Italian Truffles: Why Are They So Expensive?
Fabbio Caddeo/ShutterStock
The truffle is an ingredient loved by many gourmet chefs! It is often used to garnish dishes such as risottos, pasta and pizzas (just like our Fantasia di Funghi pizza from our Albergo Miramonti Pizzeria). In the world, there are over 40 varieties of truffles, with most of them simply inedible. But out of the different types, the black and white truffles are the most widely used varieties, with the Italian white truffle is considered to be the most expensive. Have a read below about why truffles are so expensive, as well as other interesting facts about the expensive delicacy.
The Italian White Truffle - the most expensive variation.
“seasonal products”
Truffles are subterranean fungi that grow beside the undergrowth of oak, poplar and chestnut trees. Just like other gourmet fungi like the Porcini Mushroom, truffles have a symbiotic relationship between itself and the trees, exchanging sufficient nutrients between each other. The primary reason why they are so expensive is the fact that they are seasonal products. For white truffles, they only grow between September to December, while the black truffle grows around summer time. Therefore, you may have to wait until the next season comes until your ‘favourite’ truffle variety is back in abundance - or else it would be quite expensive! The most well-known places to find the gem are; Piedmont, Tuscany, Marche and Umbria - but even in our province of Lombardy, you can find them areas like Brescia, Piacenza and Oltrepo Pavese. Did you know, in the Roman and Greek times, truffles were often used as medicines and aphrodisiacs?
Harvesting them
Pasta and Truffles.
After, after cultivating these fungi, it can take 7-15 years to finally harvest the delicacy. To collect the truffles, people use 'trained' female pigs to sniff it out from the ground. The female pigs tend to get excited because the aroma of the truffles resemble that of a male pig! However, with the likely possibility of these animals eating it straight from the ground, many 'truffle-hunters' opt to use dogs instead. This shows how much time it can take to find a truffle, it’s not as simple as other ‘surface’ fungi, as they are found deep within the ground.
wHAT DO TRUFFLES TASTE LIKE?
Many people consider the aroma and taste of truffles simply intoxicating. It's hard to generalise what all truffles taste like, but many chefs argue that it has notes of garlic, meat, olive oil, nuts and musk - just full of pure umami! Keep in mind, each piece of truffle doesn't taste the same. The taste is influenced by the quality of the soil, the tree and the season. But without a doubt, truffles taste excellent with many different types of dishes, making it highly versatile. Purchasing a whole truffle can be very pricey. So for people to enjoy the umami flavour of truffle, there are many 'Tartufo' products made, at a better price. For instance, in our Pizzeria, we use black truffle-infused olive oil on our Neapolitan-style pizzas to add that extra flavour of umami. There are also sauces, kinds of butter and salts that utilise this delicate flavour.
Why not stay at Miramonti Boutique Hotel? We are located within the Alps, with a Hotel Spa, relaxing Cigar Lounge and an Italian Restaurant that serves local Valtellina Cuisine.
For more articles about the Italian Alps and Northern Italy, read our blog: