How to obtain truffles
From the story oftrufflesearch, the truffle pigs are the best-known helpers. Nowadays, special breeds of dogs are trained and used for the search. The truffle fly is also known to fly to the underground growing tuber when it lays its eggs. The fly's circles over its eggs may be an indication that truffles are also growing there. That's where their name comes from.
Oftrufflescan also be found without a dog or pig. But it is difficult because we humans can only trust our eyes. For example, dogs are trained to sniff out special mushrooms through the ground.
Searching for black and white truffles requires a lot of patience, experience and knowledge. It is extremely important to 'cover' the spot where the truffles were found, as this prevents the fine roots of the host plants from drying out and allows the truffles to continue to bloom. If you take good care of your truffle sites, you can continue to use them for up to 60 years and enjoy the mushrooms as a gourmet.
How to harvesttruffle?
There are three ways to harvest: with a dog, a pig or with flies (yes, flies!!). Pigs are practically no longer trained for this activity. Today, most harvesters use specially trained dogs to search for truffles.
Truffle dog
Any dog can become a truffle dog; just educate him by training his sense of smell. He detects the scent of truffles that he digs out of the ground.
Truffle flies
If you don't have a dog or pig, you can use flies...especially the "kind"Suillia gigantea". This fly loves truffles because it lays its eggs on them. The combine must follow the fly and trace where it has been. It is a technique that requires a lot of patience and a trained eye.
Truffle pig
What is now more of a tourist attraction, used to be the best way to find the truffles. The quest with the truffle pig. But why were pigs used for this purpose?
The truffle pig as a 'scent' talent
The truffles have a very intense scent. This smell is very similar to the sexual smell of a male boar. This allows adult female pigs (sows) to find the mushrooms because they confuse the smell of truffles with the smell of their potential mates. And because of their good sense of smell, which goes far beyond even a dog's fine nose, they can still smell it even when they are sometimes half a meter below the surface.
How do you recognize the truffle spot?
Truffles grow on the roots of host plants. These are deciduous trees, nut bushes and pine trees. They live in symbiosis with their host. They grow best in spring and summer, when there is heat and rain. Frost damages truffles. The soil should be calcareous and full of sediments, near running water. The truffle can then be found at a depth of 10-20 cm.
The non-specific appearance of truffles makes it difficult for people to recognize them in the ground, but there are also optical signs of truffle growth that can aid in the search for truffles.
The Earth is rough and darker than its surroundings. This happens around the truffle area because the fungus suppresses the surrounding vegetation and drains the nutrients to the host plant, which in turn requires nutrients during photosynthesis. Sometimes holes in the ground are also an indication of the presence of truffles. Small rodents looking for food are attracted by the strong and special smell of the underground growing tuber and try to dig it out.
Areas for truffle hunting
There are almost countless areas suitable for truffle hunting. The most famous one isPiedmont (Alba)InPerigord. Italy and France have long been known for their truffle finds due to media attention. The largest truffle found is auctioned every year in Alba. Truffles are also harvested in Croatia and Turkey. The most famous place for truffle hunting in Koratia in Istria. The peninsula is the largest in the northern Adriatic and is not only a popular destination because of its truffle discoveries. In Istria, truffle hunting is only allowed with a trade permit. This quota-based harvest was introduced to preserve the truffle population.
But truffle lovers know that truffles can be found almost everywhere in the world. From Australia to New Zealand and America: truffles have become a popular product everywhere. Countries such as Iran and Greece have also become part of the global truffle search. Even Austria and Switzerland can be registered as truffle countries on the list.
The northern half of Switzerland offers a vast area for truffle hunting. Burgundian and autumn truffles can be found there, growing near their host plants, beech, oak and hazel bushes. In Austria the search for truffles is similar to that in Germany. Here, black gold falls under the country's mushroom regulations, and commercial and private hunting and harvesting of truffles is prohibited.
Germany has long been considered a truffle country. The soil in large parts of Germany is calcareous and the extensive deciduous forests are said to be a great treasure trove of native truffle species.
Challenges when searching for truffles
Pigs seem to be the perfect helpers in the hunt for truffles, but they have been replaced by dogs. Probably the biggest disadvantage of a truffle pig is that they are not very careful when digging out the truffles. The truffles, through the sexual scent of a boar, arouse great desire in the sow, and it has often happened that they cause great damage to the root fungi or even devour their found prey.
In such a case, searching for truffles is completely useless. The most common way to prevent this is to put something similarly tasty, such as corn on the cob, into the truffle pig's mouth before it can eat its prey. This gives enough time for the mushrooms to set while the truffle pig sneezes into its food.
Another disadvantage is that pigs do not have the endurance that dogs have.
How to get the best out of a truffle
- Prefer fresh truffles purchased from a retail or specialty store
- Buy after mid-December to find more ripe produce
- If you buy canned truffles, make sure they say "cook first."
- ” for a more aromatic product
- Pay attention to the labels: the common name and the scientific name of the truffle should be written there (e.g. Tuber melanoposrum for black truffle)
- Eat the truffle quickly, the fresh products can be kept in the refrigerator for a maximum of 10-15 days
- Protect your tubers in an airtight Tupperware container. Eggs, rice or oil can be added to add the scent of truffles.
- You can also freeze the truffle for later use. In this case, cut the mushroom into strips and store them in an airtight box or freezer bag. Please note that freezing causes the truffle to lose some of its aromas and firm texture.
- Avoid cooking truffles: prefer raw truffles.
