Time has come for white truffles hunting season in Italy. In particular the Langhe and Roero areas in Piemont are the destination of thousands of hunters looking for the prestigious underground gems each year from October to December.
Alba, being the town where the first white truffle was found, celebrates the 79th International White Truffle Fair from 3 October to 8 November 2009 and offers to its visitors the possibility to taste also typical dishes of the region.
The "White Diamonds" are also sold at the International auction that opens each year from October to November in Alba. White truffles can reach 12 cm diameter and 500 g and those who approach to this average take part to the auction.
We've found up to 7 reasons why you may be asked to pay around 100 euros for a white truffle based dish.
1. Unique taste: its pungent taste makes it different from a common mushroom and for this reason it is applied by foodie and chefs to enrich pasta, salads, meats and patés.
2. Rare: the Alba area is the only one with soils dry enough and rich enough in sweet limestone to let this special variety of mushrooms develop. A similar variety of white truffles can be found in Croatian forests.
3. Hidden: white truffles grow underneath the soils of woods near the roots of hazel, poplar, beech, and oak trees, so you need to be guided by trained dogs or truffle hogs, the latter naturally attracted by white truffles aroma. The video at the end of this article shows truffles hunting.
4. Cannot be cultivated: the Alba truffles preserve the original mixture of pungent and sweet flavors, the white color and the delicate cream texture inside. No cultivated variety has ever managed to compete with the real thing.
5. Luxury: like caviar and fois gras, white truffles are considered a prestigious product that only rich people can afford. Much of this status is due to its for price and unique taste.
6. Rich of water and minerals: growing symbiotically with oak, hazels, white truffles contain a high percentage of water, fibres and mineral salts, absorbed from the soil through tree roots.
7. Aphrodisiacal: truffles of Alba are said to make people more sensual.
For more information about White Truffles
Gourmet food and wine exhibitions, tasting of local dishes, medieval parades and other events at the 79th International White Truffle Fair of Alba. For more information, please visit the official website.
To share your passion for White Truffles and ask for advice to other white truffles hunters add a post in the Italy Community.
