Which tastes like truffle mushroom. Truffle – a delicious mushroom: features and types

25.03.2020

I remember the first time I tried truffles - as if it was yesterday. Then I already knew a lot about good cuisine. We went to dinner dedicated to one of the most significant events in life, celebrating which we usually do not deny ourselves anything and choose only the best.

The dinner took place in one of the famous restaurants, which has earned many honorary awards and a good reputation among lovers of Italian cuisine. After we were seated at tables covered in sparkling white tablecloths and laden with sparkling glasses, the waiter approached us and offered us the wine list and menu. “I have just received a new batch of white truffles from Alba,” he told us: “Let me say that any dish with them will surpass all other dishes on the menu.”

It was the end of autumn - the height of the white truffle season and these underground mushrooms were discussed in every publication and in every program dedicated to cooking. Unlike its relative, the black truffle, the white truffle is a rare delicacy and, according to many, due to its taste, one of the most unique products in the world. It cannot be cultivated and grows in the Piedmont region, Alba and Asti (areas also known for producing excellent wines). Outwardly, the truffle looks completely unattractive, but the exquisite taste and rarity of the mushroom make it one of the most sought-after and expensive treats in the world. In Italy, various festivals and tastings are dedicated to truffles. Every year, gourmets from all over the world come to Piedmont to taste a tasty piece of white truffle.

The hype around this product discouraged me from trying the mushroom myself, but for some reason on this day - the sparkle in the waiter's eye must have done its job, or maybe Sfurzat from Piedmont - anyway, I chose a dish with white truffle from Alba. It was a simple dish: spaghetti alla chittara with shavings of white truffles and butter. For a snack – roasted vegetables and as a secondo– Branzino fish (sea bass). So, the dish is in front of me - and I put the first piece of the famous truffle into my mouth. The sensations exceeded all my expectations - I was simply speechless.

It was best dish I've ever eaten in my life. The taste is incomparable - perhaps the fruits in the Garden of Eden have this taste. Words cannot convey the entire palette of taste and aroma.  All my favorite dishes - and pasta ai ricci , which I tried in Taormina, admiring the sparkling Sicilian sea, and the famous Roman bucatini all'amatriciana

and even (let this remain between us) my grandmother’s ravioli have faded into the background. The taste of the truffles turned out to be divine – there’s no other way to put it!

For weeks, this was the only dish I talked about. Now the sensations have smoothed out a little, but I have definitely turned into an admirer of white truffle. As soon as I find myself in Italy, I immediately start looking for a place where I could try it again. Truffles are an incredibly expensive delicacy, but everyone can afford to try a small piece. Piedmontese wines Barolo, Barbaresco and my favorite, Barbera, are ideal to accompany. Truffles are served with various dishes, but I prefer Italian simplicity - pasta with truffles became my favorite dish on that unforgettable evening.

Many people have heard about this amazing mushroom. We know that this mushroom grows somewhere underground, and without the help of four-legged helpers (pigs or dogs) it is almost impossible to find it. Perhaps this is where our knowledge ends. But what is a truffle? What types are there? Why is he so good?

A little information about truffles

Types of truffles native to Europe

The following types of truffles are found in European countries:

By the way, truffles can be grown, although not in the same way as, for example, champignons. Back in the 19th century, it was noticed that if acorns from an oak tree under which truffles grow are planted in the ground, then these mushroom delicacies will also grow under the roots of the new tree. In France, where they know well what a truffle is, at one time 750 km 2 were planted with such groves, from which they managed to harvest 1000 tons of these delicacies. Unfortunately, this process is very lengthy. It takes about 30 years to obtain a full harvest, after which the number of truffles collected drops sharply.
I already tried to answer this question once. so I'll quote:
Among other things, there was either a pigeon or a quail, sprinkled with truffle crumbs. I methodically chewed the perfectly cooked bird, wondering why people tend to go crazy over truffles, the taste of which is so indistinct.
I shared my bewilderment with Terezhol, and he seemed 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,” said Terezhol, “that is, bad. But this is 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 rushed to the kitchen and brought back a rather heavy black lump, similar to a mummified potato tuber.
br /> “This is a Périgord truffle. Five thousand francs per kilo. 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. It is better to boil the Perigords, but in general they can be eaten raw. How are you?”
Just in case, I agreed with boiling.
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’s nice to be sure that in exactly two days it will reach the addressee. When ordering a rare steak, it is good to get it purple-red when cut.
The problem with the truffle was that I didn't expect anything from it. And therefore I was completely unprepared for what befell me. Not ready for a baked chestnut-like texture. Not ready for the powerful enveloping aroma that penetrates the cerebral cortex like laughing gas. I’m not ready for this taste, which seemed to have everything: from the weighty nobility of boiled boletus to the frivolous swagger of chanterelle, from the sweetish dope of prosciutto to the sly sourness of güverztraminer. Sprinkled with coarse sea salt the truffle resembled a salted milk mushroom, generously flavored with sour cream and already washed down with vodka. The feeling was as if a lone soloist had appeared 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 the hallucinations.
r /> Afterwards I repeated this trick several times. And every time the truffles turned to me with some new side. Instead of salted milk mushrooms, they gave out the taste baked apples, and instead of Guvertztraminer they smelled distinctly of Sauternes. But since then I have realized how florid, how protean their taste is. How they can adapt to other products, and how gently but powerfully they impose their will on, say, pigeon meat.
Now I will never again ask the stupid question why the world is going crazy over truffles, because they can turn an ordinary pigeon into a phoenix bird."

www.rpi.su

Truffle is a mushroom that grows underground at a depth of 10 to 30 centimeters. This is why finding a truffle is a very difficult task. For this purpose, dogs are specially trained to find the treasured mushroom by smell, or pigs. Pigs were originally truffle eaters, so their qualities cannot be ignored. Pigs can smell the truffle from another 50 meters away! And to prevent the animal from eating the found truffle, its face is tied with a special belt, like a muzzle for dogs. By the way, dogs trained to search for truffles 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 2,000 euro mark, and black ones – for 400 euros. It is generally accepted that white truffles have a more delicate taste, while black ones have a sharper taste.
White 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 flavor. This is why the white truffle is much more expensive than its black counterpart.
It is the winter truffle that is considered a delicacy. It can be found in oak and beech groves, mainly in Southern France and Northern Italy, where there are real “myceliums” of this type of truffle. The taste is reminiscent of an ordinary mushroom with a peculiar hint of deeply fried seeds or walnuts. A real truffle, if placed in water and kept there for some time, makes a certain liquid from the water that from a distance tastes like 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 the treat yourself. You can detect a truffle yourself under the foliage only if you have an intended eye. A sign of a truffle is the midges swarming over it. Moreover, the information that is important is that from year to year people find fewer and fewer truffles.
The high popularity of truffles and their enormous cost led to the fact that Chinese fakes began to be imported into France in huge quantities. Yes, that's not a typo. In China, counterfeits of delicious mushrooms were made, in particular, with some help chemical substances. For a long time, frogs have been imported into France at incredibly cheap prices, which has a negative impact on the income of local producers and the entire economy of the country as a whole.
Then fake truffles also appeared. A fake costs about 20 euros per kilogram. It is noteworthy that only a true professional can distinguish Chinese truffles from real French ones 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 proven 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.

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Characteristics of truffle mushrooms

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

What do truffles look like?

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

Where do truffles grow in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus?

Valuable fruiting bodies are sought in deciduous forests, where they are capable of forming mycorrhizae with woody roots. For example, the black truffle has a very expressive smell and most often grows next to oaks, beeches, hornbeam and hazel, while the white truffle has a milder aroma and creates mycorrhiza with birch, poplar, elm, linden, rowan and hawthorn. Ideal places for growth are considered to be Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany.

On the territory of our country, this valuable mushroom grows extremely rarely 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, the optimal soil and climatic conditions for truffles are the Lviv region, the Carpathians and the Khmelnitsky 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 do truffles grow (video)

Taste and nutritional value of truffles

The undoubted benefits of fruiting bodies, as well as their the nutritional value and excellent taste are determined 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 not in doubt. Fruiting bodies are a source of vitamins, which are especially important at the stage of active, rapid growth processes. Besides everything else, This product is an excellent antioxidant that helps rejuvenate the body.. The ability of the marsupial fungus to manifest itself as a very strong and effective aphrodisiac is also well known. Cosmetics based on this mushroom 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, differing not only in their appearance, but also in taste and nutritional value.

Summer truffle

T.aestivum - forms an underground modified apothecium, which has a tuberous or round shape with a brownish-black or bluish-black surface on which black pyramidal warts are located. The pulp, depending on the stage of development, can be very dense or more loose, whitish or brownish-grayish-yellow with the presence of light veins that form a marble pattern. The taste is high. The pulp has a nutty and sweetish taste, as well as a very pleasant and pronounced aroma with slightly herbaceous notes. The spores are yellow-brown, fusiform or oval in shape, with a very characteristic reticulate type. Fruits in summer or in the first ten days of autumn.

Winter truffle

T.brumale - forms irregular spherical or almost round fruiting bodies with a 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. The spores are ellipsoidal or oval in shape, different in size, brown in color, with curved surface spines. It bears fruit from November to the last ten days of spring.

Italian or Piedmontese truffle

T.magnatum - forms underground type modified apothecia, represented by uneven and tuberous bodies with an uneven surface, covered with thin and velvety, light ocher or slightly brownish skin, which is not separated from the pulp. The internal structure is dense, whitish or yellowish-gray in color, sometimes with a reddish tint. The pulp is characterized by the presence of a white and creamy-brown marbled pattern, with a pleasant and spicy aroma reminiscent of garlic cheese. The spores are yellowish-brown, oval-shaped, with a reticulate pattern. Fruiting bodies are collected from the last ten days of September until the end of January.

Périgord or black truffle

T.melanosporum - forms modified underground tuberous apothecia, round or irregular in shape, with a reddish-brown or coal-black surface that changes color to orange when pressed. The skin is covered with numerous small multifaceted irregularities. The structure is solid, light gray or pinkish-brown in color with a whitish or reddish-pink marbled pattern on the cut. The pulp has a very strong and characteristic aroma, as well as a pleasant bitter taste. The spores are dark brown, fusiform or oval in shape, with a curve. Collection takes place from November to March.

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

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

The Caucasian variety Terfezia transcaucasica, well known as tombalan, grows on the territory of our country. A variety of marsupial fungi, quite widespread in 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 correctly

Collection of fully ripened fruiting bodies is carried out, as a rule, in the last decade of summer or at the beginning of autumn. Most often, mushrooms of this species grow in clearings well illuminated by sunlight, along the edge of an oak grove, near birch groves, and can also be found in aspen and alder plantings. To determine the location of mushrooms, pigs and dogs are specially trained, they have the best sense of smell, which helps to find mushrooms due to their very unique and quite strong aroma.

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

Features of growing truffles at home

Difficulties in growing, the 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 en masse in many foreign countries, but you can also get quite decent yields at home. To properly grow valuable bodies, you need to adhere to the following recommendations and step-by-step technology:

acquisition of mushroom mycelium on a substrate or special substrate;
harvesting fallen oak, walnut, beech branches and foliage, as well as moss;
purchasing peat nutrient substrate for cultivating indoor plants;
choosing 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 ½ full with prepared nutritious peat substrate;
laying mushroom mycelium and sprinkling it with a nutritious peat substrate, followed by dense compaction;
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 harvest directly depends on soil and weather conditions, as well as quality characteristics planting material. As a rule, the first fruiting occurs after three to four years.

How to properly cook truffle mushrooms

This 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 “Truffles in Champagne”, To prepare it 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 place in a saucepan, adding about 100 g of pork lard and a small amount of meat broth;
after boiling, add 2/3 cup of champagne.

The resulting composition is cooked over very low heat for half an hour, after which the dish is decorated and served.

“Pasta with anchovies and truffle” is a very original and delicious dish. To prepare, you need to finely chop one truffle and five anchovies, then chop four garlic cloves using a press. Heat well in a shallow frying pan olive oil you need to lay out the chopped mushrooms with anchovies, then add all the chopped garlic, some 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, previously 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 picked truffle fruit bodies, regardless of the type, is not too long. To experience the unique and very refined mushroom aroma, it is necessary to prepare the dish within several hours, as soon as possible, preferably immediately after collecting the fruiting bodies.

Several methods can be used to extend the shelf life. Storing the collected fruiting bodies in rice has proven to work best, and storing the most valuable mushrooms in oil allows you to give it a simply unique and very mild aroma. For the purpose of maximum long-term storage, it is advisable to freeze freshly harvested truffle fruit bodies.

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Description of the mushroom

Truffle is a mushroom from the department of actinomycetes, class and order Paceciaceae, family Truffleaceae. It is also classified as a marsupial fungus. The fruiting bodies are completely hidden underground; they resemble potato cones or tubers. No wonder the name in Latin sounds like terrae tuber, or earthen cone.

The fungus is covered with peridium on top - an outer layer with numerous warts or cracks. In some species it is almost white. The inner flesh looks like marble when cut. It consists of internal and external veins, which have different shades. Sacs containing spores mature in the internal veins. They are lighter than the outside ones. The color of the pulp varies among different species.

According to the description, the aroma of the truffle mushroom has several notes: the smell of an autumn forest, rotten leaves, humus, ripe fruit, even cocoa and chocolate. The truffle tastes like a nut or roasted seeds, and sometimes has a fruity, coconut or chocolate aftertaste. It is prepared with minimal heat treatment; gourmets advise eating it raw so as not to lose its unique aroma and taste. 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 go well with poultry, steaks, pasta, and omelettes. It is used to prepare sauces, delicious pates, and fillings. Its calorie content is low. Also known beneficial features mushrooms They contain vitamins B, PP, C, essential amino acids. These plants were once 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 purchased during the harvest season. At the same time, restaurants serve a special truffle menu. Mushrooms are preserved in cognac, wine, and sometimes special oil or paste is made from them. But the taste of these products is completely different.

Where do truffles grow?

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

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

Types of truffles

Eat different types truffles. About a dozen are considered edible, there are more than a hundred in total. At the same time, a number of inedible and poisonous varieties are classified as other genera. Their lifestyle is similar to that of a real truffle: they also grow underground.

Piedmontese truffle

The Piedmontese truffle, or Italian white truffle, is the most prized truffle 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, and less often under linden trees. The growing season is from mid-October to mid-February.

Characteristic:

The fruiting body is tuber-shaped, with numerous outgrowths and deformations.
The outer shell is yellow-red or yellow-brown, velvety, and fits tightly to the pulp.
The inner pulp is light (white or cream), less often has a light pink tint, and a marbled pattern.
Size - 2-12 cm.
Average weight - 300 g, individual specimens - up to 1-1.3 kg.
The aroma is similar to garlic cheese, with pronounced musky and earthy notes.

Sometimes this type is called the “Tuscan gold truffle”; its price is the same as that of a gold bar of the same weight. Mushrooms are sold at special auctions, which have been held since 1930. You can taste fresh white truffles in October-January; the most delicious specimens are collected in November and December. At other times of the year, there are only canned ones; they taste much worse.

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

Each mushroom has its own pedigree, which indicates the time of collection, the tree under which it was found, the name and breed of the dog. Market traders do the same.

Black Perigord truffle

Périgord, or French black truffle, is the second most valuable after white. It is widespread in France (the most productive places are in the southwest of the country), 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 others deciduous trees. Mushrooms ripen from November to March. The best period to collect this winter truffle is January and February.

Description of the mushroom:

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

The mycelium of this species is aggressive, it destroys competing plants, so it is easier to find the mushroom underground than others, in islands of bare soil. It used to be widely cultivated in France, but now harvests there have declined, but it has begun to be grown in China, Australia and other countries.

Black winter truffle

Black winter truffle grows in France, Italy, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Prefers wet soils. The mycelium loves the roots of linden and hazel; the variety is also found under birch and beech trees. Main features:

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

This variety is harvested from November to February.

Black summer truffle

The Russian truffle is found in Scandinavia, Central Europe, and also in Russia. It is under oak, beech, hornbeam, and rarely under birch or pine trees. Russian truffles ripen from late July to early November.

Main characteristics:

Round shape.
The outer layer is blue-black and warty.
The pulp is dense at first, then becomes loose and streaked.
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 hue with a taste of algae.

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

Black autumn truffle

The 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, round.
The shell is covered with black tubercles.
The pulp is dense, brown, with pronounced white veins on the cut, and never becomes loose.
The taste and aroma are reminiscent of hazelnuts with pronounced chocolate notes.

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

White Oregon truffle

These mushrooms can only be found on the western side of the United States. They are small, only 2.5-5 cm in diameter, weigh about 250 g. Their peculiarity is their shallow occurrence in the soil. Mushrooms are often found directly under the layer of pine needles. Their taste has 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. Nowadays, varieties of Chinese truffle are grown artificially and exported throughout the world. Their prices are lower, although mushrooms are significantly inferior in taste to their French and Italian counterparts.

A truffle looks like a small cone or potato with a dark, uneven skin dotted with cracks. The center is gray-brown, with beige or yellowish veins, hard, smells weak, tastes lean.

African truffle

The African truffle mushroom, or steppe, is found in the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The mycelium grows not with trees, but with herbs: sunflowers and cistus.

Characteristics of the mushroom:

The shape is round and elongated.
The cover is brown or brown-yellow, smooth.
The pulp is mealy, loose, white with brown or yellow veins.
Diameter - about 5 cm
Mushroom aroma

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

Red glitter truffle

Red shiny truffle in all European countries, in deciduous and mixed forests. The 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 is pink-tinged, soft. The taste and aroma have shades of red wine, pear and coconut.

Red truffle

The red truffle is a common European species characterized by a red hue 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.

White March truffle

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

The fruiting bodies are found under deciduous and coniferous trees and ripen from December to April. The variety can be cultivated, but its cost is low.

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

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

Most of these species are not specifically collected. They become accidental finds when animals rake through the layer of litter under trees. They are often eaten wild boars, proteins.

The psilocybin variety is also known to have hallucinogenic properties, causing bizarre dreams after consumption.

How are truffles collected?

Collecting truffles is a difficult business. Fruiting bodies always form near the roots, so you need to look for them under trees. The black Périgord variety displaces all plants, which is why in the place where it grows there is always a bare patch of land. Species that grow closer to the surface can displace the soil - small mounds are visible near the trees.

Mushroom pickers focus on specific flies that lay larvae in the fruiting bodies of truffles. They fly in small clouds near the trees where mushrooms grow.

There is another way - tapping the ground. A void is formed around the fruiting body, the soil is loosened, so the sound will be louder than above a continuous layer of earth. This method requires considerable experience and keen hearing.

Animals help collect mushrooms; 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 the truffles grow. Training requires experience and patience, good search dogs cost about 5000 euros. Italian mushroom pickers prefer dark dogs that do not bark. They go out to gather at night to distract competitors: a dark animal is not so noticeable in the forest. Also, at night, odors become stronger, which increases the chances of a successful hunt.

The domestic pig is good at searching for truffles. These animals love mushrooms, even in wildlife they pull them out from under the roots to feed on them. The boar can smell the smell from 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 up a truffle, it will certainly eat it.

Growing truffles at home

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

During the First World War, most of the forests were destroyed, and intense fighting took place in those places. Affects productivity and is bad ecological situation. Currently, only 50 tons of truffles are grown in France per year.

Australian, Chinese, Japanese, and American farmers have learned to cultivate this tasty and original mushroom.

You should not expect that growing artificial truffles will generate your main income. Productivity is unstable, the first fruits have to wait about 5 years, the main products are obtained between 10 and 20 years of cultivation. Then its quantity begins to fall.

Growing technology

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 produce per hectare. Primary requirements:

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

The soil should be dug well; it should contain useful minerals. The soil is fertilized 6-8 months before planting. All weeds are carefully removed. Herbicides and pest control agents are not applied: they will damage the mycelium. The only suitable drug is ammonium glufosinate.

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

Planting depth - 75 cm. Area for one tree - 4x5 m. It is possible to grow up to 500 seedlings per hectare. Around the tree, mulch from fallen leaves and forest litter is laid out in a circle (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, and fir trees.

Truffle mushroom is capricious, so growing it 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 to prevent small rodents and other animals from entering. The most realistic way is to grow black truffles.

Conclusion

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

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Until recently I thought that these were not very tasty chocolate candies... but then, after watching the TV series Kitchen, I realized that this was something else... especially when they add it to salad... I found a very interesting article on the Internet)) I should))

Who is not familiar with the famous Pushkin lines:

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

This is exactly how the first chapter of “Eugene Onegin” depicts Onegin’s lunch in the most fashionable and expensive restaurant of that time. When I first read the novel, I decided that truffles (truffles) were chocolate candies, which I loved very much. As it turns out, I was completely wrong. In form - yes, they are similar, but the content!

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

Truffles belong to the genus of marsupial fungi. They always grow underground, at a depth of five to thirty centimeters, always next to trees, as they feed from their roots. They have fleshy, tuberous bodies and oily flesh. Please note that truffles are not collected - 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 are also not averse to enjoying such a delicacy, so you need to keep an eye on such hunters. But with dogs it’s easier - they don’t claim any rights to the mushroom they find. You can also get the mushroom yourself. If you see a swarm of flies under a tree, it means that there is definitely a truffle under it - flies really like to lay larvae in it. But they, as a rule, affect only one mushroom, and all other mushrooms in the family will not be spoiled.

There are about thirty varieties of truffles, but only eight of them are used in cooking. There is a summer or Russian truffle, a winter truffle, an Oregon truffle, and there are 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 Périgord truffle. It is these mushrooms that are meant when gourmets talk about truffles.

Truffles have been known since the times of the Roman Empire; they were highly valued as an aphrodisiac, but after the collapse great empire they forgot about truffles. The French owe the revival of this delicacy to the famous gourmet of the 14th century, the Duke of Berry, who found them in the forests of Périgord and brought them to the table of King Charles V. As you know, French peasants have long added this mushroom to their food, but solely for the sake of increasing the volume of the dish. And only in the hands of the royal chefs were the properties of the truffle revealed, and it became a real black diamond of cooking.

Since then, 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 brought to the court of Henry II by the Florentine chefs of his wife, Catherine de Medici. Since then, the fashion for truffles has not waned, and Italians and French still argue with each other about whose truffles are better.

The French call the Périgord black truffle the “black diamond”, the “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 in Lately The collection of these mushrooms has sharply decreased, and there are calls to increase the number of mushroom plantations. But local farmers are categorically against it, so that the price of this expensive delicacy does not decrease.

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

Truffles have a pronounced mushroom taste with the aftertaste of heavily roasted sunflower seeds or walnuts and a strong, characteristic aroma that is unique to them. And the water takes on a taste soy sauce, if the truffle lies in it for some time. Due to their pronounced taste and long aftertaste, truffles are used exclusively as an addition to the main dish.

Describing the taste of truffles is a thankless task, especially if you have not tried them. But as they say knowledgeable people Having tasted a dish with truffles for the first time, some will find its taste delicious and sophisticated, others - ordinary, and still others - disgusting.

Truffles are usually used raw. They are cut into the finest shavings just before serving using a special blade, a bit like a razor. Therefore, among gourmets they say not to cut, but to “shave” truffles. Truffles can enhance any dish, but they are usually added to dishes that have a neutral or passive flavor. As a rule, about five grams of truffle are added to the dish, and 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 USD.

According to French chefs, all egg dishes can be prepared with truffles - omelettes, scrambled eggs, soufflés. They complement poultry and veal dishes very well; truffles with lobsters and lobsters are also good. Truffles are used in the preparation of salads, cheeses, pates, and meat delicacies. Truffle sauces are very popular. A little of this sauce to a 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.

Back in Ancient Rome and Egypt, the truffle mushroom was a fairly famous product and available only to very wealthy people. Now it is most popular in Italy and France.

Truffles can be found in any prestigious restaurant in the world, and can be purchased in fashionable delicatessen stores.

Egypt is the country where this mushroom was first tasted. Then he got into Ancient Rome and only in the 16th century became popular in France

To get real pleasure, it is important to know what a truffle mushroom looks like, its main distinctive characteristics, information about the supplier, since at the beginning of the 21st century China began to actively and successfully cultivate truffles.

Chinese products are much cheaper, but they are also much inferior in taste to real truffles.

Photo: truffle

Description

Truffle is a genus of marsupial fungi, which are unattractive, tuberous, fleshy fruiting bodies weighing from 100 g to 1 kg. The surface is black with a blue or brown tint, and can be smooth, cracked, or covered with small bumps that look like warts. When cut, the color of the mushroom resembles marble due to the presence of many light and dark veins mixed together. Young mushrooms are distinguished by elastic white flesh with a yellowish or grayish tint, old mushrooms are distinguished by brownish brownish flesh and an increased number of white veins.

Although the truffle genus has about a hundred species, only the following are considered the most valuable:

Perigordsky,
Piedmontese,
winter.

The mushroom is very capricious in relation to environmental conditions. He likes mixed forests with a predominance of oaks and beech trees, which must be at least 15 years old. It prefers soft, mineral-rich soil, and warm, humid weather with abundant rainfall. At the same time, the truffle grows underground, at a depth of 10–30 cm. Therefore, its reproduction depends on wild animals, which, by eating it, spread the spores. Such “agronomists willy-nilly” are attracted by the strong, specific aroma of mushrooms.

Unique Features

Truffle mushroom tastes like roasted sunflower seeds or walnuts, and is also characterized by a long aftertaste. The taste of the mushroom is so original and bright that even regular consumers find it difficult to describe it in words. True gourmets consume it raw, and preparation is reduced to minimal heat treatment, which allows maximum preservation of the unique taste and delicious aroma.

There are many opinions about what truffle smells like, among which the most common is that the smell of truffle is very strong, pleasant, unusual, somewhat reminiscent of the smell of algae.

Beneficial features

In addition to the famous high taste qualities, a delicacy valued for the presence of vitamins PP, B1, B2, C. Such beneficial properties of the mushroom as beneficial effects on the bodies of children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers have long been noticed. A significant increase in sexual desire is also noted after adults consume this product.

Not long ago, scientists proved that the mushroom helps delay skin aging. Cosmetologists are already producing a line of creams based on it to prevent wrinkles. It should be noted that such products are contraindicated in the presence of skin diseases.

Like most mushrooms, the calorie content is low, about 24 kcal per 100 g. Truffle goes well with a variety of foods due to its bright taste. It is used as an addition to the main dish. The strong flavor is achieved by sprinkling thinly sliced food over the food at the very end of cooking.

Most Russians are accustomed to calling chocolate candies with a characteristic tart taste truffles. However, these candies got their name due to their external resemblance to unusual mushrooms. The latter are considered expensive and are especially appreciated by gourmets. When searching for a delicacy, difficulties often arise because it grows at a depth of 15 cm. If you are interested in the question of where real expensive truffles grow in Russia, then you need to figure out what climatic conditions are suitable for them.

What is a truffle

Truffles belong to the fungi of the marsupial genus, which have underground tuberous fleshy fruiting bodies. Unsightly appearance does not match their excellent taste and aroma. Once you try the delicacy, you will remember it for the rest of your life. It smells like an autumn forest: fallen leaves, earth, wet trees. Fresh truffles have a very strong aroma. Even if cooking is not your hobby, making truffles is easy.

The mushroom is located underground between the roots of beech, hornbeam, oak, birch, poplar, elm, linden, rowan, hawthorn and other trees. As it develops, it pulls everything vital from its roots. important elements without causing any harm to the tree. Truffles love deciduous, mixed forests, soil with lime. Ripening time is from late summer to late autumn. The standard size of mushrooms is 10-15 cm, their weight is up to 500 g. Plants are found in the Volga region, Moscow, Oryol, Vladimir, Samara, Leningrad regions, the Caucasus and the shores of the Black Sea.

What does a truffle mushroom look like?

The fruiting bodies are round, tuberous in shape and have a fleshy, cartilaginous consistency. If we talk about size, it varies from a hazelnut to a potato tuber. On the outside, the fruiting bodies have a leathery layer called the peridium. It can be smooth, cracked, or covered with large polyhedral warts. If you cut the fruiting body, the tissue pattern will resemble marble. The shiny truffle inside has alternating light and dark veins: the light ones are called “internal veins”, the dark ones are called “external veins”.

Why truffle is the most expensive mushroom in the world

Truffles are called royal mushrooms - one of the most expensive. You can find sellers offering a kilo for over $4,000. The value of the product is explained by its rarity, unsurpassed taste and aroma. French and Italian have become famous throughout the world. There are two truffle capitals: Grignan and Aqualagna: here the fruits are collected almost all year round: white in autumn, black in winter, banchetto in spring, black summer truffles in summer.

White fruits are exquisite. They cannot be bred; they grow very limited areas. For example, in Piedmont mushrooms are found only in the Langhe; sometimes they are found in Monferrato, Roero, and around Turin. The high price of such products is due to high demand and low supply. They differ in seasonality; they are on sale from October to January (the price depends on the variety). The most expensive delicacy is white. One day, a product weighing 1.2 kg was put up and sold at an Italian auction, its price was 95,000 euros.

Do truffles grow in Russia?

The Russian truffle is called the black summer mushroom - Tuber aestivum (from Latin). They reach a diameter of 10 cm, weight is 400 g. Age is determined by the pulp: its color is whitish, yellow-brown, gray-brown. As the fruiting body ripens, its consistency changes: in young mushrooms it is dense, in old mushrooms it is loose. The taste of truffle is slightly sweet, the aroma is reminiscent of hazelnuts and seaweed. The delicacy is found in Europe, the western part of Russia, under pine, hazel, and oak trees. The fruits can be found from June to October.

Black summer (Tuber aestivum)

This type of fruit is usually called Saint-Jean, scorzone, edible, Burgundy. The ripening period lasts all summer and ends in late autumn. The northern regions of Russia are distinguished by a different fruiting time - from mid-summer to November. Tuber aestivum is found at a depth of 3-15 cm. The fruits are located in groups or singly, form mycorrhiza with beeches, oaks, hornbeams, and are rarely located near birches and pines. They are often found in the southwest of Russia, on the Black Sea coast.

Winter black

The fruit is covered with warts 2-3 cm in size, its diameter reaches 20 cm. The fresh fruit has a reddish-violet tint on the outside, after harvesting the color darkens and becomes black. The truffle pulp is white, then turns gray and becomes gray-violet with many white, yellowish veins. The weight of such a fruit can be more than a kilogram. It often grows in Ukrainian, French, and Italian lands. Ideal places for plants are birch, oak groves, and beech forests. Active fruiting - from November to March. The truffle aroma is reminiscent of musk.

White truffle

The price of the product is significantly higher than previous ones. Reminiscent of Jerusalem artichoke tubers measuring 5-15 cm. Weight can be more than 1.5 kg. If you go for mature truffles, keep in mind that the surface of the mushroom is felt, while in young specimens it is smooth. When ripe, pits and protrusions appear on the outside, the color becomes light brown, yellowish. The pulp is white, in older fruits it is grayish with yellowish veins. Mushrooms have a nutty aroma. The older the fruit, the stronger the smell. “Tubers” are found in Vladimir, Smolensk, and Kuibyshev forests from late July to early November.

Where does truffle grow in Russia?

If you are interested in where truffles grow in Russia, then go to the Volga region, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod, Oryol, Samara, Leningrad region countries. Maturation period - everything autumn months, fruiting time is late autumn - early winter. The fruits are small in size - about 15 cm, weigh up to 500 g, and grow at a depth of 10-15 cm.

The black variety is considered a summer delicacy. It is found in the Caucasus, on Black Sea coast, in the Moscow and Vladimir regions. Black specimens like to grow in deciduous and mixed forests with limestone soil, near the roots of oak, beech, hornbeam, and hazel. The diameter of white fruits is up to 10 cm. Ripening and fruiting time is early summer - late autumn.

european part of Russia

Both black (Russian) and white (Polish) fruits are found. The first variety breeds on Podolsk, Belgorod, Tver, Leningrad soil. The Voronezh forest is famous for its large number of delicacies. Near St. Petersburg, black mushrooms are rare, but the white variety grows on Oryol and Tula soil. Remember that the warmer the climate, the greater the likelihood of finding a treat.

Caucasus and Crimea

These areas are known for their mild climate: there is everything for the active growth of the delicacy. There are many oak and beech groves concentrated here, which is favorable for the development of mushrooms. A large number are found on the Crimean land (steppe regions), the Northern and Western Caucasus, in North Ossetia- Alanya. It is worth highlighting Anapa, Gelendzhik, the village of Abrau-Dyurso, Western Caucasus: Adagum-Pshishsky district.

Delicacy mushrooms in Siberia

Many people, wondering where real expensive white truffles grow in Russia, do not suspect that the delicacy can grow on Siberian soil. The delicacy was first discovered in these places in the 19th century. The fruits grow both singly and in groups; they like to be located in deciduous and coniferous forests. Many porcini mushrooms are found on Tomsk soil. Recently, residents of the region began to collect fruits in kilograms, which is explained by favorable climatic conditions and active fruiting.

How to look for truffles

To find a truffle in the forest, you need to have special knowledge. They are found near tree roots: often found near oak trees. Try to look for fruits not in clearings. Based on practice, such areas are not distinguished by a large number of mushrooms. It is desirable to have black soil with high humidity. Before you go searching, consider the following:

Examine the fruits in advance, live or in photographs.
Prepare to search for animals: specially trained pigs or dogs are suitable.

For a “silent hunt” to be successful, focus on some features of the area. The rules for mushroom picking are as follows:

The “truffle” region, where the delicacy is located, is distinguished by stunted vegetation and gray-ashy soil.
Mushrooms rarely come to the surface of the soil (sometimes this happens due to strong winds or heavy rains), so look for them in the ground at a depth of 10-15 cm.
Pay attention to the tubercles, they should be dug out.
Midges often circle over a place with mushrooms: the larvae feed on mushrooms, so the insects lay eggs nearby.

Features of growth

A favorable place for the development of truffles is a large number of tree roots and soil with loose soil with a large amount of sand and lime. Experienced mushroom pickers say that if you find one specimen, then you need to continue looking for several more nearby. Typically, you can find about 5 pieces. Often truffle develops in families, rarely - alone.

Searching for truffles in the forest

People have been collecting unusual mushrooms for many years. It is important to consider that there are false and real mushrooms. To return home with the desired loot, it is important to follow special technology:

Go to the forest where there are beeches, birches, oaks, and hazels.
Look for fruits near trees with large roots.
If the search is carried out with the help of pigs, then they should be muzzled, because the animals really love to feast on mushrooms.
Keep in mind the type of plant: its surface is rough, the flesh has a hard structure. The fruits resemble potato tubers in black or white shades.

Truffle hunting animals

Mushrooms have a very strong odor that animals can easily detect even from a distance. For this reason, experienced mushroom pickers prefer to keep specially trained dogs or pigs. The latter are able to smell at a distance of 25 meters. Once the aroma is determined, the pig will actively dig for the delicacy. If there is no muzzle, then you need to make sure that the pig does not eat what you find.

As for dogs, they are indifferent to eating treats, so it is not necessary to put on a muzzle before searching. Before using these four-legged “sleuths,” it will take a long time to teach the rules of searching for mushrooms. The dog needs to be trained to smell. If you are planning to buy a trained dog, keep in mind that it costs more than 5,000 euros.

Growing truffles at home

The delicacy is grown at home. If you take into account the recommendations listed above, you will eventually get a great treat:

It is first necessary to create a suitable microclimate, which should be the same in summer and winter. The mushroom does not like temperature changes.
Start purchasing trees: oak, walnut, beech. The roots of the trees must be infected with truffle mycelium. The price of the version with disputes is 10-15 dollars.
Choose places to plant trees: they should be protected from direct sunlight, wind, and animals.
Pay attention to the soil, it should be alkaline. If necessary, add lime to the soil.
Do not use any fertilizers before planting trees because they may negatively affect the development of spores.
Plant purchased trees only after cultivating and preparing the soil. It is advisable to do this in early spring, when the weather outside is stable.
Plant the tree in a 75 cm hole: pour water and only then place the plant in it.
When planting, try not to damage the root system of the tree. Cover them with soil very carefully, then water them generously.
Sprinkle mulch around the root system of the tree at a distance of 30-40 cm: use oak leaves from last year.
The plants are covered with greenhouse film.
To feed trees, use special ready-made fertilizers (how to use them is indicated on the packages).