home » Spring » Where in Russia do real expensive truffles grow - the places where black and white truffles grow. Getting to know the truffle: types, characteristics and places of growth of the “golden” mushroom in Russia An excerpt characterizing the black truffle

Where in Russia do real expensive truffles grow - the places where black and white truffles grow. Getting to know the truffle: types, characteristics and places of growth of the “golden” mushroom in Russia An excerpt characterizing the black truffle

Truffle ( Tuber) is the most expensive mushroom in the world, a rare and tasty delicacy with unique taste and a strong specific aroma. The mushroom got its name due to the similarity of its fruiting body with potato tubers or cones (the Latin phrase terrae tuber corresponds to the concept of “earth cones”). The truffle mushroom belongs to the ascomycetes department, subdivision Pezizomycotina, class Peciaceae, order Peciaceae, family Truffleaceae, genus truffle.

Surprisingly, a pig can smell a truffle at a distance of 20-25 meters. Then she begins to zealously dig out the delicacy, so the main task of the mushroom picker is to distract the animal as soon as it “makes a stand” on the mushroom.

Pig looking for truffles

For dogs, the truffle itself is absolutely not interesting in terms of food, but these four-legged “sleuths” have to be trained for a long time in order to get them to smell the truffle.

By the way, a good mushroom picking dog today can cost more than 5,000 euros.

Dog looking for truffles

The unique culinary properties of truffles have long been known. They are suitable for preparing pates, sauces and pies fillings, and as an addition to poultry and seafood dishes. Sometimes they can be served as a separate dish. Truffles can be prepared for future use by freezing or canning in high-quality cognac.

Truffle contains vegetable proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins B, PP and C, various minerals, antioxidants, pheromones that help improve a person’s emotional state and a large amount of fiber. Truffle juice is good for some eye diseases, and the mushroom pulp brings relief to people suffering from gout. There are no special contraindications for eating these mushrooms; the main condition is the freshness of the mushroom and the absence of allergic reactions to penicillin in humans.

It is believed that ripe truffles contain anandamide, a substance that affects the human nervous system in the same way as marijuana.
Truffle hunting is carried out at night because in the cool air, search dogs or pigs better capture the aroma of mushrooms.
Previously, in Italy, the search and collection of truffles was carried out by specially trained pigs. However, due to the fact that they not only greatly destroy the top soil layer, but also strive to eat their prey, they were replaced by dogs.
In Russia, before the 1917 revolution, bears whose teeth had first been removed were used to search for truffles.
Truffle is considered a strong aphrodisiac.

The fruiting bodies of which develop underground. Gourmets are willing to pay incredible amounts of money just to experience their exquisite taste and aroma. The price per kilogram of real black truffles reaches a thousand dollars or more. And the demand for these products in expensive restaurants is not decreasing.

Fruiting bodies that ripen in the soil form mycorrhizae with the root system of oak or other deciduous trees. The black truffle (photo above) usually has an irregular or spindle shape, reaching from 3 to 9 cm in diameter. The surface is dark (reddish-brown), black when ripe, and turns rusty when pressed. When cut, the pulp clearly shows a marbled texture on a gray or pinkish background.

Since in the natural environment the depth at which fruiting bodies develop can be up to half a meter, the search for black truffles was previously carried out with the help of trained pigs. The specific smell of mushrooms attracts animals from tens of meters away, and they clearly indicate the place to their owners, trying to dig them out. Truffles are served in restaurants raw (as a seasoning) or cooked. The taste of “black diamond” is piquant with a characteristic aroma and a barely pronounced bitterness.

Characteristics

Black truffles are believed to evoke sensual associations and specific desires. The aroma of real mushrooms resembles a bouquet of smells in which walnuts, moss, berries, and fallen leaves on forest soil can be discerned. Although truffle is no different in chemical composition, gourmets in expensive restaurants order the delicacy as a gourmet seasoning or as an addition to the main dish.

The quality of the product does not depend on the proportions of the mushroom. Although restaurants prefer sizes no larger than an orange. It is convenient to cut such a mushroom into thin slices so that you can appreciate the original appearance and the marble texture clearly appears on the cut. The largest specimen of black truffle (2.5 kg) was found in 1951.

Similar species

Experts distinguish more than 40 varieties of truffles. They are divided into genera, distinguishing among them groups depending on the region: Italian (Piedmontese), Perigord, Oregon, Chinese, Black Russian, Himalayan, Central Asian. Depending on the ripening season, summer and winter subspecies are distinguished. Traditionally, black truffles are considered real.

The differences are evident in appearance. The characteristic black coloration with a warty surface can change to almost smooth and creamy and even almost white. The marble texture on the cut also varies. Contrasting dark with bright white veins is appreciated. Although a “white Piedmontese” truffle with an inexpressive faded pattern, as a rarer one, can cost even more. The taste of real black truffles is bright and rich. Winter varieties have a richer musky aroma.

Growing environment

You need to look for black truffles in deciduous forests. They prefer light, porous, calcareous soil. It is extremely difficult to determine the location of possible mushroom growth in advance. Many factors influence: groundwater level, abundance of precipitation, age of trees, composition of associated vegetation, climatic features of the region and a specific site.

Black truffles are little known to mushroom pickers in Russia. The specifics of their search impose additional conventions. If anyone accidentally saw a similar mushroom that miraculously made its way to the surface and was not found by wild animals in time, then not everyone is ready to recognize it as a representative of the truffle family.

The collection season depends on the species. Winter truffles ripen from October. In areas with a warm climate, the season begins in the first days of the new year and lasts until March. You can look for summer truffles until late autumn. Historical places of growth - France, Italy, Spain. But similar species can be found throughout the European continent. In Russia, due to the climate and deep freezing of the soil, only the summer variety of truffles grows.

Search Features

Collecting black truffles using trained pigs is not always convenient. They have an innate sense of smell, but it is difficult to train them. In addition, they get tired quickly. When a find is discovered, they try to dig up the mushroom as quickly as possible, damaging the soil.

A dog trained to smell truffles is more beneficial in this regard. But it takes time and practice to train a good bloodhound. The learning process follows a standard pattern. From puppyhood, food with the smell of truffles is added to food. It is prepared using mushroom decoctions. They rub various objects with them, hide them, and then offer to find the hiding place. Later the bookmark is buried in the ground. At the same time, they are accustomed to the area where the collection is planned.

According to experts, you can also find the place where truffles grow by the presence of swarming midges. Red flies prefer places where truffles grow to lay eggs. From them, larvae hatch in the soil, penetrate into the fruiting body of the fungus and feed on it until ripening. Truffle sites can also be identified by abundantly dug up soil. Wild pigs, moose and other animals are also not averse to enjoying the delicacy.

Artificial cultivation

The complexity of this process is due to the way the spores spread. Mushrooms ripen underground, and therefore the species has adapted to survive in special conditions. Mushrooms with spores are eaten by wild animals, pass through the digestive tract and return to the soil with secretions. If conditions are suitable, they germinate and form mycorrhizae with the root system of deciduous trees. After some time, truffle fruiting bodies grow from the developed mycelium.

There have been successful attempts to grow mushrooms on artificial plantations. Acorns from oak trees at the base of which truffles were found were collected and planted in prepared soil. After 6-7 years, threads of mycelium were found among the roots of some young oak trees. After some time, the fruiting bodies of the mushrooms appeared. Currently, black truffles are cultivated in different countries. Large volumes of high-quality products are supplied from China. The Australian growing system has also proven itself well.

Black truffles among tomatoes

This variety of tomatoes is not widespread among gardeners and summer residents. But thanks to the exotic appearance of the fruit, buyers are increasingly asking for it. There is debate about the origin of the variety. Some claim that the tomato was bred by Russian selection. However, they are usually referred to as the “Japanese truffle” variety. Black is also present in the color scheme of the fruit. What is special about these tomatoes? Did breeders develop this variety just for its exotic color?

Such tomatoes are classified as mid-season varieties. From the appearance of the first shoots to fruiting, an average of 115 days pass. With proper care, the bush forms up to 1.5-2 meters in height and requires obligatory tying in tassels. There are usually 5-6 groups of them formed on the stem, and 3-4 clusters have time to mature. Unripe tomatoes are collected and set aside for ripening. They can reach condition by the beginning of winter if they were collected in October. The average weight of tomatoes is about 100-150 grams. You can collect up to 4 kg from one bush. The pulp of the fruit is dense, there are few seeds. Tomatoes taste sweetish, with barely noticeable sourness. The peel color is shiny. Longitudinal grooves are visible from the sides.

Black truffle tomato: reviews

The advantages of the variety include the ability to withstand temperature changes and short-term drops in temperature. The fruits ripen before the first autumn frosts. Unripe tomatoes can be stored at normal temperatures for 3-4 months. The high resistance of “truffles” to fungal infections is also noted.

Ripe fruits are well suited for canning. They look original in a jar. A salad of fresh tomatoes looks the same, where among the standard red and yellow shades there are pieces of rich dark brown with a purple tint (eggplant). There are several types of the Japanese truffle tomato variety. The most original is the “black truffle” tomato.

The description of the remaining subspecies differs in the color scheme of the fruits. In addition to the traditional red shade, pink and yellow are also distinguished. The fruits of all colors have a characteristic pear-shaped shape. The skin of the fruit and the pulp are dense, the variety withstands transportation well. Tomatoes of different colors differ in taste. The yellow varieties are considered the sweetest. They can be compared to fruits, but “black truffles” have a unique (noble) taste.

The Périgord truffle, or Tuber melanosporum, is considered a real masterpiece of nature. Definitions such as black diamonds or “capricious prince”, with which the French habitually award him, with all their colorfulness and emotionality, do not give a true idea of the very subject of national pride. Meanwhile, it's time to do it. Truffle hunting season is in full swing.

Aristocrats of the mushroom kingdom

No one has seen how they grow. Even those who collect them from generation to generation. Because the entire life of a truffle passes underground and is completely dependent on trees or shrubs, the roots of which become the real feeders of these mushrooms, sharing carbohydrate reserves with them. True, it would be unfair to call truffles parasites. The web of threads of the fungal mycelium, enveloping the roots of the host plant, helps it obtain additional moisture and, in addition, protects it from all kinds of microbial diseases, such as late blight.

The mycelium, the main part of the fungal organism, lives long if no one destroys it, and periodically forms fruiting bodies containing spores necessary for further reproduction. With ordinary mushrooms everything is simple. Wind and water take care of their distribution. But the continuation of the underground truffle genus depends on whether they are found, dug up and eaten by animals, so that the spores, having passed through the intestines of forest gourmets and falling to the ground, can germinate in a new place. To attract the attention of eaters, truffles have one and only bait - their aroma, which has developed in the process of evolution to unimaginable limits. True, not all truffles smell appetizing. Most of them exude a stench similar to the smell of tar, rotten herring or rotting onions. And only a few varieties of underground mushrooms, among which the black Périgord truffle takes pride of place, cause increased formation of gastric juice in humans.

The main conditions for the growth of truffles are the warm climate of the temperate zone and mixed forest. These conditions correspond to central Russia, Crimea, many places in Spain, Portugal, southern Germany, Croatia, France and Italy. Actually, they are found in all of the listed areas. They are also found on the Pacific coast of the United States, in the forests of California, in Australia and North Africa - Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia.

There are two rulers in the truffle kingdom. The first is the white Italian truffle, a specialty of the Piedmont region that is extremely rare. Any Italian will say that he is better than others. And he will be both right and wrong at the same time. Its aroma is so subtle and varied that a volume of a cookbook could be dedicated to it alone.

The second is his eternal rival - the black Perigord. If you compare them, although this is not entirely correct, and you still can’t get away from such a comparison, the white Piedmontese gives a bright, almost non-negotiable composition of smells, associated with the concept of “Dolce Vita” stronger than the Gucci brand and a motor scooter.” Vespa", while the Perigorian is a reason for thought. Combinations of various products with white truffles are always spectacular, like fireworks, while with black truffles some of them may seem unforgettable, others monstrous, and others - ordinary. Thanks to the versatility of the black truffle, it tastes equally good with both veal and chocolate.

Mushroom hunters

The main animals in truffle hunting are dogs and pigs. And also... flies. Truffle flies are not a species name. Each country has its own. But what they have in common is their love for truffles. They flock to the smell and lay eggs in the soil nearby. The larvae emerge from the eggs, make their way to the nearest fruiting body, bite into it and eat until they pupate. Soon hundreds of flies hatch from the pupae at the same time. Their swarming in sunny weather makes it easy to find truffles: the swarm forms a column in the air, pointing directly to the native nest. As a rule, only one mushroom in a nest is affected, and the rest are intact. The advantage of such a search is minimal costs. The downside is that there are too many competitors with much more effective assistants - pigs and. Therefore, “fly hunting” is widely used only in the Middle East. In France they save it for tourists. Pigs, like flies, do not need to be baited into truffles; they can smell prey 20 meters away, run and dig it up to feast on it - just hold it. Therefore, search pigs are led on a leash, and immediately after the pig “makes a stand”, they reward it with something tasty, for example, sweet corn or beans, in order to distract it from the mushroom delicacy. Pigs have another drawback: in addition to being gluttonous, they quickly get tired, especially if the nests are scattered far from each other.

Therefore, the most common type of truffle hunting is with a dog. The breed does not matter; both mongrels and purebred dogs are trained. Shepherds and small dogs such as poodles, dachshunds and even toy terriers work equally well. Puppies are trained from 2-3 months of age. First, to achieve the effect of remembering the smell, truffle infusion is added to the milk. Then they teach you to bring aport grated with fresh mushrooms. Then the task is made more difficult by burying it in the ground. The most important stage of training a young “truffle” dog is “walking” along the route developed by the trainers through mushroom places. These classes are carried out at dawn, with high humidity, a temperature of 10-15°C and a constant moderate wind. The direction of movement is maintained so that the dog always walks against the wind. Training such a dog is a painstaking and expensive task, and therefore its cost is at least 5 thousand euros. However, real Tartufayo mushroom pickers do not skimp. In a year or two, the dog will more than cover all the costs of its acquisition and will begin to generate income for the owner. With the development of agro-gastronomic tourism, some truffle dogs have to serve as guides or mass entertainers. For example, serving excursions through the truffle forest with strangers. But they can handle it too.

Property of the Republic

Périgord black truffle is very expensive. It is not easy to find it even in its usual habitats. Since the 60s of the last century, for example, nothing has been heard about truffles from Charente. As experts say, black truffles are going through dark times.

One can only be surprised by the figures of the old statistics. Just over a hundred years ago, France produced 1,320 tons of black truffle annually. But in the 1999/2000 season, which was recognized as a fruitful year, the total sales did not exceed 30 tons!

The reasons for this decline are various. Some experts point to the consequences of the First World War, when truffle mining was almost the only source of income, and thousands of people who had previously had nothing to do with the “black diamond” began to feverishly and illiterately rummage in the ground, reducing any possibility of regeneration to almost zero . Others blame the reduction in areas of oak and beech forests and environmental pollution. Apparently both are right.

And therefore the prices for truffles, which have already become a kind of curiosity, are prohibitively high. Although mushroom pickers themselves help keep prices at a certain level. They make sure that the harvest is not too large and the price of truffles does not fall. The collection must balance on the verge of shortage in order to cause a rush of demand among buyers who are ready to pay from 400 to 1,000 or more euros for one kilogram of truffles.

The forests most generous with truffles are in Périgord and Quercy, which today cannot be found on the political map of France. But there are the departments of Dordogne and Lot. This is where the famous black truffles grow. Absolutely everyone knows about this: both the French and visitors. However, local residents will never confirm this. Because the location of truffles is a great mystery. It’s customary in these places not to tell the whole truth about truffles.

Hereditary truffle hunters treat all visitors, without exception, as intruders who only think about how to steal treasured treasures and send them around the world.

And yet, it is through the efforts of visiting enthusiasts that the Périgord truffle finds some kind of future. One of these associates is Hugues Martin. He came to the Dordogne at the age of 15 and since then has been involved in truffles, the cultivation of which has become his life's work. At first he worked as a forester in various local nurseries. Then, in 1996, he bought a truffle farm. And in 2001, he was appointed commissioner for the quality of the truffle market of the city of Saint-Alver (Gironde department in southwestern France). This position in its powers can be compared in these parts only with the position of mayor. And the fact that a stranger received this position speaks volumes.

Farms are the last hope of the Dordogne. There have been attempts to “domesticate” truffles for a long time. As a matter of fact, the “golden age” of the truffle, which occurred at the end of the 19th century, was precisely the result of such agrotechnical experiments, when oak trees were planted instead of vineyards affected by the phylloxera epidemic, and acorns were sown mixed with soil taken from areas rich in truffles. And since the 60s of the last century, such farms began to appear here again. This is one of the slowest branches of agriculture. The first harvest can be expected in 15 years. Moreover, there is no guarantee that it will appear. Truffle is a capricious mushroom. They say that it only goes into the hands of those who respect it. And if this is so, then Yugo Martin should definitely be lucky.

What do these treasures of nature look like? All of them, not excluding the black one, are very ugly. Their fruit bodies are round and at the same time slightly angular, with large warts, and have a black or reddish-brown color. The pulp is reddish, turns black towards maturity, and is riddled with white veins. The black Périgord truffle ripens in the fall. The hunting season for it runs from November to March. The best mushrooms are those whose size is close to a large apple. They are very rare, making up only 1% of the total collection and belong to the super extra category. Mushrooms the size of a walnut belong to extra grade and make up 10%; even smaller ones, about the size of a cherry, are first choice. They make up 30% of the collection. Most of the “catch” are very small truffles, which are only suitable for making sauces or gravies.

It must be said that in addition to the real Périgord truffle Tuber melanosporum, the winter truffle Tuber brumale, also called “black truffle,” is often on sale. It grows in the same places as true black, but is found somewhat more often. However, suppliers who care about their reputation (and in this sector of the economy almost everyone cares about reputation) will definitely inform you what exactly you are buying in this case. Here the price is different.

The main place where citizens can buy truffles is the “House of Truffles”, located on the Place de la Madeleine in Paris, where fresh truffles that have been specially selected and sorted by variety are sold from November to March. Moreover, prices for goods vary from astronomical to quite acceptable, although they can be called such very conditionally. It’s better not to think about the price of such a purchase in advance, so as not to be nervous.

Trufflemania

There is little point in talking about the taste of a truffle, because it is unlikely that you will ever have the opportunity to bite into a whole mushroom. And no one does that. Unless you find yourself somewhere in Algeria or Iraq, and during the season of collecting local truffles, where you can try them baked in ash. However, the smell of Middle Eastern and desert types of truffles is unstable and completely disappears during heat treatment. But it was with them that it all began. It is difficult to say exactly when the ancient Romans began to massively purchase truffles in the Middle East and Africa. In any case, after the conquest of Egypt, it was from there that the ability to cook truffles came to Rome. Then, even more than now, truffles were an attribute of crazy luxury and were bought for the price of gold. And the accessories for their preparation corresponded to the valuable product. Golden fryers, prescribed by ancient chefs for preparing truffles, are not used today by even the most successful restaurateur. Seasonings and spices were also added, expensive ones, though they were common for that time - salt, various herbs and always cumin (this spice is now known in Russia and the CIS under the name "cumin" and serves as an indispensable component of pilaf). No information has been preserved about the weight ratios of truffles and added seasonings, since the custom of writing down recipes appeared only in the 19th century. In any case, there was most likely nothing left of the aroma of the desert truffle, which was not very intense by nature, and had weakened during transportation. Besides the memory that in Egypt these mushrooms were extremely tasty and aromatic. The second and final discovery of the truffle occurred in the 15th century. It was then that the Italians discovered that delicacies were growing right under their feet. Do not forget that Italian cuisine at that time was much poorer than it is now. Therefore, the truffle they “discovered” instantly turned into an object of cult. And when Italian chefs went to work abroad, they immediately began looking for the iconic mushroom upon arrival. And they found it. First - in France. Then - in Russia.

In 1533, Florentine Catherine de' Medici married the future king of France. Arriving in France, the young princess almost withered away, because she was completely unable to eat the local, hard-to-digest food. Therefore, after the Medici, a landing party of cooks arrived from Florence. Thus began the history of classic French cuisine, in which truffles took their rightful place. For the sake of fairness, it must be said that truffles were collected in France even before the advent of Florence - in Provence, the foothills of the Provencal Alps, Aquitaine and Charente, but they were not able to unravel the secret of their unique taste and were added to food to increase its volume. There was also a truffle fishery in Russia. Now it’s hard to believe, but the Moscow province was its center for two centuries. Production volumes amounted to hundreds, and in other years - more than a thousand poods. It is not known exactly when it all started, but in the 18th century, dozens of villages fed on truffles. The highest rise in fishing coincided with the return of Russian troops from Paris in 1813. In the north, it flourished in the vicinity of Fryanovo, not far from Fryazino and Fryazevo - villages inhabited by Italians who came to Russia under Peter I and who settled here. Near Podolsk, many truffles were mined in the vicinity of Dubrovitsy, where at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century, Italian craftsmen spent 14 years building the Church of the Mother of God of the Sign. The explanation of who inspired the local men to extract the mushroom from the ground suggests itself. Near Dmitrov, truffle mining acquired strange, but distinctly Russian features - bears began to be used for searching. They were specially prepared, first of all, their teeth were pulled out. This practice was not widespread, since it was difficult to drive the bear away from the found prey.

A few grams of pleasure

Despite the youth of the domestic truffle market (the latest Russian truffle history goes back some 10-15 years), there are many places where you can taste or buy amazing mushrooms - these are elite restaurants, gourmet food stores or expensive gastronomic boutiques. They are found here all year round. More valuable (in the absence of the most expensive - Perigord) and, accordingly, more expensive is the winter one, mined from the end of September to March. The timing of its growth is considered to be truffle season. The summer variety is less popular, replacing its relative in the off-season (from spring to autumn). The path of a mushroom from its place of growth to the Russian consumer looks something like this. “Expensive perishable goods are purchased, as a rule, to order (for a specific establishment or chef) from suppliers - owners of truffle farms and relevant licenses - in batches calculated in grams (30 g, 50 g, 100 g),” says Evgeniy Zapolsky, Chef of the mushroom restaurant Portofino. Truffles are imported in the form of whole tubers, pieces, juice, skin, cream, oil and sauce. In addition, canned truffles are also available - whole and crushed. It must be said that the import of truffles into our country began precisely with canned food intended for inexpensive Western restaurants. However, today their purchases have decreased significantly. Preference is given to fresh mushrooms, which are delivered weekly in small batches to Russia by air in dark and cold (0 to +4°C) containers.

Truffle tubers are delivered unpeeled and unwashed; in the restaurant they are subjected to dry processing, carefully sweeping away the sand with a brush, and placed in the refrigerator, where they are stored at a temperature of +2-3°C for 2-3 days in a sealed container, wrapped in a paper napkin or sprinkled rice The disadvantage of the second method is that, along with the moisture that is destructive for the fungus, the grains no less intensively absorb the aroma - the main advantage of the truffle. There are other, less gentle ways to store delicate goods for a long time: “Truffles are washed, cleaned and placed in a jar, for example, with olive oil, which is subsequently used to prepare sauces,” says Roman Rozhnikovsky, co-owner of the Nostalgie restaurant. “Truffles can be stored.” in alcohol or cognac. However, true connoisseurs of truffles still prefer raw mushrooms. And if they are cooked, then in order for the black truffle not to lose its taste and aroma, it is placed in the oven for only 5 minutes, after having been wrapped in foil. By the way, in "All ancient recipes for preparing truffle dishes follow the same principle of minimal heat treatment. Baking or frying truffles is the same as making black caviar paste."

Due to the pronounced qualities of the product - rich taste and long aftertaste - truffles are used exclusively as an additive to the main dish. The mushroom is cut as thin as possible or, as experts say, shaved immediately before serving with a special spatula. Then it is laid out on a warm dish, and it immediately begins to exude a strong aroma.

In restaurants you can order fresh truffles as an addition to any dish. Using miniature scales, the waiter weighs the mushroom in front of the client, cuts the required amount and weighs it again. The average price in Moscow restaurants is 5 USD. e. for 1 gram of black truffle.

“The amount of truffle added to a dish according to a client’s order depends mainly on the customer’s wallet. The average order is 5 g per dish, rarely exceeding 8-10 g,” says E. Zapolsky. However, all these grams ultimately add up to quite impressive figures: a fashionable restaurant consumes approximately 5-10 kg of truffles per year. What dishes can be decorated with truffles? Have many generations of truffle gourmets been able to deduce the laws of its compatibility with other products or does compatibility depend on the chef’s imagination? At first glance, the variety of truffle dishes of national French cuisine does not allow us to trace any unifying principle. “Generally speaking, truffle goes with everything,” E. Zapolsky is convinced. “However, being a product with a characteristic taste and smell that determines the taste of the dish as a whole, it still wins in dishes of “passive taste”, prepared from products that do not have their own pronounced taste."

So, according to the French, all recipes with truffles should be prepared on the basis of eggs (omelettes, scrambled eggs, soufflés with truffles). Truffles also accompany poultry dishes, served with lobster, and used in sauces. The truffle menu at the Nostalgie restaurant includes lobster salad with vegetables from Nice and black truffle sauce. For those who like to indulge in gluttony “according to the rules,” here is one more piece of advice on the principles of pairing truffle dishes with wines. When choosing wine, it is advisable to be guided by the principle of proximity in taste or, conversely, by the principle of contrast. For white wines, “Burgundy Grand Cru” and “Meursault” are suitable for truffles; for red wines – “Cahors”, “Bordeaux”.

For those who are ready for gastronomic adventures, there are no restrictions on the use of truffles. Any, most unexpected combinations are possible, which, however, can only be appreciated by creatively minded and free-thinking experimental gourmets: “We had on the menu a dessert reminiscent of tiramisu, but with the aroma of truffle. I was delighted, but the guests were not,” - recalls R. Rozhnikovsky.

In fact, not everyone is able to experience gastronomic delight over truffles. What is the reason for the centuries-old hype around this unsightly mushroom? Each truffle expert has his own answer to this question. R. Rozhnikovsky’s version of the truffle’s appeal seems to explain the feeling of many: “Truffle is not food, but a catalyst for pleasure.”

Tuberaceae). The name comes from the historical region of Périgord in France.

Description

The strong smell of the mushroom attracts wild pigs, who dig up the fruiting bodies and help spread the spores. Red fly larvae develop in truffles; adult insects often swarm above the ground; this can be used to search for fruiting bodies.

Season: November to March, usually collected in the first months of the year.

Mushrooms are traditionally collected with the help of trained pigs, but since these animals destroy forest soil, dogs began to be trained for this purpose.

Similar species

Summer truffle ( Tuber aestivum) has lighter flesh and is not as flavorful.
Winter truffle ( Tuber brumale) is found in more northern regions.
Tuber macrosporum has an almost smooth surface.

Nutritional quality

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Literature

Mushrooms: Directory / Transl. from Italian F. Dvin. - M.: “Astrel”, “AST”, 2001. - P. 281. - ISBN 5-17-009961-4.
Grunert G. Mushrooms / trans. with him. - M.: “Astrel”, “AST”, 2001. - P. 276. - (Guide to nature). - ISBN 5-17-006175-7.
Lesso T. Mushrooms, key / trans. from English L. V. Garibova, S. N. Lekomtseva. - M.: “Astrel”, “AST”, 2003. - P. 258. - ISBN 5-17-020333-0.
Udu J. Mushrooms. Encyclopedia = Le grand livre des Champignons / trans. from fr. - M.: “Astrel”, “AST”, 2003. - P. 171. - ISBN 5-271-05827-1.

Notes

An excerpt characterizing the Black Truffle

“Look for books, books,” said another man, who was taking out Prince Andrei’s library cabinets. - Don't cling! It's heavy, guys, the books are great!
- Yes, they wrote, they didn’t walk! – the tall, round-faced man said with a significant wink, pointing to the thick lexicons lying on top.

Rostov, not wanting to impose his acquaintance on the princess, did not go to her, but remained in the village, waiting for her to leave. Having waited for Princess Marya's carriages to leave the house, Rostov sat on horseback and accompanied her on horseback to the path occupied by our troops, twelve miles from Bogucharov. In Yankov, at the inn, he said goodbye to her respectfully, allowing himself to kiss her hand for the first time.
“Aren’t you ashamed,” he answered Princess Marya, blushing, to the expression of gratitude for her salvation (as she called his action), “every police officer would have done the same.” If only we had to fight with the peasants, we would not have allowed the enemy so far away,” he said, ashamed of something and trying to change the conversation. “I’m only happy that I had the opportunity to meet you.” Farewell, princess, I wish you happiness and consolation and wish to meet you under happier conditions. If you don't want to make me blush, please don't thank me.
But the princess, if she did not thank him in more words, thanked him with the whole expression of her face, beaming with gratitude and tenderness. She couldn't believe him, that she had nothing to thank him for. On the contrary, what was certain for her was that if he had not existed, she would probably have died from both the rebels and the French; that, in order to save her, he exposed himself to the most obvious and terrible dangers; and what was even more certain was that he was a man with a high and noble soul, who knew how to understand her situation and grief. His kind and honest eyes with tears appearing on them, while she herself, crying, talked to him about her loss, did not leave her imagination.
When she said goodbye to him and was left alone, Princess Marya suddenly felt tears in her eyes, and here, not for the first time, she was presented with a strange question: does she love him?
On the way further to Moscow, despite the fact that the princess’s situation was not happy, Dunyasha, who was riding with her in the carriage, more than once noticed that the princess, leaning out of the carriage window, was smiling joyfully and sadly at something.
“Well, what if I loved him? - thought Princess Marya.
Ashamed as she was to admit to herself that she was the first to love a man who, perhaps, would never love her, she consoled herself with the thought that no one would ever know this and that it would not be her fault if she remained without anyone for the rest of her life. speaking of loving the one she loved for the first and last time.
Sometimes she remembered his views, his participation, his words, and it seemed to her that happiness was not impossible. And then Dunyasha noticed that she was smiling and looking out the carriage window.
“And he had to come to Bogucharovo, and at that very moment! - thought Princess Marya. “And his sister should have refused Prince Andrei!” “And in all this, Princess Marya saw the will of Providence.
The impression made on Rostov by Princess Marya was very pleasant. When he remembered about her, he became cheerful, and when his comrades, having learned about his adventure in Bogucharovo, joked to him that, having gone for hay, he picked up one of the richest brides in Russia, Rostov became angry. He was angry precisely because the thought of marrying the meek Princess Marya, who was pleasant to him and with a huge fortune, came into his head more than once against his will. For himself personally, Nikolai could not wish for a better wife than Princess Marya: marrying her would make the countess - his mother - happy, and would improve his father’s affairs; and even - Nikolai felt it - would have made Princess Marya happy. But Sonya? And this word? And this is why Rostov got angry when they joked about Princess Bolkonskaya.

Taxonomy:

Department: Ascomycota (Ascomycetes)
Subdivision: Pezizomycotina (Pezizomycotina)
Class: Pezizomycetes
Subclass: Pezizomycetidae (Pezizomycetes)
Order: Pezizales
Family: Tuberaceae (Truffles)
Genus: Tuber (Truffle)
View: Tuber melanosporum (Black truffle)

Other names:

French black truffle
Truffle Perigord(originates from the historical region of Périgord in France)
Real black French truffle

, (lat. or Tuber nigrum) - a mushroom of the genus Truffle (lat. Tuber) of the Truffle family (lat. Tuberaceae).

There are about thirty varieties of truffles, only eight of which are culinaryly interesting. Considered the most exquisite Perigord black truffle Tuber melanosporum. Despite the direct indication of the place of residence in the name, this species is common not only in Périgord, but also in the southeastern part of France, as well as Italy and Spain. For a long time it was believed that truffles were nothing more than growths on the roots of trees, but in fact they are fungi of the class of marsupials, which have two characteristic features. Firstly, the truffle grows underground at a depth of 5-30 centimeters, which makes it quite difficult to find. And secondly, this mushroom can live only in poor calcareous soil and exclusively in alliance with trees, and in choosing a “life partner” the truffle is extremely picky and prefers to cooperate mainly with oak and hazel. The plant provides the mushroom with the necessary nutrients, and the mycelium literally envelops the roots of the tree and thereby improves their ability to absorb mineral salts and water, and also protects against various diseases. At the same time, all other vegetation around the tree dies, a so-called “witch’s circle” is formed, which indicates that the territory belongs to mushrooms.

The black truffle is a dark, almost black tuber; its meat is light at first, then darkens (to a purple-black color with white streaks).

The fruiting body is underground, tuberous, round or irregular in shape, 3-9 cm in diameter. The surface is reddish-brown, later to charcoal black, when pressed it turns rusty. Covered with numerous small irregularities with 4-6 edges.

The pulp is hard, initially light, gray or pinkish-brown with a white or reddish marble pattern on the cut, darkens with age from spores and becomes dark brown to black-violet, the veins in it remain. It has a very strong characteristic aroma and a pleasant taste with a bitter tint.

Spore powder is dark brown, spores are 35×25 µm, spindle-shaped or oval, curved.

Mycorrhiza forms with oak, less often with other deciduous trees. It grows in deciduous forests with calcareous soil at a depth of several centimeters to half a meter. Most common in France, central Italy and Spain. In France, finds of black truffle are known in all regions, but the main places of growth are in the south-west of the country (the departments of Dordogne, Lot, Gironde), another place of growth is in the south-eastern department of Vaucluse.

Cultivated in China.

The strong smell of black truffles attracts wild pigs, who dig up the fruiting bodies and spread the spores. Red fly larvae develop in truffles; adult insects often swarm above the ground; this can be used to search for fruiting bodies.

Black truffles are traditionally collected with the help of trained pigs, but since these animals destroy forest soil, dogs have also been trained for this purpose.

For gourmets, the strong aroma of these mushrooms is of major value. Some note forest dampness and a slight trace of alcohol in the smell of black truffles, others note a hint of chocolate.

Black truffles are easier to find - their mycelium destroys most of the vegetation around them. Therefore, it is easier to detect the place where black truffles grow based on a combination of signs.

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