Both white and black truffles are highly prized for the earthy, funky luxury they lend to dishes like risotto, pasta, and scrambled eggs. But how did an underground fungus hunted by pigs and dogs become one of the most sought-after and expensive ingredients in the world? Here's everything you need to know about truffles, including our favorite ways to cook with them.
What is a truffle?
Truffles are an edible fungus that grows underground. Truffles are usually small, round or irregularly shaped, with a rough, bumpy exterior. They range in color from black to white; some species have a marbled appearance. A lot of people confuse truffles with mushrooms, but while they are both delicious types of fungi, truffles are distinctly more intense and flavorful.
Truffles are carefully removed from the underground out of the soil and harvested with the help of trained female pigs or dogs, which are able to detect the strong smell of the truffles underneath the surface of the ground. The use of pigs is risky, because of their natural tendency to eat any remotely edible thing in front of them. For that reason, dogs have been trained to detect their presence too and willingly exchange their truffles with a piece of dog biscuit.
“I heard of some truffle hunters digging for their prizes themselves when they see truffle flies around the base of a tree,” says Oliver Lange, corporate executive chef for Zuma Restaurants.
What is the difference between black and white truffles?
White truffles, also known as Alba truffles, are a type of subterranean fungus that grows in the soil of oak, beech, and poplar trees in the forests near Alba, in northern Italy. They have a white to light-brown exterior and a strong, musky aroma. White truffle harvest season typically begins in September, peaks in October and November, then wanes in December.
Black truffles, also known as Périgord truffles, are a type of subterranean fungus that grows in the soil of oak and hazelnut trees. They are most often found in France and Spain but have been cultivated in Australia and the United States. They have a dark brown to black exterior and a pungent aroma. Black truffles are commonly harvested in the winter.
Lange incorporates truffles into various menu items to bring a strong flavor of rich umami.
“White truffles have a strong aroma with a delicate nutty flavor with hints of shallots and garlic,” he says. “Black winter truffles are earthier and their aroma is reminiscent of cocoa, port, licorice and sometimes a bit musty.”
How do you cook with truffles?
Typically, truffles are thinly shaved on top of a cooked meal but if you grate them on a Microplane instead, the fine shavings incorporate better with the dish. Truffles are commonly used in pasta dishes, risotto, sauces, or grated over seafood or meat. Black truffles go well with juicy steaks such as our Dry-Aged Rib Eyes with Burgundy-Truffle Sauce.
Lange serves chu-toro tartare with soy and quail egg served with miso brioche and white truffle. He recommends using truffles to finish a dish, rather than cooking them for a long time, noting, “If you have a cooked meal, truffles should be consumed right after it’s shaved, you don’t want to cook truffles really long, or else they will lose their freshness.”
Typically, truffles are thinly shaved on top of a cooked meal but if you grate them on a Microplane instead, the fine shavings incorporate better with the dish. Truffles are commonly used in pasta dishes, risotto, sauces, or grated over seafood or meat.
Typically, truffles are thinly shaved on top of a cooked meal but if you grate them on a Microplane instead, the fine shavings incorporate better with the dish. Truffles are commonly used in pasta dishes, risotto, sauces, or grated over seafood or meat.
You can eat the truffles raw, but they are also beautiful cooked or added to cooked dishes, in fact this can help enhance their flavour. The flavour of black truffles is rather different to the white truffle, it is strongly earthy with a garlicky, nutty, or even sweet taste.
White truffles are more fragrant and flavorful. In fact, they're so aromatic that they're almost always shaved raw on top of dishes, a scene that will soon play out in high-end restaurants all over the world. On the other hand, some light cooking can help coax the maximum flavor out of black truffles.
The reason behind such high costs is the scarcity of the produce, truffles are seasonal, extremely difficult to grow, and take many years to cultivate. They also have a short shelf life. Truffles require a very specific climate to grow and require lots of oak trees, that's why they're often found in woodland.
Truffles are underground fungi that have a mycorrhizal relationship with the host tree where they grow. They flourish slightly beneath the surface of the earth, growing on the roots of different trees. Truffles are irresistible because their aroma is composed of chemicals that mimic mammalian reproductive pheromones.
Truffles contain a lot of important vitamins and minerals for our bodies such as vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and iron.They are also high in protein and fibre. In fact, studies have found that truffles may even be a complete source of protein, providing you with all the nourishment you need.
Whilst total anosmia is extremely rare, partial anosmia, the inability to taste a small number of specific flavours, is actually quite common. Amazingly, up to 30% of the population cannot detect androstenone, which is one of the chemicals used in scent-based truffle hunting.
Truffles have a deep aroma and strong fragrance that are a prelude to their taste. Earthy, musky and pungent, the best way to describe their taste is by putting them in the umami category. Also known as the fifth taste, this lesser-known flavor is savory and reminiscent of meat, broth, and fish.
In 2021, the rarest black truffles, like the Burgundy black truffle, went for nearly $900 per pound, while more common truffles, like the Chinese black truffle, ran for less than $100 a pound. Meanwhile, European white truffles can sell for as much as $3,300 a pound!
The most expensive truffle ever sold is the Tuber magnatum Pico, commonly known as the white truffle. Specifically, the record belongs to a giant white truffle that weighed 3.3 pounds (or about 1.5 kilograms).
When it comes to how to clean truffles, there is at least one certain rule: do not use water or soap. Instead, remove any dirt with a soft brush. Pro tip: we learned firsthand that official truffle hunters often use a toothbrush.
Black truffles are peeled and can be used raw or lightly cooked, while white truffles are just carefully wiped and cleaned and should never be cooked. They have a unique, delicate taste and are usually sliced raw directly onto the dish.
If using in a hot dish, such as a soup or sauce, slice or grate the truffle in just before serving or warm briefly in a little oil. Use quickly: The strength of the truffle flavour will naturally decrease over time.
Peel black truffles, saving the peel to flavor other dishes or to infuse olive oil, but use white truffles unpeeled. Grate truffles on a grater, or cut them into paper-thin slices, or shavings, with a vegetable peeler, a mandoline or a tool called a truffle slicer.
Introduction: My name is The Hon. Margery Christiansen, I am a bright, adorable, precious, inexpensive, gorgeous, comfortable, happy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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