White Truffle
A complete guide to this fantastic product of nature, of absolute value
The scientific name is Tuber Magnatum Pico, but we all know it as the prized white truffle: we are talking about the truffle par excellence, with an extraordinary commercial value.
Tuber Magnatum Pico
The characteristics of the white truffle
It is the most difficult species to find, and therefore the most sought after, as well as the most valuable. Its peculiarity is represented by its wild nature: this, in fact, is the only species of truffle that up until now has not been possible to grow in a truffle ground. Easy to understand why it is the fresh truffle species with the highest price on the market, right?
Its price depends not only on its availability, but also on its quality during the harvest period: just like any other type of fresh truffle found on the market.
The prized white truffle that is harvested in our region boasts an exceptionally intense aroma and scent, the result of the chemical composition of the soil in which it is born and grows. The peridium, that is, the external surface, is smooth and globular, with a color between pale ochre and creamy yellow; it is compact and velvety. The gleba, that is, the internal part, has a color between intense pink and brown, with white streaks.
Its scent is pleasantly aromatic.
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How to store it
The most effective method for preserving the prized white truffle is to wrap it in paper and then place it in a hermetically sealed container and store it in the refrigerator. The paper must be changed every day: this way there is no risk of mold forming that could cause the truffle to rot. Stored in this way, the truffle lasts for a week, preserving its freshness. For a longer shelf life, it is best to wash it only before eating.
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How to clean
To clean the prized white truffle, just keep it for about ten minutes in cold water and clean it with a toothbrush or a brush, as delicately as possible, under running water. Then, you need to dry it with a cloth.
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How to cook
In the culinary field, the prized white truffle lends itself to many preparations: with eggs, for first courses, on croutons. It invariably gives any dish a touch of goodness and elegance!
How to harvest white truffle
To search for truffles, we use the collaboration of dogs: they are trained in a playful way, and receive a reward – in the form of food – from their owner as a reward for having found the truffles.
Truffle hunters desperately need the support of their 4-legged friends. When the dog finds the spot where the truffle is hidden, it digs deep with its paws: at this point the owner uses the characteristic spade to pull out the truffle, trying to be delicate to avoid breaking it.
At this stage, it is very important not to break the roots that have made underground growth possible up to that point: in this way, in fact, those roots will be able to allow the appearance of another truffle.
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Where and how the White Truffle grows
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Type of soil
The white truffle is very demanding in terms of soil composition, which must be fairly fertile and loamy, with an adequate balance between sand and clay. Altitude is also crucial, since this truffle rarely forms above 600 or 700 meters. Invasion woods are ideal habitats, as are areas cultivated in the past and then abandoned to themselves where a level of total space filling has not yet been reached.
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Altitude
The white truffle can grow in aerated, drained but slightly humid soils, at a pH between 7 and 8.5. The best soils are along ditches or at the bottom of valleys, generally below 700 meters above sea level. They must not be too sunny or too sloping. The white truffle does not grow in siliceous or sandy soils, but in those of slopes or landslides, sedimentary and alluvial, poor in humus.
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Seasonal period
The white truffle is harvested between October and January.
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Symbiotic tree species
The white truffle grows in symbiosis with poplars, willows, oaks and lime trees. The most frequent symbiotic relationship in our region is with oaks.
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Dogs and equipment
Purebred dogs such as cocker spaniels, pointers, pointers and Lagotto Romagnoli boast a remarkable sense of smell, to the point of being able to detect the scent of truffles even from the surface of the ground.
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Collection areas
The white truffle is collected in ditches, along drainage channels and in wooded areas, but also in lands that have undergone landslides.
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Average price of white truffle
White truffles are sold at a price that varies with the seasons, or even from one week to the next. It is the availability of truffles in nature that determines the market value, which obviously also depends on the quality of the product and consumer demand.
The price is destined to increase if the availability of truffles is limited and the demand is high; it drops, instead, if significant quantities are found and the demand on the market is limited. This is why fresh truffles do not have a fixed price.
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Our family has been involved for generations in the cultivation and harvesting of truffles found in the woods of the Sangro Valley, in an uncontaminated natural context. The philosophy of environmental sustainability is the basis of our modus operandi : we do not only sell fresh truffles, but we are also committed to the preparation of typical specialties, sauces and preserves, strong in the long experience we have gained over the years. To let everyone know the excellence of Italianness and our nature. We look forward to seeing you in Roccaraso and Pescocostanzo in Abruzzo.
