Italy’s culinary prize, the white truffle, comes into season from late September until mid November each year. Chefs and celebrities from around the world will bid thousands of Euro for these underground tubers, enhancing the flavor of everything from breakfast to desserts.

Watch the video above as Mario and Rocky take us White Truffle Hunting

The white truffle, like the dark truffle has been harvested for centuries. But unlike its dark cousin, the white truffle was not very popular until the 1920’s when Giacomo Morra of Alba, Italy gave the name of “White Truffle” to this object previously known as “Tuber Magnatum Pico”. In 1929 Morra also helped form the 1st White Truffle Fair in Alba, after which its fame skyrocketed.

Giacomo’s grandson told me that his grandfather sent the largest white truffle ever found (at that point) to U.S. President Truman as a gift (and, I’ve been told, as a publicity stunt), and received a message from Truman stating, “Thank you for the potato. Unfortunately it appears to have spoiled during the trip.”

White truffles have traditionally been hunted by pigs, but now dogs are being trained to find them as well. Both pigs and dogs like to eat these expensive treats as soon as they find them, but the dogs can typically be trained to give the truffles up unharmed. I personally have seen dogs eat hundreds of Euro worth of white truffles, so this training is currently far from perfect! Our friend Mario and his dog Rocky found the largest truffle of the year, a few years back.

During our Piemonte tours, chef Dolce Debbie uses the rare white truffle in traditional ways such as in White Truffle Parmesan Risotto, Salad with White Truffle Shavings, and Fettuccine in Butter Cream sauce with White Truffles. I prefer them the way my friend Mario has them – shaved over fried eggs!

Truffles spoil rather quickly; once removed from the ground they will last from 3 to 10 days. That’s why they are so hard to get in the United States. In Italy, they sell for roughly $3000 per pound. In fact, each November there is a truffle auction held in the Piemonte town of Grinzane Cavour, where past winners have included Sophia Loren, Alfred Hitchcock, Luciano Pavarotti, and President Reagan. Truffles are best preserved in a paper bag stored opened in the refrigerator. Be aware, however, that everything in your fridge will take on the flavor of truffles! I once left truffles out overnight in Debbie’s kitchen. When she opened the kitchen door the next morning, the aroma was so strong it could have knocked her over! (I’ll never do that again!)

In the U.S. the closest we usually get to experience the rare white truffle is by cooking with White Truffle Oil – olive oil infused with white truffle. Many truffle oils use artificial ingredients – be sure to get the real thing.

Check back during the fall as I post more about the Alba Worldwide White Truffle Fair.

(Some information provided by www.lifeinitaly.com, www.fieradeltartufo.org, and en.wikipedia.org)