How many times have we asked ourselves how a restaurant dish is cooked or how food is grown while doing our shopping at markets? Truffles are not an exemption and despite Spain is one of the world’s largest truffle producers this still unknown by most of the population.
Truffles grow in collaboration with tree roots, especially oaks and holm oaks. This collaboration called symbiosis works for both as trees get minerals and water while
truffles are fed with carbohydrates and vitamins that can’t be synthetised by themselves.
This cooperation is most common that we can firstly think as it’s estimated that around 80% of plants have “invaded” roots.
But truffles not only help trees to get water and minerals, they also produce natural herbicides against weeds so 100% of soil nutrients are available for truffle trees so truffles no only help them growing but get rid of competence!!
Only few types of truffles are appreciated in haute cuisine and luckily with the exemption of Italian white truffle (Tuber magnatum), all of them can be found in Spain. (Tuber magnatum).
El diaKitchen black diamond: truffles
Morella, Sarrion or Graus are the most popular villages in Spain where the black diamond is well-known in the kitchen. Winter black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) has a warty black skin like a lump of coal. Is harvested from fall to winter.
Then when spring blooms it’s time for summer black truffles (Tuber aestivum) which with a larger production and more affordable price will be mainly used by food industry to elaborate sauces, pates, snacks… Summer black truffles are a good choice for truffle liquors.
But not always black truffles were well-considered as in the Middle Ages were considered a creation of the devil and obviously, we can’t deny truffles are a temptation. If still not being convinced… ask the Spanish animal that loves them the most by difference… the PIG. It seems that females have a more sensitive sense of smell than males and are capable to detect a truffle even at 30m of distance based on a mix of aromas. Wild boars have the same ability than their “cousins” the domesticated pigs, but will you be enough brave to train one?
But there is an easier way used by truffle hunters… DOGS. They get trained since puppies so can point truffles in a truffle tree grove and the farmer will do the rest.
Little by little we will share with all of you more information about truffle’s world and other delicatessen of our gastronomy. If you want to be up to date, visit our blog where you will find information about us, Gourmet area and news.