweet nuttiness. It’s the mystery that surrounds truffles that many find captivating.
LEFT: Scenic Freechoice, Truffle farm, France
How do truffles grow?
Truffles have a symbiotic relationship with hazelnut and oak trees. They will only grow if everything is aligned - the spores need to be inoculated into the roots of the trees, and the soil needs to have certain drainage properties and balance of minerality. The climate needs the right amount of humidity, rainfall, and other weather conditions.
It takes about five years for truffles to start appearing and about ten years to reach consistent truffle harvesting each season. The truffle enigma is that there are many factors, some unknown, that influence how and where truffles grow. Truffles unearthed from the same orchard on the same day can have wildly different aromas, from hints of beetroot to composting leaves and sweet nuttiness. It’s the mystery that surrounds truffles that many find captivating.
ABOVE: Scenic Freechoice, Truffle farm, France
What makes the French truffles so special?
Truffles are grown in Italy, France, Croatia, the USA and Australia, with France being the most prominent producer. The harvest season only lasts about three months, making French truffles a rare indulgence.
Truffles are deeply woven into French culture, and their presence on menus and in culinary conversations is a testament to their significance in the country's gastronomic identity. The black truffle is especially revered because it can be heated to 50 degrees centigrade without losing its aroma, allowing it to be used in a variety of dishes.
Black truffles are also often referred to as Périgord truffles, named after France's prolific truffle-producing area. The centre of Périgord is less than 150 kilometres from Bordeaux, and the surrounding area is ripe with truffle hunting experiences, truffière and even speciality truffle markets.
RIGHT: Périgord truffles, France
What makes the French truffles so special?
Truffles are grown in Italy, France, Croatia, the USA and Australia, with France being the most prominent producer. The harvest season only lasts about three months, making French truffles a rare indulgence.
Truffles are deeply woven into French culture, and their presence on menus and in culinary conversations is a testament to their significance in the country's gastronomic identity. The black truffle is especially revered because it can be heated to 50 degrees centigrade without losing its aroma, allowing it to be used in a variety of dishes.
Black truffles are also often referred to as Périgord truffles, named after France's prolific truffle-producing area. The centre of Périgord is less than 150 kilometres from Bordeaux, and the surrounding area is ripe with truffle hunting experiences, truffière and even speciality truffle markets.
ABOVE: Périgord truffles, France
The art of truffle hunting
It's only possible to find subterranean black truffles with the help of a clever canine, as the dog's sense of smell is 20,000 times more effective than a human's. In some parts of Europe, pigs were used to help nose out ripe truffles, but unlike dogs, the pig would try to eat its find.
Beneath a canopy of oak and hazelnut trees, walking the rows of an orchard alongside a highly trained truffle hunter, nose to the ground, is a symphony of secrets and scents. When the dog finds one, he signals by gently tapping the ground with his paw, simultaneously eagerly awaiting a treat.
Crouching down, the trufficulteur gently moves the first 5cm of soil to reveal a golf-ball-sized black mound. Using his hands, he carefully scrapes away the soil and pulls out a perfectly ripe truffle. The heady aroma is distinguishable yet difficult to define - a pungent mix of earthiness, musk, damp forest and mushroom-like umami. However described, it's an unmistakable aroma that immediately sends truffle lovers into a frenzy.
LEFT: Truffle hunting dog
The art of truffle hunting
It's only possible to find subterranean black truffles with the help of a clever canine, as the dog's sense of smell is 20,000 times more effective than a human's. In some parts of Europe, pigs were used to help nose out ripe truffles, but unlike dogs, the pig would try to eat its find.
Beneath a canopy of oak and hazelnut trees, walking the rows of an orchard alongside a highly trained truffle hunter, nose to the ground, is a symphony of secrets and scents. When the dog finds one, he signals by gently tapping the ground with his paw, simultaneously eagerly awaiting a treat.
Crouching down, the trufficulteur gently moves the first 5cm of soil to reveal a golf-ball-sized black mound. Using his hands, he carefully scrapes away the soil and pulls out a perfectly ripe truffle. The heady aroma is distinguishable yet difficult to define - a pungent mix of earthiness, musk, damp forest and mushroom-like umami. However described, it's an unmistakable aroma that immediately sends truffle lovers into a frenzy.
ABOVE: Truffle hunting dog
Culinary magic
Black truffle is very sensitive to heat. Cooking makes the fungi lose its incredible aroma, but heating gently and adding to warm foods enhances their flavour. Truffle is often served thinly sliced, or finely grated and added to dishes at the last minute. The heady aroma intensifies as the truffle warms - it is intoxicating.
Black truffle marries exceptionally well to eggs, fats and starch. Creamy scrambled eggs topped with freshly shaved black truffle is a food of the Gods. Freshly baked bread, still warm and lathered with butter infused with truffle is one of life’s simple yet indulgent pleasures. Mash potatoes, creamy pasta or egg-based pasta such as carbonara, risotto, roast chicken and a decadent cheese toasty are a few popular dishes that are elevated with the addition of truffle. They also work surprisingly well in desserts such as ice cream, sabayon, and panna cotta.
RIGHT: Truffle pasta
Culinary magic
Black truffle is very sensitive to heat. Cooking makes the fungi lose its incredible aroma, but heating gently and adding to warm foods enhances their flavour. Truffle is often served thinly sliced, or finely grated and added to dishes at the last minute. The heady aroma intensifies as the truffle warms - it is intoxicating.
Black truffle marries exceptionally well to eggs, fats and starch. Creamy scrambled eggs topped with freshly shaved black truffle is a food of the Gods. Freshly baked bread, still warm and lathered with butter infused with truffle is one of life’s simple yet indulgent pleasures. Mash potatoes, creamy pasta or egg-based pasta such as carbonara, risotto, roast chicken and a decadent cheese toasty are a few popular dishes that are elevated with the addition of truffle. They also work surprisingly well in desserts such as ice cream, sabayon, and panna cotta.
ABOVE: Truffle pasta
Did you know?
Truffles are very low in calories due to their mostly water and dietary fibre composition. These black beauties are rich in potassium and vitamins A, D and K, which are beneficial for the functioning of our body, contributing to bone health, eye health and the protection of our immune system. Some also believe that truffles are an aphrodisiac.
Watch: Truffle hunting experience
Join highly trained hounds and their owners in a quaint French village. Locate and sample truffles in this delightful Scenic Freechoice experience.
Truffle Language
Truffière - The French name for a place where truffles are grown. Pronounced TRUE-fee-air, it can be referred to as a truffle orchard or truffle patch.
Trufficulteur - The French term for the truffle farmer.
Rabbassier - in Provence, the truffle bears the name of ‘rabasse’ and the man for whom truffles are a passion is called a ‘rabbassier’.
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