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White truffle is what the taste is like. What does a truffle taste like? Composition and presence of nutrients

White truffle in Russia is considered an edible mushroom of the 4th category of nutritional value, and a delicacy. The same opinion is shared in Germany, Sweden and Hungary. But in Spain, France and Italy, the white truffle is, on the contrary, considered poisonous, causing gastrointestinal poisoning. In Spain, the white truffle is listed as a prohibited species. There is also information about the toxicity of only overripe fruiting bodies, as well as the need for heat treatment.

Description

White truffle looks like potato tubers, and not at all like an ordinary mushroom. He does not have a hat and legs, and he himself is in the ground, from where he still needs to be dug out.

fruiting body

The fruit bodies of the white truffle are irregular in shape, slightly rounded. This form of the fruiting body is called apothecia. Truffles have a secondarily closed apothecia. The surface is almost smooth. White truffle grows up to 12 cm in the widest part, there are also small specimens from 2 cm. At first, this type of truffle is really white, but in the process of growth it darkens and becomes similar to potatoes in color (turns brown or brown).

spore layer

The spore-bearing layer of the white truffle is represented by hymenium, which covers its entire inner surface, forming "bags" with spores.

pulp

The flesh of a white truffle looks like a raw potato with veins. The cooked truffle looks a bit like meat with a distinct aftertaste of roasted sunflower seeds and the smell of walnuts. Overripe truffles acquire the unpleasant smell of rotting wood. Raw mushrooms of this species also smell quite strong, but pleasant. It is by the smell of truffles that cows and other animals detect.

controversy

The spores of the white truffle are round, large and surrounded by brown thorns. In this type of fungus, they are stored in a bag (ask). Each bag contains 8 spores.

Spreading

White truffle prefers to grow next to oaks, birches, as well as pines, spruces and some other coniferous trees. Distributed in Russia, in almost all European countries and the northern states of the United States. But at the same time, in a number of countries it is included in the Red Books as a rare species or species on the verge of extinction.

Truffles grow from the end of summer to the very end of autumn.

Similar species

There are several related species that are similar to the white truffle. However, none of them grows in Russia:

Choriomyces magnusii

It grows in the warm climate of southern Europe. In Spain it is considered a delicacy. Differs in small fruiting bodies, disputes are covered not with thorns, but with warty growths.

Tuber magnatum (Italian, Piedmontese truffle)

Has a yellow surface, always completely covered with earth. Slightly different smell and taste. Grow in Italy and adjacent parts of France.

1- Choriomyces magnusii 2- Tuber magnatum

Terfesia arenaria (sand truffle)

Terfesia leptoderma (soft-bodied truffle)

The shape is more spherical and smooth. Edible, there is evidence that lovers eat them raw.

1- Terfesia arenaria (sand truffle) 2- Terfesia leptoderma (soft-bodied truffle)

There are no poisonous mushrooms among the listed varieties.

Edibility

White truffle is an edible mushroom of the 4th category of nutritional value. Truffle can be used to make sauces, seasonings and oil (this is regular oil with truffle added). If black truffles are preheated to enhance the flavor (for example, in the oven), then white truffles are eaten raw and without heating.

You can store truffles for some time in dry, dark pantries, but it is important not to clean them from the ground. But a more reliable way is preservation in vegetable oil (usually olive oil).

Here are some interesting facts about the white truffle:

if you soak raw truffle in water for a while, then the latter becomes indistinguishable from soy sauce;
despite their exotic appearance and reputation as a delicacy, truffles are indistinguishable from other mushrooms in their chemical composition;
white truffles in Russia are called "cow's bread", because during grazing, cows and other animals detect the truffle by smell, tear the ground above it and eat the upper part of the mushroom.

White truffles have a peculiar aroma that animals feel very well. But some people are not sensitive to this smell at all. Another part of the people perceives the truffle aroma as disgusting, reminiscent of the smell of old urine or sweat.

Truffle (Tuber) is a marsupial-type mushroom that forms underground tuberous and fleshy fruiting bodies. This is the most expensive and valuable mushroom delicacy.

Despite the fact that the fruit bodies of the marsupial variety do not look very attractive, the finished mushroom dishes have an excellent taste and expressively smell incredibly pleasant. Dishes based on such a product are highly valued not only in the restaurants of our country, but also among foreign consumers.

What do truffles look like

The fruiting body grows underground, has a round or tuberous shape, and also has a fleshy or cartilaginous structure. Apothecia in an adult truffle, as a rule, are closed, and can vary in size from the diameter of a hazelnut to the diameter of a rather large potato tuber. The outer side of the fruit bodies is represented by a leathery layer called peridium. The surface of the peridium is smooth, cracked, or covered with polyhedral warts. On the cut, a marble pattern is represented by alternating light veins or “internal veins” and dark veins or “external veins”.

Truffle - the most expensive and valuable mushroom delicacy

Where truffles grow in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

Valuable fruiting bodies are sought in deciduous forests, where they are able to form mycorrhiza with woody roots. For example, black truffle smells very expressive and most often grows next to oaks, beeches, hornbeam and hazel, while white truffle has a milder aroma and creates mycorrhiza with birches, poplars, elms, lindens, mountain ash and hawthorn. Ideal places for growing are considered to be Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany.

On the territory of our country, this valuable mushroom rarely grows in the Moscow, Vladimir, Tula, Oryol and Smolensk regions, but is quite common on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, as well as in the Middle Volga region. In Ukraine, for truffles, the optimal soil and climatic conditions are the Lviv region, the Carpathians and the Khmelnytsky region, as well as the territory of Transcarpathia. On the territory of Belarus, a unique mushroom is found in the forests of the Svisloch-Berezinsky reserve.

Gallery: truffle mushrooms (25 photos)

Where truffles grow (video)

Taste and nutritional value of truffles

The undoubted benefits of fruiting bodies, as well as their nutritional value and excellent taste determined by the chemical composition:

proteins - 3.0 g;
fat - 0.5 g;
carbohydrates - 2.0 g;
dietary fiber - 1.0 g;
water - 90.0 g;
ash - 1.0 g;
vitamin "B1" or thiamine - 0.02 mg;
vitamin "B2" or riboflavin - 0.4 mg;
vitamin "C" or ascorbic acid - 6.0 mg;
vitamin "PP" - 9.5 mg;
niacin - 9.0 mg;
monosaccharides and disaccharides - 1.0 g.

The average energy value varies depending on the species, but most often it is 22-24 kcal.

About the benefits of truffle mushrooms

The benefits of truffles are undeniable. Fruiting bodies are a source of vitamins, which are especially important at the stage of active, rapid growth processes. Among other things, this product is an excellent antioxidant that helps rejuvenate the body. The ability of marsupial fungus to manifest itself as a very strong and effective aphrodisiac is also well known. Cosmetics based on this fungus make wrinkles less noticeable, get rid of age spots and tighten the skin. Truffle also helps to get rid of chronic fatigue and loss of strength.

Types of truffle mushrooms

Several types of truffles are well known, which differ not only in their appearance, but also in taste and nutritional value.

T.aestivum - forms an underground modified apothecium, which has a tuberous or rounded shape with a brownish-black or bluish-black surface, on which black pyramidal warts are located. The flesh, depending on the stage of development, can be very firm or looser, whitish or brownish-grayish-yellow with light veins that form a marbled pattern. Taste is high. The pulp has a nutty and sweet taste, as well as a very pleasant and pronounced aroma with slightly grassy notes. Spores are yellow-brown, fusiform or oval in shape, of a very characteristic reticulate type. Fruits in summer or in the first decade of autumn.

T.brumale - forms irregular spherical or almost round fruiting bodies with peridium covered with polygonal or thyroid warts, sometimes of a deep type. The outer part is red-violet or black. The color of the pulp changes from white to grayish or grayish-violet with a large number of white and yellowish-brown marbled veins. Spores are ellipsoidal or oval in shape, different in size, brown in color, with curved superficial spines. It bears fruit from November to the last decade of spring.

Truffle Italian or Piedmontese

T. magnatum - forms an underground type of modified apothecia, represented by uneven and tuberous bodies with an uneven surface, covered with a thin and velvety, light ocher or slightly brownish skin that does not separate from the pulp. The internal structure is dense, whitish or yellowish-gray in color, sometimes with a reddish tinge. The flesh is characterized by the presence of a white and creamy brown marble pattern, with a pleasant and spicy aroma reminiscent of garlic cheese. Spores are yellowish-brown, oval in shape, with a reticulate pattern. Collection of fruiting bodies is carried out from the last ten days of September to the end of January.

Perigord truffle or black truffle

T. melanosporum - forms modified underground tuberous apothecia, rounded or irregular in shape, with a reddish-brown or jet-black surface that changes color to orange during pressure. The peel is covered with numerous small multifaceted irregularities. The structure is hard, light gray or pinkish brown in color with a whitish or reddish-pink marbled pattern in section. The pulp has a very strong and characteristic aroma, as well as a pleasant taste with bitterness. Spores are dark brown, fusiform or oval in shape, with a curve. The collection is carried out from November to March.

Truffles are sometimes referred to as other varieties that have similar fruiting bodies. Most often they belong to the genus Choiromyces, Elarhomyces and Terfezia:

Terfetia lion-yellow- a North African variety that has a rounded and uneven shape, as well as a brownish or whitish-yellow surface coloration. The pulp is light in color, mealy type, moist, with pronounced whitish streaks and brown spots;
Elafomyces granulosa- characterized by the presence of an outer crust, on top of which numerous small warts are densely located. Fruiting bodies with an ocher-brown or yellowish-ocher surface covering white or grayish flesh.

On the territory of our country, the Caucasian variety of Terfezia transcausasis, well known under the name of tombalan, grows. A variety of marsupial mushrooms, quite widespread in the territory of Azerbaijan and the Absheron Peninsula, as well as in Nagorno-Karabakh and Central Asia.

Useful properties of truffle mushrooms (video)

How and when to look for truffles

The collection of fully mature fruiting bodies is carried out, as a rule, in the last summer decade or at the beginning of the autumn period. Most often, mushrooms of this species grow in glades well-lit by sunlight, along the edge of an oak grove, near birch groves, and can also be found in aspen and alder plantations. To determine the location of mushrooms, pigs and dogs are specially trained, which have the best sense of smell, which helps to find mushrooms due to their very peculiar and rather strong aroma.

Truffle places can be quite easily identified by the presence of grayish-ash coloring of the soil, as well as the appearance of withered or stunted mosses and herbage. As a rule, fruit bodies are represented by several specimens at once in one place, some of which can sometimes protrude above ground level. It is best to collect fruiting bodies in the evening hours. In many countries, specially trained domestic or farm animals are used to search for mushrooms.

Features of growing truffles at home

Difficulties in growing, seasonality of obtaining fruiting bodies, as well as high taste and aromatic qualities explain the high cost of such a product. Despite the fact that it is customary to grow truffle plantations in large quantities in many foreign countries, you can also get quite decent yields at home. To properly grow valuable bodies, You need to adhere to the following recommendations and phased technology:

acquisition on a substrate or a special substrate;
harvesting fallen oak, walnut, beech branches and foliage, as well as moss;
the acquisition of peat nutrient substrate for the cultivation of indoor plants;
selection of a tree and digging several holes around it up to a quarter of a meter deep and up to 10 cm in diameter;
filling each dug hole by ½ with prepared nutrient peat substrate;
laying mushroom mycelium and powdering it with a nutritious peat substrate, followed by dense tamping;
abundant watering of the mushroom planting with rain or melt water;
laying the prepared mixture based on foliage, moss and branches, followed by watering.

The timing of the appearance of the first crop directly depends on the soil and weather conditions, as well as the quality characteristics of the planting material. As a rule, the first fruiting occurs after three to four years.

You can also get quite a decent yield of truffles at home.

How to cook truffle mushrooms

A valuable delicacy forest product must be properly prepared. A very tasty and original combination can be obtained from mushrooms with pasta, rice and eggs. One of the most popular dishes served in famous establishments is Champagne Truffles, for the preparation of which you will need:

prepare a fatty broth from a liter of water and 500 g of pork, which should be cooked for about an hour and a half;
cut four fruiting bodies into thin slices and put in a saucepan, adding about 100 g of pork fat and a small amount of meat broth;
after boiling, add 2/3 cup of champagne.

The resulting composition is cooked on a very slow fire for half an hour, after which the dish is decorated and served on the table.

A very original and exquisite dish is Pasta with Anchovies and Truffle. For cooking, you need to finely chop one truffle and five anchovies, then grind four garlic cloves with a press. In a well-heated olive oil in a shallow frying pan, put the chopped mushrooms with anchovies, then add all the chopped garlic, a little black pepper and a small amount of red pepper. Salt is added to taste. The mixture, fried for a couple of minutes, is added to the pasta pre-boiled until fully cooked. The finished dish must be seasoned with grated parmesan before serving.

How to cook truffle mushrooms (video)

How to properly store fresh truffles

The average shelf life of freshly harvested truffle fruiting bodies, regardless of species, is not too long. To feel the unique and very refined mushroom aroma, it is necessary to prepare the dish for several hours, as early as possible, preferably immediately after harvesting the fruiting bodies.

There are several ways to extend the shelf life. The storage of collected fruiting bodies in rice has proven itself best, and storage of the most valuable mushrooms in oil allows you to give it a simply unique and very mild aroma. For the purpose of the longest possible storage, it is desirable to freeze freshly harvested truffle fruiting bodies.

Gallery: truffle mushrooms (40 photos)

Once I already tried to answer this question. so I'll quote:
“Once I dined at the Moscow restaurant Club T. The chef there was Patrice Terejol, he called me to show some new tricks on the menu.
Among other things, there was either a dove, or a quail, sprinkled with truffle crumbs. I munched methodically on the excellently cooked bird, wondering why people go crazy over truffles that taste so vague.
I shared my bewilderment with Terezhol, and he seems to be offended. “You just don't know what you're talking about,” he said. "Have you ever eaten a whole truffle?"
There was no such fact in my biography.
“Good,” Terejol said, “that is, bad. But it's easy to fix. I was taught this as a child. To understand what truffles are, you need to take one large specimen, boil it and eat it like a potato. Do you want to try?"
I wanted.
Terezhol drove to the kitchen and brought a rather weighty black lump, similar to a mummified potato tuber.
br /> “This is a Perigord truffle. Five thousand francs per kilogram. Now I will boil it, and you will eat it. Just with salt. Or without. As you wish. White truffles from Alba can be eaten raw. Perigordsky is better to boil, but in general you can eat raw. How are you?”
Just in case, I agreed with the boil.
My deep conviction is that gastronomy is the art of meeting expectations. In this sense, it is similar to mail. When sending a letter, it is nice to be sure that in exactly two days it will reach the addressee. When ordering a steak with blood, it is good to get it crimson red on the cut.
The problem with the truffle was that I didn't expect anything from it. And so I was completely unprepared for what hit me. Not ready for a baked chestnut like texture. Not ready for the powerful enveloping aroma penetrating under the cerebral cortex like laughing gas. Not ready for this taste, which seemed to have everything: from the weighty nobility of boiled mushrooms to the frivolous swagger of chanterelles, from the sweetish dope of prosciutto to the cunning sourness of guwerztraminer. Sprinkled with coarse sea salt, the truffle looked like a salted mushroom generously flavored with sour cream and washed down with vodka. The feeling was as if a lone soloist came on stage and suddenly sang like the entire Red Army Choir at once.
It was a real initiation. Like Castaneda in Don Juan, only without hallucinations.
r /> After I repeated this trick several times. And every time the truffles turned to me with some new side of themselves. Instead of salted milk mushrooms, they gave out the taste of baked apples, and instead of huwerztraminer, they distinctly smelled of sauter. But since then I realized how ornate, how proteistic their taste is arranged. How they know how to adapt to other products, and how gently but powerfully they impose their will on, say, pigeon meat.
Now I will never ask myself the stupid question why the world is going crazy with truffles, because they can turn an ordinary dove into a phoenix."

www.rpi.su

Truffle is a mushroom that grows underground at a depth of 10 to 30 centimeters. That is why finding a truffle is a very difficult task. For this, dogs are specially trained, which by smell find the treasured mushroom, or pigs. Pigs were originally truffle eaters, so their qualities cannot be ignored. Pigs catch the smell of truffle for another 50 meters! And so that the animal does not eat the found truffle, its face is tied up with a special belt, like a dog muzzle. By the way, dogs that are trained for truffle hunting in France, for example, cost several thousand euros.
By the way, it is worth mentioning the prices. In Europe, a kilogram of white truffles goes over the mark of 2,000 euros, and black - for 400 euros. It is generally accepted that the taste of white truffles is more delicate, and black - sharp.
truffle is a very valuable product. It is often used, for example, in Italian cuisine - it is added in small quantities to various dishes to give a unique touch of taste. That is why the white truffle is much more expensive than the black counterpart.
It is the winter truffle that is considered to be a delicacy. It can be found in oak and beech groves, mainly in southern France and northern Italy, there are real "mushrooms" of this type of truffle. It tastes like an ordinary mushroom with a peculiar shade of deep-fried seeds or walnuts. A real truffle, if placed in water and held there for a while, turns the water into a kind of liquid that from afar resembles the taste of soy sauce. But, unfortunately, it was not possible to cultivate truffles, unlike champignons, so the only way to get them is to search in the thickets. In addition to using trained pigs and dogs, you can try to find a treat yourself. You can detect truffles under the foliage yourself, only with a marked eye. A sign of a truffle is midges swarming over it. Moreover, the information will be important that from year to year people find less and less truffles.
The high popularity of truffles and their huge cost led to the fact that Chinese fakes began to be imported into France in gigantic quantities. Yes, it's not a typo. In China, fakes of delicacy mushrooms were made, in particular, not without the help of chemicals. For a long time, frogs have been imported into France at incredibly cheap prices, which negatively affects the income of local producers and the entire economy of the country as a whole.
truffle fakes also appeared. A fake costs about 20 euros per kilogram. It is noteworthy that only a true professional can distinguish Chinese truffles and real French truffles by color and smell. Because there is only one difference between them - French truffles have a more persistent taste.
In addition to everything, cosmetics began to be made from truffles. This is done by the Italian concern ISHI-Dafla Group. According to the company's employees, studies have shown that just a few drops of truffle extract can help the body fight wrinkles, the skin tightens, becomes elastic and smooth again, and age spots simply disappear.

answer.mail.ru

Characteristics of truffle mushrooms

What do truffles look like

Where truffles grow in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

Gallery: truffle mushrooms (25 photos)

Where truffles grow (video)

Taste and nutritional value of truffles

The undoubted benefits of fruiting bodies, as well as their nutritional value and excellent taste determined by the chemical composition:

proteins - 3.0 g;
fat - 0.5 g;
carbohydrates - 2.0 g;
dietary fiber - 1.0 g;
water - 90.0 g;
ash - 1.0 g;
vitamin "B1" or thiamine - 0.02 mg;
vitamin "B2" or riboflavin - 0.4 mg;
vitamin "C" or ascorbic acid - 6.0 mg;
vitamin "PP" - 9.5 mg;
niacin - 9.0 mg;
monosaccharides and disaccharides - 1.0 g.

The average energy value varies depending on the species, but most often it is 22-24 kcal.

About the benefits of truffle mushrooms

Types of truffle mushrooms

Several types of truffles are well known, which differ not only in their appearance, but also in taste and nutritional value.

summer truffle

Winter truffle

Truffle Italian or Piedmontese

Perigord truffle or black truffle

Truffles are sometimes referred to as other varieties that have similar fruiting bodies. Most often they belong to the genus Choiromyces, Elarhomyces and Terfezia:

Terfetia lion-yellow- a North African variety that has a rounded and uneven shape, as well as a brownish or whitish-yellow surface coloration. The pulp is light in color, mealy type, moist, with pronounced whitish streaks and brown spots;
Elafomyces granulosa- characterized by the presence of an outer crust, on top of which numerous small warts are densely located. Fruiting bodies with an ocher-brown or yellowish-ocher surface covering white or grayish flesh.

Useful properties of truffle mushrooms (video)

How and when to look for truffles

Truffle places can be quite easily identified by the presence of grayish-ash coloring of the soil, as well as the appearance of withered or stunted mosses and herbage. As a rule, fruit bodies are represented by several specimens at once in one place, some of which can sometimes protrude above ground level. It is best to collect fruiting bodies in the evening hours. In many countries, specially trained domestic or farm animals are used to search for mushrooms.

Features of growing truffles at home

the acquisition of mushroom mycelium on a substrate or a special substrate;
harvesting fallen oak, walnut, beech branches and foliage, as well as moss;
the acquisition of peat nutrient substrate for the cultivation of indoor plants;
selection of a tree and digging several holes around it up to a quarter of a meter deep and up to 10 cm in diameter;
filling each dug hole by ½ with prepared nutrient peat substrate;
laying mushroom mycelium and powdering it with a nutritious peat substrate, followed by dense tamping;
abundant watering of the mushroom planting with rain or melt water;
laying the prepared mixture based on foliage, moss and branches, followed by watering.

How to cook truffle mushrooms

prepare a fatty broth from a liter of water and 500 g of pork, which should be cooked for about an hour and a half;
cut four fruiting bodies into thin slices and put in a saucepan, adding about 100 g of pork fat and a small amount of meat broth;
after boiling, add 2/3 cup of champagne.

The resulting composition is cooked on a very slow fire for half an hour, after which the dish is decorated and served on the table.

How to cook truffle mushrooms (video)

How to properly store fresh truffles

sadovodu.com

Description of the mushroom

Truffle is a fungus from the department of actinomycetes, class and order Pacecia, family Truffle. It is also referred to as marsupial mushrooms. Fruiting bodies are completely hidden under the ground, they resemble cones or potato tubers. Not without reason in Latin the name sounds like terrae tuber, or earthen cone.

From above, the fungus covers the peridium - the outer layer with numerous warts or cracks. In some species, it is almost white. The internal pulp on a cut is similar to marble. It consists of internal and external veins, which have different shades. Spore sacs mature in the internal veins. They are lighter than the outside. The color of the pulp varies from species to species.

According to the description, the aroma of truffle mushroom has several notes: the smell of an autumn forest, rotten leaves, humus, ripe fruits, even cocoa and chocolate. The taste of a truffle resembles a nut or roasted seeds, sometimes it has a fruity, coconut or chocolate aftertaste. It is cooked with minimal heat treatment, gourmets advise eating it raw so as not to lose its unique aroma and flavor. If you send a truffle for storage, it loses most of its qualities.

The mushroom is used as a seasoning for various dishes. It tends to be combined with poultry, steaks, pasta, scrambled eggs. It is used for making sauces, gourmet pâtés, and fillings. Its calorie content is low. The beneficial properties of mushrooms are also known. They contain vitamins B, PP, C, essential amino acids. Once these plants were used as an aphrodisiac.

Truffle mushroom cannot be stored for a long time: only 2-3 days in the refrigerator at a temperature of 1°C-2°C. Fresh mushrooms are bought during the picking season. At the same time, restaurants serve a special truffle menu. Mushrooms canned in cognac, wine, sometimes they make a special oil, paste. But the taste of these products is completely different.

Where do truffles grow

Truffle mushrooms grow in forests of deciduous, rarely mixed trees. Their mycelium settles on the roots, taking from them all the necessary nutrients. Of particular value are fruiting bodies that have grown at the roots of oak, less valuable settle near beech, birch, hazel, linden, poplar. Groups of 3-7 are found near one tree, but often they grow singly. Fruiting bodies lie at a depth of 5 cm to 30 cm (average - 20 cm).

The habitat of the species is Western and Central Europe, the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Crimea, the Mediterranean. In North Africa, a specific white Moroccan truffle grows. Its mycelium settles on the roots of coniferous trees - cedar, pine, although it can also envelop the root system of oak.

Types of truffles

There are different types of truffles. About a dozen are considered edible, in total there are more than a hundred. At the same time, a number of inedible and poisonous varieties are assigned to other genera. They share a lifestyle with real truffles: they also grow underground.

Piedmontese truffle

Piedmontese truffle, or Italian white truffle, is valued above all in this family. It grows only in certain areas of Piedmont, in northern Italy. It is found in the hilly region around Turin, in Monferrato, Langhe and Roerot. It grows under oaks, willows, poplars, less often under lindens. The growing season is from mid-October to mid-February.

Characteristic:

The fruit body is in the form of a tuber, with numerous outgrowths and deformations.
The outer shell is yellow-red or yellow-brown, velvety, tightly attached to the pulp.
The inner flesh is light (white or cream), rarely has a light pink tint, marbled pattern.
Size - 2-12 cm.
The average weight is 300 g, individual specimens are up to 1-1.3 kg.
The aroma is similar to cheese with garlic, with pronounced musky and earthy notes.

Sometimes this species is called the "golden Tuscan truffle", its price is like that of a gold bar of a similar weight. Mushrooms are sold at special auctions that have been held since 1930. It is possible to taste fresh white truffles in October-January, the most delicious specimens are harvested in November and December. At other times of the year, there are only canned ones, they are much worse in taste.

The cost of white truffle is high, on average 3000-4000 euros per 1 kg, sometimes more expensive. The most expensive and largest specimen weighing 1.5 kg was sold for $330,000 apiece. At auctions, Piedmontese truffles are sold one at a time. The product is wrapped in paper napkins and shown from smallest to largest.

Each mushroom has its own pedigree, which indicates the time of collection, the tree under which it was found, the nickname and breed of the dog. So do traders in the markets.

Black Perigord Truffle

Perigordsky, or French black truffle, is the second most valuable after white. It is common in France (the most productive places are in the south-west of the country), in Spain, and Central Italy. This species has now begun to be grown artificially, it was brought to America, Australia, and South Africa. Truffle mycelium feels good under oak, less often under other deciduous trees. Mushrooms ripen from November to March. The best period to harvest this winter truffle is January and February.

Description of mushroom:

The shape is rounded or slightly elongated.
The upper layer is brown-red, turning black with age, covered with tetrahedral or hexagonal warts.
The flesh is first gray or red-brown, then turns into black-violet, marbling on the cut is clearly visible.
Size - about 9 cm in diameter.
Average weight - 400 g.
The aroma is nutty, with slight notes of nutmeg and chocolate, the taste is spicy with bitterness.

The mushroom picker of this species is aggressive, it destroys competitive plants, therefore it is easier to find a mushroom underground than others, along islands of bare ground. It used to be widely cultivated in France, now yields have declined there, but it has begun to be grown in China, Australia and other countries.

Black winter truffle

Black winter truffle grows in France, Italy, Switzerland, Ukraine. Prefers moist soils. The mushroom picker loves the roots of linden and hazel, a variety is also found under birches and beeches. Main features:

The shape is rounded, sometimes irregularly spherical.
The upper skin changes color with age from red-brown to black, covered with small warts.
The young center is white, then acquires a black-violet tone with brown and yellow veins.
Diameter - 8-12 cm.
Weight is sometimes 1-1.5 kg.
The smell is rich, musky.

This variety is harvested from November to February.

Black summer truffle

Russian truffle is found in Scandinavia, Central Europe, and also in Russia. It is under oaks, beeches, hornbeams, rarely under birches or pines. The Russian truffle ripens from the last days of July to the beginning of November.

Main characteristics:

Round shape.
The outer layer is blue-black, warty.
The pulp is first dense, then becomes loose, streaked with veins.
The color of this truffle varies from white-yellow to brown-gray.
Diameter - 2.5-10 cm.
Weight - about 400 g.
The taste has a pronounced nutty flavor with a hint of algae.

A feature of this species is its shallow occurrence underground, sometimes fruiting bodies even come to the surface. These are the only black truffles in Russia.

Black autumn truffle

Autumn or Burgundy truffle mushroom is valued lower than its other French and Italian counterparts. It grows in the north-east of France, sometimes in Italy, rarely in England.

What does this mushroom look like?

The shape is correct, rounded.
The shell is covered with black tubercles.
The flesh is dense, brown, with pronounced white streaks on the cut, never becomes friable.
The taste and aroma are reminiscent of hazelnuts with pronounced chocolate notes.

Truffles of this variety are harvested from late July to November.

White Oregon Truffle

Finding these mushrooms is really only on the western side of the United States. They are small, only 2.5-5 cm in diameter, weighing about 250 g. Their feature is a shallow occurrence in the soil. Mushrooms are often found right under a layer of needles. Their taste is with a pronounced herbal and fruity accent.

Himalayan or Chinese truffle

The species was first found in India at the end of the century before last, then it was found in the Himalayas. Now varieties of Chinese truffles are grown artificially and exported around the world. Their prices are lower, although mushrooms are significantly inferior in taste to their French and Italian counterparts.

The truffle looks like a small cone or potato with a dark, uneven skin, speckled with cracks. The middle is gray-brown, with beige or yellowish veins, hard, smells weak, the taste is lean.

African truffle

African truffle mushroom, or steppe, is found in the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Mushroom grows together not with trees, but with herbs: sunshine and rockroses.

Mushroom characteristics:

The shape is round and elongated.
The cover is brown or brown-yellow, smooth.
The pulp is powdery, friable, white with brown or yellow veins.
Diameter - about 5 cm
Mushroom flavor

This type of truffle is not considered too valuable. It is searched for and eaten by local residents of the coastal regions of North Africa, and is also collected in Italy and France.

Red shiny truffle

Red brilliant truffle in all European countries, in deciduous and mixed forests. Mycelium enters into symbiosis with both deciduous and coniferous trees. Collection time is from May to August. The sizes are small, 1-5 cm, weight - up to 50 g. The surface is brown-yellow, the flesh with a pink tint, soft. Taste and aroma have shades of red wine, pear and coconut.

red truffle

The red truffle is a common European species that is characterized by a red tint on the top layer. The flesh is yellow-brown, with a typical marbled pattern. The sizes are small, weight - up to 80 g. The taste is sweetish, "meaty", with a grassy-coconut tint.

Red truffle has low culinary value.

Truffle white March

Truffle white March grows in the south of Europe, including the Crimean region. The surface is light brown when young, darkening to reddish-brown over time. The pulp is dense, with a pronounced mushroom aroma and garlic notes. In old mushrooms, the smell becomes unpleasant, repulsive.

Fruiting bodies are found under deciduous and coniferous trees, they ripen from December to April. The variety lends itself to cultivation, but its cost is low.

There are several other types of edible truffles. which are not of commercial interest: Duran, motley, pubescent, ocher. The motley white truffle is used to make oil, it is not eaten.

There are several types of mushrooms that do not represent the genus of truffles, but are similar to them. Among them there are edible, conditionally edible and even poisonous.

Most of these species are not specially harvested. They become chance finds when the animals rake the bedding under the trees. Often they are eaten by wild boars, squirrels.

A psilocybin species with hallucinogenic properties is also known, after the use of which bizarre dreams are dreamed.

How truffles are harvested

Collecting truffles is hard work. Fruiting bodies always form near the roots, so you need to look for them under the trees. The black Perigord variety displaces all plants, because in the place of its growth there is always a bare plot of land. Species that grow closer to the surface can displace the soil - small mounds are visible near the trees.

Mushroom pickers are guided by specific flies that lay their larvae in the fruit bodies of truffles. They fly in small clouds near the trees where mushrooms grow.

There is another way - tapping the earth. A void is formed around the fruiting body, the soil is loosened, therefore the sound will be more sonorous than over a continuous layer of earth. This method requires considerable experience and subtle hearing.

Mushrooms help animals collect, this is the most popular way. In northern Italy, specially trained dogs are used for this. They sniff the ground and dig it in the place where truffles grow. Training requires experience and patience, good search dogs cost about 5000 euros. Italian mushroom pickers prefer dark dogs that don't bark. They come out to gather at night to distract competitors: the dark animal is not so noticeable in the forest. Also at night, the smells are aggravated, which increases the chances of a successful hunt.

A domestic pig is looking for a good truffle. These animals love mushrooms, even in the wild they pull them out from under the roots to feast on them. The boar smells 200-300 m away. With this method of collection, the main thing is to pull the pig away from the tree in time: if it digs a truffle, it will certainly eat it.

Growing truffles at home

Growing truffles at home is a profitable business, but it requires a lot of investment and patience. Harvests are obtained 5-10 years after laying the grove. Cultivation was first practiced in France in the first half of the 19th century. By the end of the century, thousands of hectares were planted with oak groves with truffles in this country. France annually supplied about 1000 tons of mushrooms to world markets.

During the First World War, most of the forests were destroyed, in those places there were intense battles. The poor ecological situation also affects the yield. Now in France only 50 tons of truffles are grown per year.

Australian, Chinese, Japanese, American farmers have learned to cultivate a delicious and original mushroom.

You should not expect that the cultivation of artificial truffles will bring the main income. The yield is unstable, the first fruits have to wait about 5 years, the main production is obtained between 10 and 20 years of cultivation. Then its quantity starts to fall.

Growing technology

The Australian cultivation technology is considered the most productive. Already a year after planting, the first fruits are harvested, and after 5 years they receive up to 20 kg of products per hectare. Primary requirements:

The climate should be temperate and humid.
Soil pH - 7.4-7.9.
Oak or hazel roots are suitable for infection with mycelium.

The soil is dug up well, it should contain useful minerals. The soil is fertilized 6-8 months before planting. All weeds are carefully removed. Herbicides and pesticides do not contribute: they will damage the mycelium. The only suitable drug is ammonium glufosinate.

To grow truffles on their own, small seedlings of trees are infected with mycelium. First, they are kept in quarantine under sterile conditions for several weeks. Immediately after application of truffle mycelium, seedlings are planted in a nursery or greenhouse. They are transferred to open ground in a couple of months, when the height of the tree is 20 cm. A good time for planting is spring, when there is no threat of frost on the ground surface.

Planting depth - 75 cm. The area for one tree is 4 × 5 m. It is realistic to grow up to 500 seedlings per hectare. Around the tree, mulch is laid out in a circle from fallen leaves, forest litter (diameter - 40 cm). The main benefit of mulch is the creation of optimal conditions for the growth of mycelium. The farm should not be adjacent to willows, poplars, chestnuts, firs.

Truffle mushroom is capricious, because its cultivation requires patience. It is necessary to constantly check the composition and acidity of the soil, to prevent the appearance of weeds. The plantation is fenced off so that small rodents and other animals do not get there. The most real is the cultivation of black truffles.

Conclusion

Truffles are the most expensive mushrooms in the world. They are capricious, so the annual harvest is small. In addition, they grow underground, which makes them difficult to find, which also affects the cost. It is possible to grow these mushrooms on your own, but it will take about 5 years.

fermoved.ru

Until recently, I thought that these were not very tasty chocolates ... but then, after watching the series Kitchen, I realized that it was something else ... all the more, they add it to the salad ... I found a very interesting article on the Internet)) I must))

Who is not familiar with the famous Pushkin lines:

Before him roast-beef bloodied,
And truffles, the luxury of youth,
French cuisine best color,
And Strasbourg's imperishable pie
Between live Limburg cheese
And golden pineapple.

This is how the first chapter of "Eugene Onegin" depicts Onegin's dinner in the most fashionable and expensive restaurant of that time. When I first read the novel, I decided that truffles (truffles) were chocolates that I loved very much. As it turned out, I was completely wrong. In form - yes, they are similar, but the content!

A truffle is a mushroom. And not everyone has tried it. But everyone knows that this is the most expensive mushroom in the world, a kind of aristocrat in the kingdom of mushrooms. In Europe, the price of truffles sometimes reaches several thousand euros per kilogram - and gourmets are happy to pay! The author of these lines did not have a chance to appreciate the taste of this delicacy, but I still have some theoretical information about truffles.

Truffles belong to the genus of marsupial mushrooms. They always grow underground, at a depth of five to thirty centimeters, always next to trees, as they feed on their roots. They have fleshy tuberous bodies and oily flesh. Note that truffles are not harvested - they are hunted with the help of specially trained dogs and pigs. Pigs have a better sense of smell for truffles, they can smell them twenty meters away. But they, too, are not averse to feasting on such a delicacy, so such hunters need an eye and an eye. And with dogs it’s easier - they don’t claim any rights to the found mushroom. You can get mushrooms on your own. If you saw a swarm of flies under a tree, then there is definitely a truffle under it - flies really like to lay larvae in it. But they usually affect only one fungus, and all other fungi in the family will be unspoiled.

In total, there are about thirty varieties of truffles, but only eight of them have found use in cooking. There are summer or Russian truffles, winter truffles, Oregon truffles, and even Himalayan and Chinese truffles. But the recognized and unsurpassed favorites of this family are the white Italian, or Piedmontese truffle and its French counterpart, the black Perigord truffle. It is these mushrooms that are meant when gourmets start talking about truffles.

Truffles have been known since the time of the Roman Empire, they were highly valued as an aphrodisiac, but after the collapse of the great empire, truffles were forgotten. The French owe the revival of this delicacy to the well-known gourmet of the 14th century, the Duke of Berry, who found them in the forests of Perigord and delivered them to the table of King Charles V. As you know, French peasants have long added this mushroom to food, but only to increase the volume of the dish. And only in the hands of the royal chefs, the properties of the truffle were revealed, and it became a real black diamond of cooking.

Since then, the truffle has become a favorite delicacy of the nobility. And since the 16th century, the Piedmontese white truffle has become no less popular. It, along with a large number of exquisite recipes, was delivered to the court of Henry II by the Florentine cooks of his wife, Catherine de Medici. Since then, the fashion for truffles has not weakened, and the Italians and the French are still arguing with each other about whose truffles are better.

The French call the Perigord black truffle "black diamond", "capricious prince" and consider it a source of national pride. It grows in oak and beech groves in the south of France. But 80% of all truffles collected in France are grown on special oak plantations. And since the collection of these mushrooms has recently declined sharply, calls are being made to increase the number of mushroom plantations. But local farmers are categorically against it, so that there is no reduction in the price of this expensive delicacy.

And its Italian neighbor - the white Piedmontese truffle, which grows in northern Italy, in Piedmont, is valued no less. It has a more intense flavor and aroma than its French counterpart. Gourmets appreciate the white truffle more. But the taste of black truffle is more delicate.

Truffles have a pronounced mushroom taste with a hint of deep-fried sunflower seeds or walnuts and a strong characteristic aroma inherent only to them. And water acquires the taste of soy sauce if truffle lies in it for a while. Due to the pronounced taste and long aftertaste, truffles are used exclusively as an addition to the main course.

Describing the taste of truffles is a thankless task, especially if you have not tried them. But as knowledgeable people say, having tasted a dish with truffles for the first time, one will find its taste delicious and refined, another - ordinary, and the third - disgusting.

Truffles are usually used raw. They are cut into very thin shavings just before serving with a special blade, a bit like a razor. Therefore, among gourmets they say not to cut, but to “shave truffles”. Truffles can decorate any dish, but they are usually added to dishes that have a neutral or passive taste. As a rule, about five grams of truffle is added to the dish, but in general this addition does not exceed 10 - 20 grams. By the way, one gram of black truffle in Moscow restaurants costs an average of $5.

According to French culinary specialists, all egg dishes can be cooked with truffles - omelettes, beaten eggs, soufflés. Very well they complement poultry, veal dishes, truffles with lobsters and lobsters are also good. Truffles are used in the preparation of salads, cheeses, pates, deli meats. Truffle sauces are very popular. A little of this sauce to the dish - and it acquires a unique taste and aroma.

The most traditional dish of French cuisine is foie gras with truffles - a pate made from fatty goose liver with the addition of black truffles. And in Italian - fettuccine with truffles - egg noodles with white Piedmontese truffle.

Truffle (Tuber) is a representative of marsupial fungi, since spores ripen in special unicellular bags - asci. This is a very rare and expensive representative of the mushroom kingdom.

Summer truffle (black)

mushroom features

Truffles are unusual, primarily in that the fruiting bodies are formed not on the ground, but inside it. Rounded or tuberous mushrooms have a fleshy and cartilaginous texture. Their feature is a marble pattern - the alternation of light and dark streaks on the cut. Light veins are called internal veins, and dark veins are called external. Bags with spores are formed on the internal veins, and are also distributed in nests in the fruiting body. Mushrooms grow to different sizes. They can be the size of a walnut or a potato tuber.

Young mushrooms have a smooth whitish skin, which eventually turns yellow and becomes light brown. The surface is covered with various folds, cracks and hard “warts”. The yellow-whitish dry flesh with numerous brownish veins-convolutions turns brown when heated and acquires a chocolate hue.

Truffle is an edible mushroom of the first category with the best consumer and culinary qualities. They are most often used fresh to make aromatic soups, sauces and gravies.

nutritional value

Calorie content of 100 g of the product - 24 kcal.

The chemical composition of the truffle:

proteins - 3 g;
carbohydrates - 2 g;
fats - 0.5 g;
dietary fiber - 1 g;
water - 90 g.

And also it contains vitamins PP, C and B2, a small amount of B1, but there are practically no macro- and microelements in the composition.

Where do truffles grow and how to collect them?

It is not easy to find a truffle in the forest, it hides well underground. Summer mushrooms are harvested in summer and autumn, peaking in August - September. They go for winter species in February and look for them until March.

The fungus grows in deciduous, mixed European forests, less often in coniferous forests, as well as on the African continent (in its northern part), Asia and America. He needs moderately moist clay-calcareous soils with an underdeveloped grassy cover, on which he forms mycorrhiza with the roots of various tree species. Usually truffles grow in small groups of 7 pieces.

Experienced "hunters" for truffles notice hidden mushrooms by insignificant external signs - these are raised soil and dried grass. In France, it is customary to look for them with the help of truffle flies, which lay their larvae in the ground near this mushroom. The flight of these insects, their large accumulation indicates the close location of truffles.

But not all are such “pathfinders”, therefore, to search for a delicacy, trained animals have been used since ancient times, which are able to smell the peculiar smell of truffles 20 m away. start. In Italy, dogs are used for searches; poodles and mutts have become the best search engines. Interestingly, until the 1869s, trained bears were looking for truffles near Moscow.

Truffle varieties

There are many varieties of mushrooms, here are the most common:

Truffle italian(Tuber magnatum), real or "Piedmontese" - its range is Piedmont (region of Italy). It grows near birches, lindens, elms. This is the most expensive mushroom in the world. It is valued for its pleasant taste and cheese-garlic aroma.
french black(Tuber melanosporum), "Perigorsky" is found in groves where I grow hornbeams, beeches and oaks. It is considered the second most valuable, second only to Italian. A red-brown or brown-black truffle with an angular-rounded shape is covered with large warts and small depressions. The flesh is colored reddish, later turning purple. Its distinguishing feature is the many white and black veins with a red border on the section of the mushroom. The mushroom is bitter in taste with a strong aroma.
Truffle black "burgundy"(Tuber uncinatum) is a variety of French black that has a nutty aroma and taste of chocolate and grows throughout Europe.
summer truffle(Tuber aestivum), the "black Russian" is recognizable by its nutty taste and the sweetish aroma of algae. It can be found on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, in the broad-leaved forests of the Scandinavian countries, Central Europe, Ukraine, and in some areas of Central Asia. It ripens in the summer months.
winter truffle(Tuber brumale) ripens in November - February. Hiding in the ground, it is not damaged by frost, but if somehow the fungus is on the surface, then it freezes slightly and loses all its taste. This happens even with the slightest frost. It grows in Switzerland, Italy and France, in the Crimean mountains. The young mushroom has a reddish-purple color, the mature mushroom becomes almost black and is overgrown with many small warts. Ash-gray flesh has white streaks and a musky aroma.
African truffle(Terfezia leonis) grows exclusively in North Africa and in parts of the Middle East. Whitish-yellow mushrooms have a rounded shape. The flesh is light, mealy, with white streaks and numerous dark spots. When ripe, it becomes wet.

Italian truffle mushroom

French black truffle mushroom

Black truffle mushroom "Burgundy"

summer truffle mushroom

winter truffle mushroom

African truffle

The benefits of the mushroom

Truffle Harm

The fungus does not harm human health. There can be only one contraindication - this is intolerance to the product. You should also pay attention to where it is collected. Any mushroom, like a sponge, absorbs not only useful, but also toxic substances from the environment, and accumulate toxins in itself.

Growing at home

Difficulties in finding truffles forced experts to raise the issue of their artificial cultivation. For several centuries, all attempts were unsuccessful, but at the beginning of the 19th century it was cultivated. However, only "black" species grow in an unnatural environment, "white" truffles are not cultivated.

The main condition is a favorable climate. It should be moderate, warm, without sudden changes in temperature. Regions with hot summers and frosty winters are not suitable for this purpose. It is better to buy seed material in a specialized store, but they are not cheap. Usually, spores are grafted onto the roots of hazel or oak seedlings.

You can try to grow mycorrhiza yourself. Beech or oak sawdust is infected with mycelium and placed in a warm, sterile place until mycorrhiza is formed, but this will not happen before a year.

They select a place for planting trees - protected from the wind, direct sunlight, other shrubs, trees, flowers should not grow on its territory. Spruces, chestnuts and poplars especially do not tolerate truffles next to them. The place is protected from invading animals. Truffle loves alkaline soil, if it is acidic, then lime is added. And also it should be rich in humus, calcium and saturated with air.

Seedlings are planted in the spring. The soil is not pre-fertilized so that the mycelium does not die. It is cleaned of weeds, stones and dig holes 75 cm deep, watered. Then the seedlings are planted, covered with soil and watered again. At a distance of 40 cm from each seedling, the ground is mulched with last year's oak leaves. The temperature should be in the region of +20 °C…+22 °C.

It is recommended to fertilize with potash and nitrogen fertilizers. They are added not to the mushroom planting site, but to the ground near the roots of the tree where they grow. For the winter, be sure to mulch them to protect them from frost. In the spring they are fed with mineral fertilizers rich in boron, copper, zinc, calcium and iron.

Harvest time depends on the type of mushroom planted. They hide at a depth of 20 cm from the surface. If the mushrooms rot or lose their nutritional value, then perhaps they are located close to the surface. In this case, it is recommended to sprinkle the surface with clean, dry sand. Truffles are dug up with a small spatula. Mushrooms grow not only near the roots of trees, but are also located between them.

Growing a truffle in a greenhouse or cellar is expensive. To create optimal conditions, a system of air humidification, heating, ventilation is installed, special soil and means for additional disinfection are purchased. Such costs will pay off if truffle cultivation becomes your business.

Kira Stoletova

The truffle mushroom is one of the rarest and most expensive mushrooms in the world. It grows underground, at the roots of oak, beech, hazel. It is collected according to special, characteristic signs or with the help of animals. The mushroom is part of the most exquisite dishes, has an unusual taste and aroma. It began to be cultivated in the century before last, but since the harvests are small, the prices remain high.

Description of the mushroom

Truffle is a fungus from the department Actinomycetes (skmchatye) and the order Pececia, the Truffle family of the genus Truffle. The fruiting bodies of these amazing mushrooms are almost completely hidden underground; in their “appearance”, they resemble cones or potato tubers. Not without reason in Latin the name sounds like "terrae tuber", or "earth cone".

From above, the fungus covers the peridium - the outer integumentary layer with numerous warts or cracks. In some species, it is almost white. The internal pulp on a cut is similar to marble. It consists of internal and external veins, which have different shades. Spore sacs mature in the internal veins. They are lighter than the outside. The color of the pulp varies from species to species.

According to the species description, the aroma of the truffle mushroom has several notes: the smell of the autumn forest, rotten leaves, humus, ripe fruits, even cocoa and chocolate. The taste of a truffle resembles a nut or roasted seeds, sometimes it has a fruity, coconut or chocolate aftertaste. It is cooked with minimal heat treatment, gourmets advise eating it raw so as not to lose its unique aroma and flavor. If you send a truffle for storage, it loses most of its qualities.

The mushroom is used as a seasoning for various dishes. It goes well with poultry, steaks, pasta, scrambled eggs. It is used for making sauces, gourmet pâtés, and fillings. Its calorie content is low. The beneficial properties of mushrooms are also known. They contain B vitamins (B1, B2), PP, C and essential amino acids. Once these mushrooms were used as an aphrodisiac.

Truffle mushroom cannot be stored for a long time: only 2-3 days in the refrigerator at a temperature of +1 ... + 2 ° C in a glass jar or a tightly closed container. Fresh mushrooms are bought during the picking season. At the same time, restaurants serve a special "truffle menu". Mushrooms canned in cognac, wine, sometimes they make a special oil, paste. But the taste of these products is completely different.

Where do truffles grow

Truffle mushrooms grow in forests of deciduous, rarely mixed trees. Their mycelium settles on the roots, taking from them all the necessary nutrients. Of particular value are fruiting bodies that have grown at the roots of oak, less valuable settle near beech, birch, hazel, linden, poplar. Groups of 3-7 pieces are found near one tree, but often they grow singly. Fruiting bodies lie at a depth of 5 cm to 30 cm (average - 20 cm).

Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Indeed, truffle mycelium can give rise to 3-7 fruiting bodies, which are usually arranged in a circle, forming a nest. Fruiting bodies here will be of different sizes.
When these valuable mushrooms ripen, the soil above them rises, which for the truffle picker is a clear indicator of the presence of fruiting bodies in this place. Every year there is a gradual growth and expansion of nests. With skillful collection, i.e. maintaining the integrity of the mycelium, in these places - truffles, you can harvest in subsequent years.
For its full development, the truffle needs 3-4 months.

The habitat of the species is Western and Central Europe, the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, the Crimea, the Mediterranean. In North Africa, a specific white Moroccan truffle grows. Its mycelium settles on the roots of coniferous trees - cedar, pine, although it can also envelop the root system of oak.

Types of truffles

There are different types of truffles. About a dozen are considered edible, but in total there are more than a hundred of them. At the same time, a number of inedible and poisonous varieties are assigned to other genera. They share a lifestyle with real truffles: they also grow underground.

Piedmontese truffle

Characteristic:

The fruit body is in the form of a tuber, with numerous outgrowths and deformations.
The outer shell is yellow-red or yellow-brown, velvety, tightly attached to the pulp.
The inner flesh is light (white or cream), rarely has a light pink tint or marbled pattern.
The size of the fruiting body is 2-12 cm.
The average weight is 300 g, individual specimens can reach up to 1-1.3 kg.
The aroma is similar to cheese with garlic, with pronounced musky and earthy notes.

Sometimes this species is called the "golden Tuscan truffle", its price is the same as it would be for a gold bar of a similar weight. Mushrooms are sold at special truffle auctions, which have been held since 1930. It is possible to taste fresh white truffles in October-January, the most delicious specimens are harvested in November and December. At other times of the year, there are only canned ones, they are much worse in taste.

The cost of white truffle is high, on average 3000-4000 € per 1 kg, sometimes more expensive. The most expensive and largest specimen weighing 1.5 kg was sold for US$330,000 apiece. At auctions, Piedmontese truffles are sold one at a time. The product is wrapped in paper napkins and shown from smallest to largest.

Each mushroom has its own pedigree, which indicates the time of collection, the tree under which it was found, the nickname and breed of the dog. So do the traders in the markets.

Black Perigord Truffle

Perigordsky, or French black truffle, is the second most valuable after white. It is common in France (the most productive places are in the south-west of the country), in Spain, and Central Italy. This species has now begun to be grown artificially, it was brought to America, Australia, and South Africa. Truffle mycelium feels good under oak, less often under other deciduous trees. Mushrooms ripen from November to March. The best time to harvest this winter truffle is January and February.

Description of mushroom:

The shape of the fruiting body is rounded or slightly elongated.
The upper layer (peridium) is brown-red, becoming black with age, covered with tetrahedral or hexagonal warts.
The flesh is first gray or red-brown, then turns into black-violet, a marble pattern is clearly visible on the cut.
Size - about 9 cm in diameter.
Average weight - 400 g.
The aroma is nutty, with slight notes of nutmeg and chocolate, the taste is spicy, with bitterness.

The mushroom picker of this species is aggressive, it destroys competitive plants, therefore it is easier to find a mushroom underground than others. This can be done along the islands of bare ground in those places where truffles are located. It used to be widely cultivated in France, now yields have declined there, but it has begun to be grown in China, Australia and other countries.

Black winter truffle

Black winter truffle grows in France, Italy, Switzerland, Ukraine. Prefers moist soils. The mushroom picker loves the roots of linden and hazel, this variety is also found under birches and beeches. Main features:

The shape is rounded, sometimes irregularly spherical.
The upper skin (peridium) changes color with age from red-brown to black, covered with small warts.
The young flesh is white, then acquires a black-violet tone with brown and yellow veins.
Diameter - 8-12 cm.
Weight is sometimes 1-1.5 kg.
The smell is rich, musky.

This variety is harvested from November to February.

Black summer truffle

Russian truffle - the second name of the black summer truffle, found in Scandinavia, Central Europe, and also in Russia. It grows under oaks, beeches, hornbeams, rarely under birches or pines. The Russian truffle ripens from the last days of July to the beginning of November.

Main characteristics:

Round shape of the fruiting body.
The outer layer is blue-black, warty.
The pulp is first dense, then becomes loose, streaked with veins.
The color of this truffle varies from white-yellow to brown-gray.
Diameter - 2.5-10 cm.
The average weight is about 400 g.
On the palate there is a pronounced nutty hue with a hint of seaweed.

A feature of this species is a shallow occurrence underground, sometimes fruiting bodies even come to the surface. These are the only black truffles in Russia.

Black autumn truffle

Autumn or Burgundy truffle - valued lower than its other French and Italian counterparts. It grows in the north-east of France, sometimes in Italy, rarely in England.

What does this mushroom look like?

The shape is correct, rounded.
The outer shell is covered with black tubercles.
The flesh is dense, brown, with pronounced white streaks on the cut, never becomes friable.
The taste and aroma are reminiscent of hazelnuts with pronounced chocolate notes.

Truffles of this variety are harvested from late July to November.

White Oregon Truffle

Find these mushrooms is really only in the western part of the United States. They are small, only 2.5-5 cm in diameter, weigh about 250 g. Their feature is a shallow occurrence in the soil. Mushrooms are often found right under a layer of needles. Their taste is characterized by a pronounced herbal and fruity accent.

Himalayan truffle, or Chinese

The species was first found in India at the end of the nineteenth century before last, then it was found in the Himalayas. Now varieties of Chinese truffles are grown artificially and exported around the world. Their prices are lower, because mushrooms are much inferior in taste to their French and Italian counterparts.

This type of truffle looks like a small cone or potato with a dark, uneven skin, dotted with cracks. The middle is gray-brown, with beige or yellowish veins, hard, smells weak, the taste is lean. Considered a type of black winter truffle.

African truffle

African truffle mushroom, or steppe, is found in the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The mushroom picker forms mycorrhiza not with trees, but with herbs: sunflowers and rockroses.

Mushroom characteristics:

The shape is round and elongated.
The cover is brown or brown-yellow, smooth.
The pulp is powdery, friable, white with brown or yellow veins.
The diameter of the fruiting body is about 5 cm.
Mushroom aroma.

This type of truffle is not considered too valuable. It is searched for and eaten by local residents of the coastal regions of North Africa, and is also collected in Italy and France.

Red shiny truffle

Red shiny truffle is found in all European countries, in deciduous and mixed forests. Mycelium enters into symbiosis with both deciduous and coniferous trees. Collection time is from May to August. The sizes are small, 1-5 cm, weight - up to 50 g. The surface is brown-yellow, the flesh with a pink tint, soft. Taste and aroma have shades of red wine, pear and coconut.

This species is considered a relative of the red truffle.

red truffle

Red truffle is a common European species, which is characterized by a red tint of the upper layer. The flesh is yellow-brown, with a typical marbled pattern. The sizes are small, weight - up to 80 g. The taste is sweetish, "meaty", with a grassy-coconut tint.

Red truffle has low culinary value.

Truffle white March

Truffle white March grows in the south of Europe, including the Crimean region. The surface is light brown when young, darkening to reddish-brown over time. The pulp is dense, with a pronounced mushroom aroma and garlic notes in young specimens. In older mushrooms, the smell becomes unpleasant, repulsive.

Fruiting bodies are found under deciduous and coniferous trees, they ripen from December to April. The species lends itself to cultivation, but its cost is low.

There are several other types of edible truffles that are not of commercial interest: duran, variegated, pubescent, ocher. The motley white truffle is used to make oil, it is not eaten.

There are several types of mushrooms that do not represent the genus Truffle, but look very much like them. Among them there are edible, conditionally edible and even poisonous.

Most of these species are not specially harvested. They become chance finds when the animals rake the bedding under the trees. Often they are eaten by wild boars, squirrels.

A psilocybin species with hallucinogenic properties is also known, after the use of which a person has bizarre dreams.

How truffles are harvested

Fly hunting: mushroom pickers are guided by specific flies that lay their larvae in the fruiting bodies of truffles. They fly in small clouds near the trees where mushrooms grow.

Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Indeed, such an exotic way for our people to search for truffle mushrooms has long been used by residents of the French provinces of Perigord and Vaucluse. Locals have long noticed that some species of flies (the so-called "truffle flies") lay their eggs in the soil near the truffles. Their larvae use the fruiting bodies of these mushrooms for food. Noticing the years of insects, people determine the location of truffles.

Ground tapping: Another way to find truffles is when picking. A void is formed around the fruiting body, the soil is loosened, therefore the sound will be more sonorous than over a continuous layer of earth. This method requires considerable experience and subtle hearing.
Animal collection: mushrooms help animals collect, this is the most popular way. In northern Italy, specially trained dogs are used for this. They sniff the ground and dig it in the place where truffles grow. Training requires experience and patience, good search dogs cost about 5000 €. Italian mushroom pickers prefer dark-colored dogs that do not bark. They come out to gather at night to distract competitors: the dark animal is not so noticeable in the forest. Also at night, the smells are aggravated, which increases the chances of a successful hunt.

By the way. A domestic pig is looking for a good truffle. These animals love mushrooms, even in the wild they pull them out from under the roots to feast on them. The boar smells 200-300 m away. With this method of collection, the main thing is to pull the pig away from the tree in time: if it digs a truffle, it will certainly eat it.

Growing truffles at home

Growing truffles at home is a profitable business, but it requires a lot of investment and an appropriate level of patience. Harvests begin to be received only 5-10 years after laying the grove. Cultivation was first practiced in France in the first half of the 19th century. By the end of the century, thousands of hectares were planted with oak groves with truffles in this country. France annually supplied about 1000 tons of mushrooms to world markets.

During the First World War, most of the forests were destroyed, because. In those places there were intense battles. The poor ecological situation also seriously affects the yield. Now in France only 50 tons of truffles are grown per year.

Australian, Chinese, Japanese, American farmers have learned to cultivate a delicious and original mushroom.

However, one should not expect that the artificial cultivation of truffles will bring the main income to the owner of the grove. The yield is unstable, the first fruiting bodies have to wait about 5 years, the main production is obtained between 10 and 20 years of cultivation. Then its quantity gradually begins to fall.

Growing technology

The climate should be temperate and humid.
Soil pH - 7.4-7.9.
Oak or hazel roots are suitable for infection with mycelium.

The soil is dug up well, it should contain useful minerals. The soil is fertilized 6-8 months before planting. Carefully remove all weeds (up to the last root). Herbicides and pesticides do not contribute: they will damage the mycelium. The only suitable preparation is ammonium glufosinate (contact non-selective herbicide).

To grow truffles on their own, small seedlings of trees are infected with mycelium. First, they are kept in quarantine under sterile conditions for several weeks. Immediately after application of truffle mycelium, seedlings are planted in a nursery or greenhouse. They are transferred to open ground after a couple of months, when the height of the tree reaches at least 20 cm. A good time for planting is spring, when there is no threat of frost on the ground surface.

Planting depth - 75 cm. The area for one tree is 4 × 5 m. It is realistic to grow up to 500 seedlings per hectare. Around the tree, mulch is laid out in a circle from fallen leaves, forest litter (diameter - 40 cm). The main benefit of mulch is the creation of optimal conditions for the growth of mycelium. Attention! A truffle farm should not coexist with willows, poplars, chestnuts, and firs.

Truffle mushroom is capricious, so its cultivation requires patience. It is necessary to constantly check the composition and acidity of the soil, to prevent the appearance of weeds. The plantation is fenced so that small rodents and other animals do not get there. The most real is the cultivation of black truffles.

Looking for truffles as a business idea or additional income

Russian truffle - search with mycologist Vishnevsky, www.grib.tv

Truffles: what is the money for?

Conclusion

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