I’ve often heard golf described as “a good walk spoiled”. Hunting for black truffles in Umbria is more like a good walk brings the spoils. The spoils in this case being Tuber Aestivum or summer black truffles.
It is a bit of a journey to arrive at the truffle fields above Spoleto and in the Valnerina. A journey up windy mountain roads that is well worth the time and risk of car sickness. Once you arrive, you’ve turned back the clock to a time when foraging was a part of putting dinner on the table.
You don’t need much to hunt a truffle – two trained dogs, a walking stick with a small spade attached, and a two pocket, leather sac with dog treats in one side and room for truffles in the other. You also need the rights to hunt for truffles (see the yellow sign above) and that is where it gets difficult and the barriers to entry are quite high. You need to know someone who is willing (and not too superstitious) to take you through their truffle grounds.
A short time after setting out across the mountain pastures, we arrived at the edge of the woods and the hunt was on. The dogs run ahead and sniff around the roots of the oak trees while the truffle hunter gives quiet instructions and does a bit of suggesting to the dogs. (N.B. the third dog on the right is just a “friend” along for the walk. The other two are working)
When they find one they start scraping and digging at the earth. The dogs are often quick to remove the truffle and bring it to the hunter. If not, the hunter uses his special spade to free and pocket the truffle. In return, the dog gets a treat and the hunter gets 20-25 euro per 100 grams of black summer truffles.
The process repeats itself for a couple of hours on our leisurely hike with the dogs along the edge of the woods. The truffles grow near the roots of oak and other hardwood trees. When ripe, the truffle emits an odor that is attractive to mammals in order to be discovered and have its spores released. The dogs are mostly mutts and are the offspring of other truffle dogs. They reach their skill peak and maturity around 8 yrs old.
Truffles grow wild and have unpredictable growing patterns. The skill and superstitions of the hunter play a role in maximizing yields each year. During our walk we learned how modern technology is being used to cultivate truffles. We were shown an orchard where treated oak trees were planted that should, in 10 years time, produce a steady crop of truffles.
He also showed us where he pulled a 1 kilo truffle out of the ground last year (hint: it’s where he’s standing in the photo above!). After the walk we had worked up a hunger and took our 200 grams of truffles to the kitchen to be cleaned and grated into olive oil to be used as a condiment.
The truffle sauce was slathered on toasted bread, folded into a runny omelette, and spooned over a stew of veal cooked in red wine.
Incorporating a truffle hunt into a cooking/food itinerary is a must. Summer truffles can be found from May until the beginning of the Fall.
Truffles aren’t the only tubers in the woods – our truffle hunter’s wife had scavenged for these mushrooms as well and made us a mushroom frittata with a deeply musky flavor that was the essence of earthy.
