What does truffle taste like? The most expensive truffle mushroom in the world

Truffles belong to the genus of marsupial fungi, which are characterized by underground growth. The fruiting tuberous body of this mushroom is considered a very valuable delicacy. The appearance of the truffle is not particularly beautiful - it is a shapeless, angular brown tuber with warts. The inside of the delicious fruit is reddish in color with white veins, which turns black when ripe.

The value of a truffle depends on its size. The most valuable are large specimens, the size of an apple (there are very few of them, about one percent of the total number of truffles collected). The number of Extra grade mushrooms (the size of a nut) is 10 percent. Thirty percent are grape-sized truffles. The rest of the “truffle fines” are less valuable and are used in the manufacture of sauces and gravies.

A little history

For a long time, the origin of the truffle was a mystery; these mushrooms were surrounded by a lot of legends. For example, in ancient Roman times, truffles were considered medicinal mushroom, which has the property of increasing potency, mystical properties were attributed to it in the Middle Ages, and during the Renaissance, truffles were used as a universal aphrodisiac. The widespread recognition of truffles as a special delicacy dates back to the 15th century AD - it was then that Italian chefs “tasted” this mushroom. In addition to the Italians, residents of Provence, Charente and Aquitaine began to harvest truffles en masse. True, they were simply used as a “bulk filler” in food.

A wide harvest of valuable mushrooms, hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds per year, took place in the Moscow province. By the way, in the area of the city of Dmitrov, specially trained bears with pulled out teeth were assistants in the search for truffles. However, to take away from large animal the loot found was often difficult, and the practice did not become popular.

Currently, specially trained dogs or pigs are used to find underground “deposits” of truffles. There is another way to search for this delicacy using truffle flies (these are ordinary flies that like to lay eggs in the ground next to the truffle). The larvae, which emerge from the laid eggs of the fly, crawl to the nearest mushroom body, eat it and pupate, after which hundreds of newborn flies begin to swarm over the truffles. These swarms are clearly visible on a sunny day and serve as indicators for mushroom hunters.

The species diversity of truffles is quite large, but only some species are considered edible. The only truly valuable truffle varieties include the following types: black, winter and Italian truffles. Their extraction and breeding are put on an industrial basis. Less known are Polish and white truffles, which are found in Ukraine, Belarus, Western Europe and Moscow region of the Russian Federation.

Artificial cultivation of truffles is a very complex matter and requires serious expenses to create a special chemical composition soil. At the same time, you have to wait for more than one year for the truffle harvest, and no one can guarantee a successful result. A farmer who takes up the cultivation of truffles must have great patience and faith in the result.

Selection and purchase

Truffle has a short shelf life, so you can only try it fresh during the harvesting season, and besides, these delicious mushrooms cannot be found in supermarkets. Usually, fresh truffles are served in restaurants, which purchase the delicacy in small quantities of 30-100 grams (they are transported by plane in special containers) or in gastronomic markets. For real gourmets in this situation good option will be a trip to France or Italy during the “truffle” season.

For longer storage of truffles, it is frozen or canned. Sometimes during transportation the mushroom is placed in olive oil or covered with rice, which allows it to be kept fresh longer.

Application in cooking, features and subtleties of serving

When weighing a portion of mushroom ordered by a client in a restaurant, very precision scales, because rarely does a serving exceed 5 - 8 grams.

Usually truffle is an addition to the main dish - the reason for this is its special taste and aftertaste. Truffle can be combined with any product, especially one that does not have a distinct taste of its own. French chefs recommend recipes in which truffle is combined with eggs, poultry, and lobster. This mushroom can also be served with fruit; it is added to the filling for pies. Salads with lobster, vegetables and truffle sauce are popular. Exotic items like snails or black caviar are often decorated with slices of truffle.

There are also recommendations for choosing wine. Truffles are allowed in white wines “Meursault”, “Burgundy Grand Cru”, red “Bordeaux” or “Cahors”. One of the recipes that has earned worldwide fame is truffles in champagne. Given the high price of the mushroom, it is often served in its pure form, with wine or cream sauce to emphasize the taste.

In general, truffle is a mushroom for gourmets; it will not necessarily appeal to everyone.

Calorie content of truffle

It is unlikely that you will gain weight by eating truffles - the calorie content of the underground mushroom is only 24 kcal per 100 grams. A natural limiter to the consumption of this delicacy is its price, as well as the small amount of prey.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Useful properties of truffle

Composition and presence of nutrients

Truffles are not only delicious, but also useful product– the body will receive along with them vitamins PP, B1, B2, C, which are especially necessary for the growing body of children and adolescents.

Useful and healing properties

It has been proven that truffles contain pheromones that affect the area of the brain responsible for the emotional and sensory background of a person. Its benefits are also enhanced by antioxidants.

In some eastern countries, truffle juice is considered an excellent medicine for the eyes.

Application in cosmetology

Italian cosmetologists use truffle extract in their products. In their opinion, creams and cosmetic masks with valuable mushroom additives can effectively smooth and tighten the skin, remove wrinkles on the face, and remove age spots.

Dangerous properties of truffle

Truffles are contraindicated only for those who may have individual intolerances and allergies.

It is also not recommended to consume these mushrooms if you have problems with digestion, since in this case the stomach is unlikely to be able to cope with the work offered to it. In low-quality catering establishments, this delicacy is often served with a dish of false truffles, which causes poisoning. To prevent this from happening, you need to visit only trusted restaurants.

Depending on the environmental conditions of the place where the mushrooms grew, they can accumulate toxins that negatively affect health.

Under no circumstances should you take these mushrooms from strangers second hand at dubious prices. Remember that truffle is an expensive pleasure and cannot be cheap.

“Truffle – what is it?” This is the question asked by the authors of the video. And they spoke in detail about the properties of truffles, methods of hunting for them, places where they grow, storage methods and many others. interesting facts about the “king of mushrooms”.

Truffles belong to the truffle genus of the truffle family (Tuberaceae). This edible mushrooms, some of which are valuable delicacies.

The truffle's fruiting body is located underground, it has a round or tuberous shape and a fleshy or gristly consistency. The size is variable, from the size of a hazelnut to a potato tuber. On top of the fruiting body there is a leathery layer, smooth, cracking or covered with warts. When cut, the tissue of the fruiting body has a marble pattern, in which light and dark veins alternate.

Truffles grow in deciduous forests, under trees specific to each species. For example, black truffle and summer truffle grow under oaks, beeches, hornbeams, and hazels; Piedmontese truffles are found next to birches, poplars, elms, lindens, rowan trees, and hawthorns.

Truffles are harvested in the fall or in early spring. For this purpose, specially trained dogs or pigs are often used.

Real truffles are edible mushrooms. The most valuable species– this is the Périgord, Piedmont and winter truffle. Their pulp has a mushroom flavor with a hint of roasted seeds or walnuts and a strong characteristic aroma. After soaking in water, the truffle acquires the taste of soy sauce. Truffles are often added raw to dishes at the very end of cooking in order to preserve the aroma of these mushrooms.

Types of truffle mushroom

The fruiting body is underground, tuberous or round, 2.5-10 cm in diameter. The surface is brown-black or bluish-black, covered with black warts. The pulp of the young mushroom is dense, becomes loose over time, the color changes from whitish to brown-yellow and gray-brown, light veins form a marble pattern. The taste is nutty, sweetish, the aroma is pleasant and strong.

It is found in mixed and deciduous forests, on calcareous soils, under oaks, beeches, hornbeams, birches, in Central Europe, in Russia. The fruiting season begins in summer and continues until early autumn.

The fruiting body is irregularly spherical to almost round in shape, 8-15 cm in diameter. The weight of an adult mushroom is 1-1.5 kg. The surface is covered with warts, 2-3 mm in size. The color of a young mushroom is reddish-violet, turning black with age. Pulp first white, then becomes gray or gray-violet with white and yellowish-brown marble veins. It has a strong and pleasant smell, reminiscent of musk.

Grows in France, Italy, Switzerland, Ukraine. Ripens from November to February-March.

The fruiting body is underground, has the shape of irregular tubers measuring 2-12 cm and weighing 30-300 g. The surface is uneven, velvety, light ocher or brownish, the skin is not separated from the pulp. The pulp is dense, whitish or yellow-gray, sometimes reddish, with a white and creamy-brown marbled pattern. The taste is pleasant, the smell is spicy, similar to cheese with garlic.

Mycorrhiza-forming with oak, willow and poplar, linden. It is found in deciduous forests in northwestern Italy (Piedmont) and France. The white Piedmontese truffle harvest lasts from September 21 to January 31.

The fruiting body is underground, tuberous, round or irregular in shape, 3-9 cm in diameter. The surface is reddish-brown, in old mushrooms it is coal-black, and becomes rusty when pressed. The pulp is hard, light, gray or pinkish-brown in color with a white or reddish marble pattern; in older mushrooms it is dark. It has a strong characteristic aroma and a pleasant taste with a slight bitterness.

Grows in deciduous forests, on calcareous soil, most often under oaks. Distributed in France, Italy and Spain. The season lasts from November to March.

Poisonous and inedible types of truffle mushroom

A mushroom inedible for humans.

The fruit body is round in shape, 1-4 cm in size, yellow-brown in color. The smell is pungent, earthy, similar to the smell of potatoes. The surface is finely tuberculate.

Found in Europe and North America, in Chile, China, Japan and Taiwan. Grows under coniferous trees, as well as under chestnuts, beeches and oaks, at all times of the year, en masse in late summer and autumn.

Oak or common hazel seedlings are used as a substrate for growing truffles. The seedlings are kept in sterile conditions for several weeks to allow the mycelium to take root. After this, the seedlings are planted in the nursery.

The soil for growing truffles should have a pH of 7.5-7.9 and a high content of humus and calcium. It should not contain stones, weeds and should not be contaminated with other types of mushrooms. Before planting, deep mechanical processing is carried out. The soil is not fertilized before planting. Environment must be dry, with average temperature 16.5-22°C.

Seedlings are planted in the spring. No more than 500 trees per hectare. Pour a little water into the hole, cover the seedling tightly and water it again. The planting depth is 75 cm. Place next to each seedling upper layer forest soil with fallen leaves and plastic film.

The edible part of the truffle is fruiting body, containing disputes. The fruiting bodies are located at a depth of about 20 cm. They are dug out with small shovels. An indicator of the presence of a truffle harvest is the so-called truffle flies.

Calorie content of truffle

The calorie content of 100 g of truffle is 25 kcal. Energy value:

Proteins:………………….3 g (12 kcal)
Fat:……………………….0.5 g (5 kcal)
Carbohydrates:………………….2 g (8 kcal)

The maximum weight of a truffle reaches 1 kg, although there are also very tiny specimens the size of a pea.
According to one hypothesis, mature truffles contain anandamide, psychotropic substance, which is similar in effect to marijuana.
In France and Italy, since the 15th century, it has been common to search for truffles growing in the forest with the help of search dogs and pigs, which can smell truffles underground at a distance of up to 20 m.
In the 19th century, truffles began to be cultivated; at that time, up to 1000 tons of these mushrooms were collected. IN last years The truffle harvest is about 50 tons. Mushrooms are grown in the USA, Spain, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia and the UK. And in beginning of XXI century, China became a major producer of truffles in the world. The Chinese variety is cheaper, but its quality is lower.

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. He smells 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: the fruits are harvested here practically all year round: in autumn - white, in winter - black, in spring - banchetto, in summer - black summer.

White fruits are exquisite. They cannot be bred; they grow in very limited areas. For example, in Piedmont mushrooms are found only in Langhe, sometimes found in Monferrato, Roero, 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?

Russian truffle is called 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.

Summer black (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 - birch, oak groves, 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. Resembles 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. The 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. Fruit small size– about 15 cm have a mass of up to 500 g, 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 develop in deciduous and mixed forests with limestone soil, near the roots of oak, beech, hornbeam, 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 white variety grows on Oryol and Tula lands. 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. Large quantities are found on the Crimean land (steppe regions), the Northern and Western Caucasus, and in North Ossetia - Alania. It is worth highlighting Anapa, Gelendzhik, the village of Abrau-Durso, 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. IN Lately 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.

To " silent hunt"was 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 appear on the soil surface (sometimes this happens due to strong wind 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 mushroom. 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, which 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 sun rays, wind, 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).

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.

Surely everyone has heard at some point that truffle is a true delicacy that is available only to people with great financial resources. Even today, when it has become possible to grow mushrooms on farms rather than looking for them in the forests, the truffle still remains an expensive mushroom. This mushroom of the truffle family belongs to the Truffleaceae genus. In addition, it is also called French or Perigord, due to its place of growth. The largest concentration of these mushrooms was found in France in the Périgord region.

To date, scientists have identified about 32 varieties of different truffles. However, only 8 of them are truly expensive and rarely found delicacies. The diamond among these mushrooms is the black truffle. Let's find out why.

Description and photo of black truffle

Perhaps one day you will be lucky and find black truffles while walking. Also, some fly to France specifically to try fresh, rare mushrooms.

But how do you know that this is the right truffle? To do this you need to know what it looks like.

From Latin - .

Fruiting body

The fruiting body of this mushroom is well remembered by anyone, even from a picture. Firstly, truffles most often have an uneven oval shape, very similar to a potato tuber. Painted dark. If you look at the flesh of this mushroom, you will be surprised. At first it has a light beige hue, but when interacting with oxygen it quickly turns into a black-violet hue. However, white veins remain inside.

The truffle grows underground, so its skin is hard enough not to deform under the thickness of the earth.

It has an irregular shape in the form of a tuber. Most often, the diameter of the fruiting body varies from 3 to 10 cm.

The color of the truffle deserves special attention. It has a shade closer to dark brown, however, as it ripens, it becomes jet black. However, if you press hard on the elastic skin of the mushroom, it will turn rusty. Truffles are very rough. Their surface is covered with all sorts of irregularities and several edges. However, despite this it is very pleasant in the hand. The skin smells cold.

The flesh of this mushroom is quite hard. Therefore, fresh truffles cannot impress everyone with their taste. It is believed that the pulp, after interacting with oxygen, gets drunk and becomes truly healthy and tasty.

In terms of smell, aroma and taste, the pulp has a characteristic strong aroma. It is very pleasant and mostly mushroomy. The taste is also acceptable, although slightly bitter.

Truffles, like many mushrooms, reproduce by spores. Its powder has a dark brown tint. The spores themselves are oval in shape, less often they can be curved and branched.

Where it grows and how to find it

If you are eager to try this delicious mushroom, then you definitely need to go to France. It is there that approximately 60% of the total number of black truffles is grown. The largest concentrations are observed in Périgord. This is an area of France that is simply riddled with these mushrooms. Therefore, during the season you will see crowds of tourists here.

Also, in addition to Périgord, you can go to the southeastern part. There is the Gironde and Dordoi. In addition, black truffles are chosen to grow in countries with warm and pleasant climate. Therefore, they can be found in Italy and Spain. They are also present in China.

For a long time it was believed that truffles were simply a kind of growth on the roots of trees. However, these marsupial fungi over time showed two interesting features.

The first feature is that it is not knowledgeable person will pass by and will never discover that there is a truffle under his feet at a depth of 5 to 20 cm. That is why these mushrooms are very difficult to detect, and they are obtained in large quantities. The second feature is that the truffle chooses only calcareous soils for its growth and development, and it also likes to settle next to the roots of trees, where it feels as comfortable as possible.

Truffles are also really picky when it comes to choosing trees next to which they want to grow and develop. They most often accept oak or hickory trees.

Why do truffles try to locate near trees? Most often they need nutrients, which the tree receives from the ground in large quantities. The truffle mycelium is carefully woven into the root, resulting in the mineral salts and water necessary for growth and development.

However, this is a mutually beneficial symbiosis. The tree shares its nutrients, and the truffle mycelium reliably protects the roots from various putrefactive processes.

However, truffle has a detrimental effect on small vegetation in the form of grasses and moss. It dies, since nutrients are mainly obtained by trees and mushrooms.

As for the harvest time, the black French truffle bears fruit from December to the twentieth of March. However, truffle hunters board the train at the first winter months.

In order to find truffles, the French use specially trained pigs that are able to smell them over long distances. However, pigs have a detrimental effect on forest soil, destroying it over time. Also, pigs can often damage the mycelium, as a result of which no more mushrooms will appear in this place. Therefore, recently it has become common to use specially trained dogs.

Edibility of Black Truffle

What qualities are black truffles so highly valued for?

Gourmets will highly appreciate the aroma of black truffles. This is why the mushroom has such a high cost. However, everyone's perception of taste and smell is different. Some say that the mushroom clearly resembles dark chocolate, while others say that they smell cognac.

Famous chefs believe that this delicacy is ideal as a component of desserts, which is why truffle and almond ice cream is highly valued.

Truffle sauces are especially popular. They turn out tart, tasty, rich, and can decorate any, even the most bland, dish. Truffle goes perfectly with nuts, so a meat dish with truffle usually contains grated almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts.

Useful properties and calorie content

The mushroom is not only extremely tasty, but also very healthy. Truffle contains antioxidants necessary for the human body, which prevent the aging process, activating youth, health and vigor.

Also, it contains the basic vitamins necessary for the human body - A, B, folic acid, and so on.

However, eating truffles alone will not achieve the desired effect. The contents of this product must be appropriate. Ideally, it is recommended to eat a couple of truffles per meal, and not overindulge in consumption more than twice a week. Despite its positive properties, truffle contains acids, which in large quantities can have a detrimental effect on the body. In addition, such acids corrode the stomach, and in large quantities can have a detrimental effect on the body if you already had any serious disease of the gastrointestinal tract.

However, if you are absolutely healthy man, then truffle will be an ideal addition to your diet.

If you are on a diet, then black truffle will in no way cause you to crash. It has a small amount of calories per 100 g, therefore, it will not affect the beauty of the figure in any way.

Black French truffles themselves have long been considered a good aphrodisiac. Mushrooms are recommended to be consumed if you are affected by gout. early stage. Truffles make a good mood, which really helps with diarrhea, vomiting, and weakness.

How much does a mushroom cost?

Truffle is an expensive mushroom. During the period of its maturity and special growth, prices for it skyrocket. In addition, on special types truffles that grow in certain regions of France and even auctions are held. So, kg of these mushrooms are taken for crazy money, and of course, they are taken to the largest and best restaurants in the world.

Despite the fact that truffles are stored for a short time, they still do not have time to become stale. They are bought very quickly despite the high cost, because fresh truffle is separate species pleasures that are not available to many.

Despite the astronomical cost, the truffle is ideal for decorating the menu of any restaurant.

Therefore, you should not be surprised that they demand an impressive amount for it. Money. The price of a truffle varies depending on where the mushroom was grown, in what conditions and what taste it has.

So, at the very beginning of the season, when the mushrooms are not yet the most ripe and have not fully filled with juice and taste, the cost of a mushroom per 1 kg is $170. However, once the season gets into full swing and the truffles become ripe, the cost rises to around $900 per kg.

Truffle, which grows in certain regions of France and also has a unique taste and bitterness, costs from one and a half thousand dollars per kg.

Kinds

Let's consider two edible species and one inedible (Deer).

Truffle black winter

The fruit body of the winter black truffle has an irregular spherical shape, almost round. Reaches 8 cm and weighs 300 g. The shell of this mushroom has a reddish purple tint, and sometimes even black. The skin is covered with polygons and ridges that must be peeled off before cooking. The pulp of this mushroom has a dense structure, at first white or beige, then becomes gray and even purple. This mushroom differs from other species in that it has marble veins inside.

The aroma is very tasty, pleasant and persistent, and somewhat reminiscent of musk. When cut, the mushroom begins to emit a strong odor that is very similar to nuts. Most often it bears fruit well from November to March. Lives in France, North Ossetia and Crimea.

It is used mainly in restaurants and is included in numerous sauces and dressings.

Truffle black summer

A very specific mushroom that has a fruiting body up to 10 cm in diameter. The surface has a silver-brown tint and a bluish glow, which is covered with black warts. The softness of this mushroom is dense, but in older mushrooms it has a looser structure. With age, the color changes, moving from white to brown tones. Then a marble pattern is formed. The pulp has a nutty taste and is slightly sweet. The smell is quite pleasant and strong. The spore powder has a yellow-brown tint.

The mushroom is distributed from Central Europe, and is also seen in the south of Scandinavia and on the coast of the Caucasus. Most often it is woven into the roots of oak, hornbeam or birch.

Inedible Deer Truffle

The reindeer truffle is a mushroom that is not edible for humans and can be harmful to health. Belongs to the genus of marsupial mushrooms. Distributed in Central Europe. It has gray flesh and light gray skin. Contains many poisonous toxic substances, causes poisoning. The smell is unpleasant, however, it attracts deer. It was in their honor that this mushroom, which these horned animals loved so much, was named.

Application in cosmetology and medicine

Hair masks are made based on black truffle and used in various luxury beauty salons throughout Europe. It is believed that the antioxidants contained in truffle effectively affect the growth and structure of the hair, enriching and nourishing it. Vitamins and dietary supplements are also made from this truffle.

Based on the truffle, eye patches are made that effectively combat puffiness and circles under the eyes. In order to achieve a positive effect, it is necessary to place the patches directly in the lower eyelid area and leave for a while.

Recipes

If you are lucky enough to find a black truffle, then congratulations. Surely a very tasty dinner awaits you.

So, first you need to rinse the truffle well.
Then, soak it in water for several hours.
Dry the truffles and carefully cut them into cubes.
Then, put it in a blender container.
Add a couple of tablespoons of sour cream, parsley, dill and basil there.
Beat everything at high speed with a blender.
Then refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow the mixture to thicken.

Congratulations, you have made a very tasty sauce.

Another recipe involves baking in the oven.

You need to cut your favorite vegetables.
Then, cut the pork meat.
Place in a baking bag and place in the oven for half an hour at 200 degrees.
Then, unfasten the baking bag and add the truffle cut into slices.
Also, add chopped tomatoes for juiciness.
Place in the oven for a couple of hours.

Ice cream with truffle

Cut the truffle into small pieces.
Place in blender.
Also, put yogurt and some milk there.
If desired, add pieces of your favorite fruit.
Beat everything thoroughly with a blender.
Then, fill the ice cream molds with the resulting mixture, and then put it in the refrigerator.

Proper storage

In order for the truffle to retain its taste for as long as possible, it is necessary to carry out proper storage. If you want to preserve the taste of the mushroom for a long time, it is not recommended to wash it, and in general, to make it come into contact with water. That is why truffles collected in the forest just need to be carefully placed in a container and covered with plastic wrap on top. Store the truffles in a cool place in the house or in the refrigerator. This will create the effect that it is still underground, at a cool temperature, but without interacting with oxygen.

Contraindications

Despite the fact that this mushroom is classified as edible, there are still some contraindications that should be taken into account before trying truffles.

Fresh truffle can be tried by nursing mothers and pregnant women. However, if the black truffle has been stored in the refrigerator for some time, or not at all in the proper way, then it is recommended to refuse to use it, due to the fact that the risk of poisoning increases.

If you are allergic to truffle components, we recommend trying it in small pieces, gradually increasing the amount you eat.

It is also recommended that people who have stomach ulcers, as well as other diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract, digestive organs, and so on, avoid eating this mushroom.

Black truffle is unique mushroom, which is a real delicacy. Chefs in the most famous and expensive restaurants use it as the main ingredient for their most exquisite and luxurious dishes.

But still, if you really want to, you can find a truffle on your own, the main thing is to determine the place and time of the search. Also, it is recommended to take a responsible approach to preservation, since despite its edibility, this mushroom very quickly loses its beneficial features and becomes negative.

What is worth saying from all of the above? If you are a true gourmet and also love everything new, black truffle should definitely be on the list of products that you should try. We hope that it will leave you with only pleasant impressions.

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