Truffle is a valuable expensive delicacy, for which true connoisseurs and gourmets are ready to give even hundreds of euros. The very name "truffle" sounds elegant and luxurious. What is a truffle And what is its attraction? What do Italians eat truffles with? You will learn how it is mined and how to properly store it. And also in this article, all readers are in for a surprise!

Such a rare delicacy as truffle, in Italian tartufo (tartufo), is mined in Italy, for example, in the regions of Piedmont and Umbria. In Italy it is considered gourmet food and they are commonly seasoned with dishes such as risotto and pasta. This mushroom goes well with eggs, it is also used in the form of a cream, spread on toast and bread. They also make blanks from truffles in olive oil.

The specific aroma and taste of a truffle may not charm everyone, but it certainly will not seem like something ordinary. It's impossible to describe what it's like, you just have to try it. And maybe not just once. For those who did not appreciate the value of this delicacy the first time, I advise you to try it again.

After all, to be honest, when I first rubbed something black into a bowl of pasta with such a look as if I was very lucky, it seemed to me a little redundant. Not to say that I didn’t like it, but I didn’t quite understand why it causes such delight. But after tasting truffle dishes once and twice, I was able to truly appreciate this local delicacy. And now I am also among those inhabitants of Italy who look a little down on the others who “do not understand” our delight..=))

So I decided in one of my articles to introduce you to something refined and sophisticated. Meet, for whom it is new, and for whom it is well known, His Majesty Truffle!

And today, by popular demand of readers, I will please you a recipe for a traditional Italian dish - risotto with pumpkin seasoned with truffle! This will be my surprise..))
So hurry up and share this “exquisite” article with everyone!

What is a truffle and how is it harvested?

Truffles are a genus of delicacy mushrooms, with underground marsupial tuberous fruits. They grow underground near the roots of certain trees, such as oaks. These valuable delicacies are collected by hand, usually according to the established tradition with the help of specially trained dogs, whose sense of smell is unusually sensitive. Sometimes even pigs are used for such a responsible business.

By smell, the animal finds the location of the truffle, and its getter carefully digs the mushroom out of the ground with a special spatula so as not to damage its main fruit. After the precious prize has been obtained, it is very important to return the disturbed land to its place so that truffles can continue to form and grow here.

Did you know that the truffle's special strong aroma mainly serves to attract wild animals such as pigs, wild boars and foxes to it? Ask why? The fact is that these animals, rummaging in the ground, contribute to the spread of spores of this fungus.

The value of the truffle and its types

Although there is a specific season in which truffles can be harvested, this is not the main reason for their rare value. This is also affected by the conditions of the area in which this rare mushroom grows. For example, during periods of drought, prices for truffles rise significantly. After all, mushrooms that are harvested in natural conditions are valued, and not specially grown, which lack many unique properties.

The high cost of these mushrooms is due to the specific conditions for their growth, the method of their collection, storage, and, of course, the refined taste and aroma.

There are a huge number of varieties of truffles, but not all of them are edible. Which type of truffle grows in a particular area depends on factors such as climate, soil and the presence of certain forests.

Italy is one of the world's leading producers of such a valuable delicacy.
In this sunny country, two types of truffles are popular - white, a rarer type, and black.

white truffle

This type of truffle is considered rarer, and therefore more valuable. The main places in Italy where the white truffle is mined are the regions of Piedmont, in particular, a small area of ​​the province of Torino and Alba, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Marche, Molise and Abruzzo.

black truffle

Compared to white truffle, black truffle is considered more common in Italy. Most of all, this species is mined in Umbria and Molise, this also applies to the “summer” black truffle, and the more valuable fruit of the “winter” period. Not so long ago, this valuable delicacy began to be mined in such regions of Italy as Campania, Sicily, Calabria and Basilicata.

Valuable properties of truffle

Truffle is able not only to deliver true pleasure to gourmets, but also to provide our body with many useful substances. For example, he is a strong antioxidant and is rich in vitamins such as PP, B1, B2, C.

You can find more encyclopedic information about the truffle.

Do not forget - in order to create a quality article with proven facts, it takes a lot of time and effort, and no one pays for this work. The best reward for me is you, dear readers! So share, like and join the community of people in love with Italy!

How to properly store truffles

The shelf life of truffles is quite short, therefore, to appreciate the uniqueness of the taste, they should be tasted fresh. Of course, the best thing is to come to Italy during the truffle season and enjoy a rare local delicacy on the spot.

If you want to buy a couple of mushrooms with you, I will give you some tips. Store them in the refrigerator, wrapping each mushroom in a napkin and putting it in a glass jar with a lid.. The napkin needs to be changed frequently to keep it dry. Thus, you can enjoy the delicacy for about a week.

The truffle can also be placed in rice or a closed egg container., thus rice and eggs will acquire its unique flavor over time. In rice, it can be stored for much longer, but remember that this way the truffle will gradually dry out.

Well, now, as I promised, I will share with you recipe for Italian pumpkin risotto seasoned with freshly grated truffle. Want maximum vitamins and minimum calories? Then go ahead! Easy to make but delicious in taste!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1/4 small pumpkin
• 2 cups rice (I use a mixture of long white rice with wild black)
• 1 bulb
• A little olive oil (if you want a more delicate taste, use butter)
• 0.5 glass of white wine
• black truffle
• 1 - 1.5 l vegetable broth

For vegetable broth:

• 2 liters of water
• 2 carrots
• 1 zucchini
• 1 bulb
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 tomato
• Several sprigs of parsley
• Salt

Preparing vegetable broth

Rinse vegetables well. Peel the carrots, trim off both ends, and cut each in two.

Peel the onion and cut in half.

Cut off the ends of the zucchini and cut into thirds.

Peel the tomato and cut into four slices.

Place all this together with the celery cut into small pieces in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil.

Add salt to taste and parsley along with the stalk.

Close the pot with a lid and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

When ready, add, if necessary, salt and strain the vegetables through a sieve.

The broth is ready.

cooking risotto

Peel the pumpkin from the peel and seeds and cut into small cubes.

Fry finely chopped onion in a saucepan in oil (butter or olive - your choice).

Add pumpkin cubes to the onion, simmer in oil for 2-3 minutes, closing the lid.

Pour the rice into the pot with the pumpkin and stir well for 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the wine, stir. After a couple of minutes, start pouring in the hot broth little by little.

Pour in a small amount at first, and add the broth as the rice absorbs water.

Stir the rice constantly. Continue this process until done.

Remember that real Italian risotto should not be overcooked. Put the risotto on a plate and rub the black truffle on top.

Your Italian risotto is ready! If you don't have truffle, you can still make this wonderful dish. Then, instead of the truffle, rub some Parmesan on top.

Enjoy your meal!
I look forward to your stories on how you made pumpkin risotto! Do not be lazy, write in the comments! .. =) And share on your pages, do not forget to indicate this site as a source ..))

truffle ( tuber) is the most expensive mushroom in the world, a rare and delicious delicacy with unique taste and strong specific aroma. The mushroom got its name due to the similarity of its fruiting body with potato tubers or cones (Latin phrase terrae tuber corresponds to the concept of "earth cones"). The truffle mushroom belongs to the department Ascomycetes, subdivision Pezizomycotina, to the class Petsitsevye, to the order Petsitsevye, to the truffle family, to the genus of truffles.

Surprisingly, a pig is able to smell a truffle at a distance of 20-25 meters. Then she begins to zealously dig out the delicacy, so the main task of the mushroom picker is to distract the animal as soon as it “makes a stand” on the mushroom.

The pig is looking for truffles

For dogs, the truffle itself is absolutely not interesting in terms of food, but these four-legged “detectives” have to be trained for a long time in order to train for the truffle smell.

By the way, a good mushroom picker dog today can cost more than 5,000 euros.

Dog looking for truffles

The unique culinary properties of truffles have long been known. They are suitable for making pâtés, sauces and fillings for pies, and as an accompaniment to poultry and seafood dishes. Sometimes they can be served as an independent dish. Truffle can be harvested for future use by freezing or canning in high-quality cognac.

The composition of the truffle includes vegetable proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins B, PP and C, various minerals, antioxidants, pheromones that improve the emotional state of a person and a large amount of fiber. Truffle juice is good for some eye diseases, and the pulp of the fungus brings relief to people suffering from gout. There are no special contraindications for eating these mushrooms, the main condition is the freshness of the fungus and the absence of allergic reactions to penicillin in humans.

• It is believed that mature truffles contain anandamide, a substance that acts on the human nervous system in the same way as marijuana.
• Truffle hunting is carried out at night due to the fact that in the cool air search dogs or pigs better capture the aroma of mushrooms.
• Earlier in Italy, the search and collection of truffles was carried out by specially trained pigs. However, due to the fact that they not only severely destroy the upper soil layer, but also strive to eat prey, they were replaced by dogs.
• In Russia, before the revolution of 1917, bears were used to search for truffles, whose teeth had previously been removed.
• Truffle is considered a strong aphrodisiac.

The section is very easy to use. In the proposed field, just enter the desired word, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our site provides data from various sources - encyclopedic, explanatory, word-building dictionaries. Here you can also get acquainted with examples of the use of the word you entered.

The meaning of the word truffle

truffle in the crossword dictionary

Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, Vladimir Dal

truffle

m. edible plant, a genus of underground fungus Tuber. Truffle taste, smell, peculiar, musty-spicy.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

truffle

truffles and (less commonly) truffles, pl. truffles, truffles, and (less often) truffles, truffles, m. (German Trüffel).

An edible mushroom of rounded shape, growing underground, without a root and a trunk, used. as a condiment to some gourmet dishes. Truffles, the luxury of youth. Pushkin. With French best plate truffle I licked. Nekrasov.

A chocolate candy that mimics such a mushroom in appearance.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova.

truffle

I, pl. -I, -ee and -i, -ee, m.

Marsupial underground tuberous fungus, some species of which are edible.

A variety of rounded chocolates.

adj. truffle, th, th.

New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

Truffle

Truffle- a genus of marsupial fungi with underground tuberous fleshy fruiting bodies from the order of pezitsy ( Pezizales). This genus includes edible species that are considered valuable delicacies.

"Truffles" are often called other mushrooms with similar fruiting bodies (for example, from the genera Choiromyces, Elaphomyces and Terfezia). Among them, there are also edible ones, which sometimes go on sale as a “fake delicacy”, but are valued much lower than mushrooms from the genus tuber .

Truffle (candy)

Truffle- rounded chocolate candy stuffed with ganache. These candies were named after the mushroom of the same name due to their similar appearance.

Classic truffles are a round ganache (cream of chocolate, cream and butter) candy that is glazed with melted chocolate and then rolled in cocoa powder, ground nuts or wafer crumbs, or decorated with chocolate patterns. Various flavors are often added to ganache, including alcoholic beverages (cognac, rum, liqueurs).

Under conditions of mass production, truffles are sometimes made by filling ready-made chocolate shells with filling, which reduces labor intensity and production time.

In the USSR, hard cone-shaped truffles are most widely used, while European varieties can be soft and semi-liquid. In times of scarcity, candies were often made at home using powdered milk or infant formula.

Examples of the use of the word truffle in the literature.

Among truffles, carved from carrot flowers, halves of lemons and artichoke hearts, a giant sterlet reclined, and on its back stood a whole baked heron with a golden ring in its raised beak.

In general, he was earthy, like truffle, and exuded the aroma of freshly dug turf, then the strong smell of onions and geranium essence.

And here's how you can cook such a chicken casserole: Lightly fry a whole black truffle in a small amount of butter, finely chop and add to the sauce.

One evening after another performance - it was in the city of Strasbourg - they were sitting in the hotel restaurant, and Mr. Professor Jokus von Pokus ate goose pate with truffles.

Instead of these nonsense about heavenly life under Saturn, you have a clear opportunity to eat truffles from a large crystal trough.

It's just bad that, starting to tear off your truffle, the pig immediately wants to devour it, and then you need to quickly drive the pig away and dig it out yourself truffle.

His wild duck stuffed with rice, pine seeds and soaked in brandy truffles, caused such a feeling as if an orchestra was playing in your mouth - your palate fluttered to the beat of culinary music.

Artworks ripen in souls as mysteriously as truffles on the fragrant plains of Perigord.

You are a mother, your baby has the same truffle like my grandfather's - so it seemed to me when I took him from the font together with Madame Chardon.

She reached for the sarcophagus, but in front of her flickered Truffle didn't let me see anything.

And only then it dawned on her what was the most terrible in all this whirlwind, in which she lost her head - she did not pay attention that Fustel, whom he was dragging on himself Truffle, not in the hospital ward.

But at the tip of the receptor proboscis Truffles a piercing crimson light lit up, as it always did when the Scots wanted to draw attention to themselves.

Let me down, Waffle, I'll look around, and you, but with marks, return to the fork, pick up Truffles and - here.

Going through the cable, she climbed out of the pipe - Vukovud, dressed in some kind of dull mouse suit, squatting down, rowed out at Truffles from the saddle bag apples, nets, some devices of a suspicious purpose.

In this brief review, we will not talk about underground mushrooms in general, and not about false, desert and other truffles, and not even about the white Russian (townsman) truffle, but only about those species that belong to the genus Tuber, i.e. real truffles.

The above list of species is based primarily on personal observations, as well as on reliable literary data of the 19th-21st centuries.

On the territory of our country there are all three "color" lines of the genus Truffle: black, white and red. Unfortunately, the identification of both the species composition and the range of each found species is very low. In fact, it all comes down to knowing individual point locations. The most studied is the European part of the Russian Federation (northern and central regions, Crimea, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus). Separate data are known for the Southern Urals and southwestern Siberia. In general, both Siberia and the Far East are still blank spots in terms of the study of underground fungi. At the same time, it can be argued with great probability that Southern Siberia, the Far East and Primorye can enrich our microflora with very interesting finds.

TRUFFLE BLACK SUMMER

(Tuber aestivum)

Medium or large mushroom (2-10 cm, 20-400 g), found in the forest-steppe zone and foothills. It is widely distributed in the Crimea, on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, some finds are known in the Stavropol Territory and other southern regions of the European part of the Russian Federation.

Forms mycorrhiza with oak, hazel and pines. Fruiting from June to late September.

BLACK AUTUMN TRUFFLE

(Tuber uncinatum)

Medium or large mushroom (2-12 cm, 20-400 g), found in the foothills. Occasionally found in the Crimea and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. Forms mycorrhiza with oak and hazel. Fruiting from late September to December.

It differs from the summer truffle by darker flesh, more pronounced smell and fruiting season. In fact, not an independent species, but an ecological variety of the summer truffle (confirmed by molecular studies).

Delicious mushroom with high taste and characteristic truffle aroma.

In Europe it is numerous, collected and cultivated.

TRUFFLE BLACK WINTER

(Tuber brumale)

Small or large mushroom (0.5-8 cm, 1-320 g), found in the foothills. Two finds are known - in the Crimea and the vicinity of Tuapse. Forms mycorrhiza with hazel and linden on moist soils. It bears fruit from November to late January or early February.

It is well distinguished from summer and autumn truffles by black and white internal "contents". From Tuber melanosporum differs in that the white veins of the winter truffle do not darken with age, but remain bright white. Often grows together with the Perigord truffle, but in plantings during cultivation it is considered an unfavorable companion of the latter.

Delicious mushroom with high taste and characteristic truffle aroma. At the same time, it is distinguished by pronounced musky and “earthy” components of the smell, which not everyone likes. This feature suggests the use of winter truffle for heavier dishes (meat, game, duck, thick sauces, gravies) compared to summer, autumn, Perigord and white truffles.

In Europe, it is collected and sometimes cultivated.

BLACK FRENCH TRUFFLE (PERIGOR)

(Tuber melanosporum)

Medium or large mushroom (2-15 cm, 20-1150 g), found in the foothills and lowland forests. Currently known in the Russian Federation only as cultivated on the territory of the Crimea (experimental plantation of Italian truffle growers. Forms mycorrhiza with oak, hazel, hornbeam, linden, aspens and poplars, pines. Fruits from December to the end of March.

Delicious mushroom with high taste and characteristic truffle aroma. The most valued and expensive of all black truffles.

Cultivated in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, China, South Africa.

TRUFFLE WHITE MARCH

(Tuber borchii)

A mushroom of medium size (2-6 cm), known so far only in the Crimea. Forms mycorrhiza with a variety of coniferous and broad-leaved species. The mushroom is whitish when young, then beige, becoming reddish brown with age. Fruits from December to the end of April.

An edible mushroom with a characteristic pleasant garlic-truffle aroma, which becomes unpleasant and repulsive with age.

Collected and cultivated in Europe.

WHITE TRUFFLE DURON

(Tuber excavatum)

It is found throughout the European part of the Russian Federation to the Urals, one of the common species. Forms mycorrhiza with many deciduous and coniferous species. Fruiting time - September-November (under favorable conditions from August to December). Sizes are usually small, 1-4 cm.

TRUFFLE WHITE OCHER

(Tuber fulgens)

It occurs throughout the European part of the Russian Federation to the Urals, is close to the previous species and differs (in addition to microscopic features) mainly in color. Forms mycorrhiza with many deciduous and coniferous species. Fruiting time - September-November. Sizes are usually small, 1-4 cm.

The mushroom has a peculiar sweet-spicy aroma. The pulp is very dense. In Europe, the population is going, but not en masse.

TRUFFLE WHITE PIECE

(Tuber maculatum)

It is found in the European part of the Russian Federation. Forms mycorrhiza with many deciduous and coniferous species, including fir. Fruiting time is short: end of June - beginning of September. Usually small mushrooms 1-2 cm, 5-20 g, very rarely up to 7 cm and 200 g. Not a very popular mushroom with bitter flesh and a weak but pleasant truffle aroma. Harvested only for flavoring (truffle oil).

Genus truffle

Genus truffle - Tuber Fr

Fruit bodies are underground, tuberous, fleshy, with a smooth or warty surface. The pulp is dark or light-colored, with veins. Mandatory mycorrhiza formers. In Russia, 1 species.

Encyclopedia of the nature of Russia. - M.: ABF. L.V. Garibova, I.I. Sidorova. 1999 .

See what the "Genus truffle" is in other dictionaries:

summer truffle- ? Summer truffle ... Wikipedia

Truffle italian- ? Truffle Italian Nau ... Wikipedia

Winter truffle- Winter truffle ... Wikipedia

Tuber aestivum Vitt see also Genus Tuber Fr. Summer truffle T. aestivum Vitt. (Fig. 7) Fruit bodies 2.5-10 cm in diameter, bluish-black, black-brown, surface with large pyramidal black-brown warts. Pulp… Mushrooms of Russia. Directory

Truffle- This term has other meanings, see Truffle (meanings). ? Truffle ... Wikipedia

Truffle black- This article is about the black truffle. For the genus of marsupial mushrooms, see Truffle. ? Black truffle ... Wikipedia

TRUFFLE- [it. Truffel Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Choiromyces Vitt Fruit bodies underground, large, up to 5-15 cm in diameter, tuberous, irregularly spherical or flattened, whitish, yellowish or greyish. The pulp is dryish, white, mealy, eventually marbled, with yellow-brown ... ... Mushrooms of Russia. Directory

TRUFFLE- (Tuber), a genus of discomycetes of the truffle order (Tuberales). Fruit bodies are underground, ranging in size from a hazelnut to a large potato tuber (weight up to 1 kg), round, with a bumpy surface, fleshy or cartilaginous, covered with peridium on the outside. ... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

TRUFFLE- husband. edible plant, genus of underground fungus Tuber. Truffle taste, smell, peculiar, musty spicy. Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dal. 1863 1866 ... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary