How do truffles grow?
What are truffles?
Truffle mushroom, which does not reproduce by spores like other mushrooms, differs from them in this respect. They are formed by feeding from especially the roots of oak trees at a depth of 5-20 cm. From the outside, it is almost impossible to understand that there is a fungus there.
Truffle, known as 'black diamond' in the world, mostly grows in the Mediterranean climate zone, Spain, France, Italy and Turkey. The fact that truffles are found in such a rare geography makes it very valuable. The demand for truffles, whose price varies between 100 and 500 euros depending on the quality, is increasing day by day. In our country, the commercial volume of truffle mushrooms in 2020 was around 180 million TL.
How to get truffles out of the ground?
Truffles collected in July usually grow and crack the surface of the soil when the time comes. Especially by following these cracks at the bottom of oak and chestnut trees, the location of the fungus is determined partially. In fact, although specially trained dogs are used for this job, some mushroom pickers can easily locate truffles without the need for dogs. In short, the soil is gently dug with a simple hand shovel and removed without damaging the fungus.
Since the collected truffles are very delicate, it would be better not to fill them in a bag or a plastic material. It can be stored in a breathable wicker basket.
The benefits of truffle
The effects of truffle on the human body were known in the past as well as today. Avicenna recommended truffles for vomiting, weakness, pain and healing of wounds. Between 827 and 844 AD, Pope Gregory IV recommended that his soldiers consume truffles to gain strength in wars. Napoleon also believed that truffles were aphrodisiacs. Truly truffle mushroom is richer than other mushrooms in terms of minerals and vitamins it contains.
In which dishes is it used?
Truffle oil is often recommended to be used with foods containing cream, oil and eggs, as it traps the aroma in the food. It can be grated directly on omelet and pasta. It can also be consumed in meat dishes, cooked on charcoal or smoked.