Mushrooms & Truffles

Truffles (IPA: /ˈtrʌfls/) are the valuable and highly sought-after, edible fruiting bodies of a group subterranean ascomycete species from the fungal genus Tuber. more...

All truffles are ectomycorrhizal and are therefore found in close association with trees. Strictly speaking, these are the only "true" truffles, however the term has been applied to several other genera of underground fungi around the world.

The ascoma (fruiting body) of truffles is highly prized as a food, their smell has been described as similar to deep-fried sunflower seeds or walnuts, although it has also been described as "a foul aroma." Not all people are able to smell the odor of this fungus. Water that truffles have been soaked in can taste a bit like soy sauce. Brillat-Savarin called the truffle "the diamond of the kitchen" and praised its aphrodisiacal powers. While their aphrodisiac properties may be unproven, truffles are nevertheless held in high esteem in French, northern Italian and Istrian cooking, as well as in international haute cuisine.

The origin of the word truffle appears to be the Latin term tuber, meaning "lump", which became tufer- and gave rise to the various European terms: French Truffe, Spanish Trufa, German Trüffel, and Dutch Truffel. The German word Kartoffel ("potato") derives from (now archaic) Italian tartufo (truffle) because of superficial similarities.

Biology

The mycelia of truffles form symbiotic relationships with the roots of several tree species including beech, oak, birch, hornbeam, hazel and pine. They prefer argillaceous or calcareous soils which are well drained and neutral or alkaline. Truffles fruit throughout the year, depending on the species and can be found buried between the fallen leaves and twigs and the soil.

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