Winter truffle. Truffles: types of mushrooms and features of their cultivation

One of the most expensive mushrooms in the world is the truffle mushroom. This is a rare and delicious delicacy. The mushroom has an unusual taste.

Translated from Greek it means earthen cone. Since it resembles a small cone in appearance, you can verify it by looking at the photo of truffle mushrooms.

Description of truffle mushrooms

The size of the mushroom is small, the maximum size is about 10 cm. The outer surface is dark blue or bright black, which is covered with warts.

However, there are species that have an even and smooth surface layer.

There are two types of pulp:

• dense in a young fetus;
• loose in a mature mushroom.

The taste is reminiscent of a nut, sweetish, but very tasty. The aroma of the mushroom is associated with algae.

Types of mushrooms

There are many varieties of truffle mushrooms in the world. Let's look at the most popular types:

Summer. It grows in Russia, the ripening period occurs in the summer months. Its size can be 10 cm. Its taste is associated with nuts.

Ginger. Found in Europe and North America. On Russian territory it grows in Siberia.

White. Distributed in France and Italy. White truffle is one of the most expensive and tastes like cheese with garlic. The size can be about 12 cm.

American. It grows only on the coast of the United States of America, mainly in the top layer of soil. Therefore, this type of mushroom has the taste of grass and flowers. Small in size, up to 5 cm.

Red. The gib is very small, does not grow more than 4 cm. It can be found in European countries. It tastes like coconut with wine.

Red shiny. Smaller in size than a red mushroom, approximately 3 cm in diameter. This truffle can be collected from May to August in deciduous forests. However, it can often be found in coniferous forests. It tastes like a mixture of wine, coconut and pear.

Where do they grow?

Many mushroom hunters wonder. Where do truffle mushrooms grow most often? As a rule, they grow in small groups of up to 7 pieces in forest areas.

Truffles are quite common in Russia. These are Crimea, Moscow, Samara, Orel, Vladimir and in many areas mainly in deciduous and displaced forests.

However, mushroom pickers have also found truffle mushrooms in coniferous forests.

Winter truffle grows in the Republic of Crimea. It is collected from November to March. It grows up to 15 cm in size and weighs up to a kilogram. When added to food, it gives the dish a nutmeg flavor.

You can find truffle mushrooms underground near the roots of oak, beech or hornbeam.

Benefits of mushrooms

It has long been proven that truffles can be eaten by humans. We can prepare many different dishes from mushrooms. They can be stewed or added to sauce. Can be served as a separate dish. These mushrooms can be harvested for the winter. They are canned or frozen.

Truffle mushroom is rich in vitamins and various microelements. The composition contains vitamins such as B, PP, C. They increase the level of fiber and have a positive effect on a person’s emotional state.

Truffles can be used to make a juice that can be used to treat eye diseases.

There are no contraindications to consuming the mushroom. If only individual intolerance to the product. And so, the main thing is that the mushroom is fresh and processed, then you can eat it without fear of health.

Truffle cultivation

In many countries, the mushroom has long been grown under artificially created conditions. Since it is extremely difficult to find a mushroom in the natural environment.

In order for the mushroom to grow at home, certain conditions must be met:

• availability of the necessary trees;
• suitable soil;
• good weather conditions.

Growing truffles yourself is very expensive and the process takes a long time.

Artificially grown mushrooms differ in taste from those found in nature. And their cost is almost the same, due to the high costs.

Truffle mushroom is used in cosmetology. Italian cosmetologists add truffle extract to masks and creams that are intended for the skin of the face and hands.

Since they were able to prove that a cream based on truffle mushroom helps tighten the skin, remove age spots, and can also hide small expression wrinkles.

Photo of truffle

Content

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. Their unsightly appearance belies their excellent taste and aroma. Once you try the delicacy, you will remember it for the rest of your life. It smells like an 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 all vital elements from the roots 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: here the fruits are collected almost all year round: white in autumn, black in winter, banchetto in spring, black summer truffles in 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?

The Russian truffle is called the 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.

Black summer (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 are birch, oak groves, and 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 regions of the country. The ripening period is all autumn months, the fruiting time is the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. The fruits are small in size - about 15 cm, weigh up to 500 g, and grow at a depth of 10-15 cm.

The black variety is considered a summer delicacy. It is found in the Caucasus, on the 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, and 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 the white variety grows on Oryol and Tula soil. 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-Dyurso, 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. Recently, residents of the region began to collect kilograms of fruits, 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.

For a “silent hunt” to be 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 come to the surface of the soil (sometimes this happens due to strong winds 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 mushrooms. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Choose places to plant trees: they should be protected from direct sunlight, wind, and animals.
4. Pay attention to the soil, it should be alkaline. If necessary, add lime to the soil.
5. Do not use any fertilizers before planting trees because they may negatively affect the development of spores.
6. 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.
7. Plant the tree in a 75 cm hole: pour water and only then place the plant in it.
8. When planting, try not to damage the root system of the tree. Cover them with soil very carefully, then water them generously.
9. Sprinkle mulch around the root system of the tree at a distance of 30-40 cm: use oak leaves from last year.
10. The plants are covered with greenhouse film.
11. To feed trees, use special ready-made fertilizers (how to use them is indicated on the packages).

Photo of truffle

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Where in Russia do real expensive truffles grow - places where black and white grow?

Not everyone can say what a truffle is. A common comparison is a bittersweet cone-shaped candy. However, truffle is not only sweetness. This is a mushroom about which it is customary to say that once you try it at least once, it will be impossible to forget the taste. There are many legends around the truffle - about the taste, about the fact that only a select few can find it, and about much more. Whether this is so - we will find out further.

Where do truffles grow in Russia?

In general, truffles prefer countries with a warm temperate climate. Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Germany are considered ideal places for mushrooms to grow. However, you can find this truly priceless mushroom (and we will find out why it is such a little later) in Russia. Truffle places are the Moscow, Vladimir, Tula, Oryol, and Smolensk regions. Truffle also grows in the Middle Volga region. The question is different. The mushroom is very difficult to find, so residents of a particular area often simply do not know what wealth can be found on their lands.

Mushroom pickers don’t know what time it is necessary to collect ripe truffles, and only professionals can tell you how. Take, for example, the white truffle. Only true truffle “hunters” know where this species grows in Russia. So, first things first.

What is a truffle?

First, let’s find out what kind of mushroom this is. The truffle is considered a gourmet find, representing the most expensive mushroom in the world. Its size can be up to 15 centimeters, weight varies from 100 to 500 grams. Truffle grows in the ground, at a relatively shallow depth - 15-20 centimeters. But the appearance of beginners can scare away. Externally, the truffle is very similar to Jerusalem artichoke, forming a complex rhizome of an unsightly appearance with a light brown peel and soft interior. This type of mushroom is distinguished by its bright aroma, as well as a meaty taste, which does not even remotely resemble the taste of a mushroom. Truffles come in two types - black and white. The latter are large, they choose the above growing areas. Where in Russia does the summer truffle (aka black) grow?

Black truffles can be found both in the Caucasus and on the Black Sea coast.

Reproduction methods

Truffles reproduce in a way that is not quite usual for mushrooms. In common species, this process occurs with the help of parts of the mycelium (seeds), spores, or during the formation of secondary mycelium. Spores of simple mushrooms are carried by wind or water. With truffles it's different. The only way they can reproduce is with the help of animals. Since the mushroom seeds are underground, neither wind nor water will be able to get them, much less transport them somewhere. The seeds are spread across the ground by animals, which dig them up and eat them, leaving behind pieces of the fungus from which a new one is then formed. So, we found out how these mushrooms reproduce and where truffles grow in Russia. Go ahead.

Which forests love truffles?

No matter how strange it may sound, truffle is a rather capricious mushroom. It is friends with only a few types of trees, so looking for them in other forest belts is simply pointless. So, where does truffle (mushroom) grow in Russia? He chooses an area near the very roots of the tree. There it is convenient and comfortable - there is always a lot of moisture, which allows the fungus to fully develop. Hornbeams and beeches are especially fond of truffles. They can also be found in birch rhizomes or unearthed from hazel trees. But my favorite tree is oak. Oak groves are where truffles grow in Russia (the photo below was taken during the truffle season).

There is another undeniable plus in this - both simple pigs and wild boars feed on acorns. It is their aroma that attracts animals to the location of the truffle, and then it’s a matter of little things. Mushroom is a favorite delicacy of these animals. Its aroma is much stronger than the smell of acorns. The boars smell it and dig it up, thereby giving it a chance to reproduce further.

Methods of extraction and cultivation

So, let's dwell on the methods of obtaining this mushroom. We remember where truffles grow in Russia. How they reproduce is the same. But now we’ll find out how to get them. To search for this expensive mushroom, specially trained pigs or dogs are used.

The smell of truffles is strong especially at night, which is why the “hunt” for them is carried out precisely in the dark. You can also find them by the swarm of midges that certainly hover over their location, enjoying the aromas of mushrooms. You must dig up the truffle very carefully, trying not to damage both the mushroom itself and the roots of the tree in which it grows. And now to the main thing - where do truffles grow in Russia at home? The answer is simple: nowhere. Trial cultivation processes are underway in our country. The fact is that they are very complex - the ground is covered with acorns that have fallen off at the site where the fungus grows. Soil suitable for growing oak is prepared and mixed with the soil where the truffles grew. The collected acorns are planted there, and only after 6 years can the first harvest be obtained. Today, taking into account all the subtleties, it is easier to buy a truffle in Russia than to grow it.

Truffles are the name given to the genus and family of mushrooms of the same name, which are considered elite representatives. These are one of the most valuable and therefore expensive mushrooms, and they are used not only in preparing gourmet dishes, but also as a medicine.

Truffles are the namesake genus and family of mushrooms, which are considered elite representatives

Truffles are special mushrooms in every sense of the word. They have a delicate taste and exquisite aroma, which, along with classic mushroom notes, often smell like garlic, cheese, nutmeg, cocoa and even chocolate. In color - mostly dark shades: black, brown, sometimes light cream. The flesh is white to purple, and always darkens with age.

Another interesting feature is that it looks completely inconspicuous, resembling a potato tuber rather than a real mushroom. However, the description of the mushroom does not give anything: the fruiting body is located underground. That is why they are searched for with the help of dogs and even pigs. Such an unusual role of these animals can be explained very simply: pigs willingly eat truffles themselves, and their sense of smell helps them easily find fruiting bodies hidden underground. Most often, the “hunt” is carried out in the evening, so that pigs and dogs can smell it better.

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Dogs are trained to search for truffles right from infancy: mushrooms are brought to them, and those animals that smell them are selected. Then they are fed milk with truffles and undergo many other additional tests. Therefore, the cost of a trained dog ends up being about $5,000.

Truffles are one of the most valuable and therefore expensive mushrooms

Distribution of truffles

Truffle grows exclusively in mild climatic conditions.
However, contrary to popular belief that it is only a European mushroom, it can also be found in some parts of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Where do truffles grow in Russia?

Truffles grow mainly in the Black Earth region, the Volga region, the Kuban, Crimea and the North Caucasus. In Siberia and the Far East they are practically not found with rare exceptions.

In this case, it is more correct to list not the growing regions themselves, but precisely the trees on whose roots these mushrooms settle. They prefer to grow precisely at the beginning of the root - i.e. the area where the root shoots flow into the trunk, since this is where the greatest supply of moisture coming from the soil is observed. Here is a list of tree species in the ground next to which truffle fruiting bodies grow:

• oak is the best option: it is in the oak grove that you can reap good harvests;
• Beeches and hornbeams are in second place in popularity;
• You can find them in hazel, as well as under the roots of birch.

Mushrooms cannot be stored for too long - as a rule, they are used for food on the same day. But in extreme cases, you can even increase the period to 25-30 days. To do this, freshly picked truffles are covered with sand and covered with a damp natural cloth, leaving them in a cool place.

How to look for truffles (video)

Truffle collection places in Ukraine

In Ukraine, these mushrooms can also be found in oak forests and deciduous forests of beech and hornbeam. Especially a lot of truffles can be found in the forests near the coastal strip of the Black Sea.

Where to look for truffles in Belarus

The only edible species that grows on the territory of Belarus is the black truffle.. Moreover, only 2 places are known where you can find it - Zhitkovichi district of Gomel region and Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Moreover, the collection of both species is prohibited, since they are included in the local Red Book. However, this does not stop mushroom pickers.

NOTE

This mushroom can be confused with the false truffle, which poses no particular health risk but is less tasty and may cause allergies in some people.

Types of truffle mushrooms

About 10 species of these mushrooms are known, and all of them belong to the edible class.

Black truffle

It is also called summer or Russian. It is quite large - the diameter in the cap is up to 10 cm. The weight is usually 200-300 g, but it can reach up to 400 g. The taste has a very interesting nutty hue with sweet tones. The flesh of the mushroom changes from light to brown and gray as it ages.

This variety prefers extremely mild climates - the mushroom prefers the Transcaucasian region, and in Russia it grows only in the Crimea and the Black Earth Region. In European territory it is distributed closer to the south, and prefers to settle in oak and beech groves, under pine trees and hazel.

Black truffle

Burgundy truffle

Grows mainly in the southern regions of Europe. It is smaller in size than the previous type - the cap is no more than 8 cm. The flesh of the mushroom resembles the color of milk chocolate, and even smells like cocoa. But the taste sensations are completely different - the aftertaste is bitter.

Winter truffle

The caps have very different sizes - there are representatives both with 8-10 cm in diameter and 17-20 cm. Interestingly, some mushrooms reach 1.5 kg in weight! The aroma is musky and pleasant. This species is called winter because the fruiting bodies grow from November to February. They are collected on moist soil in linden groves and under hazel trees. Distributed throughout Ukraine, Switzerland, France and Italy.

Perigord truffle

Size up to 9 cm in diameter. The surface of the cap consists of peculiar warts, and the flesh changes from light pink to purple as it ages. Grows in Crimea, in southern Europe. This species is also cultivated in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Perigord truffle

Himalayan truffle

This species produces very small fruiting bodies, which in size do not exceed 2 cm, and in weight - within 50-60 g. Therefore, it is quite difficult to find them, and accordingly, this variety is less popular.

Oregon truffle

It is also called American white, although its color is closer to orange-brown tones. Grows only along the west coast of the United States. Medium in size - up to 7 cm in diameter. A characteristic feature of this species is that the fruiting bodies are found not in the ground itself, but in the deciduous layer, consisting mainly of fallen needles. Interestingly, the pulp has floral aromas.

Red truffle

This representative can be considered the most unusual in terms of aroma - it contains notes of coconut, and also gives a wine aftertaste. When cut, the flesh resembles boiled pork or smoked bacon. The sizes are small - no more than 5 cm, and is found only in Europe.

Red truffle mushroom

About the most expensive truffle in the world

This mushroom is also called Italian, since it is most often found in the north of this country. The color of the fruiting bodies, unlike most other representatives, is cream and white. Interestingly, this mushroom is the most expensive in the world. Its aroma is similar to shades of garlic and cheese, so dishes based on this mushroom are an exquisite delicacy for gourmets.

In Russian restaurants, prices are measured literally per gram and range from approximately 500 to 1000 rubles. Thus, a serving of this mushroom weighing 100 g will cost an average of 75,000 rubles. That is why they can only be eaten in elite restaurants, whose clients are most often businessmen.

Gallery: truffle mushrooms (42 photos)

Useful and medicinal properties of truffles

The mushroom pulp contains several useful components:

• vitamins B1 and B2;
• vitamins C and PP;
• antioxidants that block free radicals and thus prevent cell destruction.

Since antioxidants are also believed to block the aging processes of the skin and the body as a whole, some Italian factories have launched the production of a special line of cosmetics, including mainly creams and lotions that provide benefits to the skin. They maintain elasticity and refresh the appearance, and it is believed that even 5-7 drops are enough to cope with deep wrinkles.

Also in local folk medicine, it is believed that these mushrooms are aphrodisiacs (components that increase attraction to the opposite sex) and support potency in men. They are also used to treat the following diseases:

• gastritis and colitis;
• intestinal disorders;
• decreased immunity;
• oncological diseases;
• sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.

In local folk medicine, truffles are believed to be an aphrodisiac.

Interestingly, even pregnant and lactating women can eat truffles. The only exceptions are those cases when there is an individual intolerance to certain substances that cause an allergic reaction. Here are the most common types:

1. False truffle has red-brown or grayish tints, often strongly reminiscent of a small potato. It is very easy to distinguish by its unpleasant smell - true representatives smell only of pleasant food aromas.
2. Reindeer truffle, growing in Europe, USA and Canada. People should not take it, but hares and squirrels happily feed on the fruiting bodies.

Along with true representatives, there are mushrooms similar to truffles. All of them belong to other families and have only external resemblance to real representatives. There are both edible and conditionally edible species. You should not take them because most often they cause allergies and eating disorders.

How to properly cook truffle mushrooms

If you happen to purchase, or even more so collect, even a few truffles, you must certainly prepare them deliciously. Here are some simple and at the same time delicious recipes.

Turkey puree soup

You can prepare this soup with beef and even chicken, but it would be better with turkey. Take 300 g of meat (preferably wings or drumsticks) and boil until boiling, and then over low heat until cooked. The meat is taken out and cut. Fry celery and a small onion in melted butter in a frying pan, add salt, pepper and other spices to taste.

Add a finely crumbled baguette (preferably dried) to the broth and bring to a boil again (now along with finely chopped mushrooms), then pour in 20% cream (0.5 liters) and put back the turkey meat.

Turkey puree soup

Tagliatelli with truffle oil

This is an Italian delicacy, so you should buy Italian pasta in the store, as well as Italian peccary cheese or at least Parmesan cheese. Truffles are fried in olive oil over moderate heat, 2 minutes before they are ready, add a few finely chopped garlic cloves and 3-4 thyme leaves.

Boil the pasta exactly according to the instructions in a large saucepan with a volume exceeding the mass of the pasta at least 5 times. Add grated pecorino and mushrooms fried with butter, garlic and thyme to the hot pasta.

Rice with chicken and truffles

Chicken fillet (skinless and boneless) is boiled together with leeks and carrots until fully cooked. After cooking, the meat is cut into portions. Finely chopped truffles are boiled in the resulting broth with 2-3 tablespoons of butter. Rice is cooked separately.

And using the broth obtained after boiling the mushrooms, you can make bechamel sauce, which is also served with the dish. It is made quite simply: flour is fried in butter until brown, then broth is poured in, everything is thoroughly stirred and cooked for another 10 minutes until completely browned. Spices and herbs are added to taste.

ADVICE

If you keep some foods in these mushrooms, they will absorb their aroma and become very tasty. For example, truffle-scented rice is perfect for risotto.

Useful properties of truffle (video)

Growing truffles at home

These mushrooms are also unique in that they grow only in natural conditions. For example, numerous attempts to grow white (Italian) truffle on farms have failed. And there are great difficulties with growing black varieties, so farmers without experience should not take on this task without careful preparation.

It is possible to successfully grow mushrooms using special technologies, for example, Australian ones, which can be found in the relevant companies, but not for free. At the same time, you need to immediately realize that this business is very expensive, and you can get the first harvest no earlier than 6 years.

Thus, truffle is expensive, but it is a pleasure. And sometimes you can try your luck and look for this mushroom. Or at least try dishes based on it.

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