Truffle is the main representative of the genus of marsupial mushrooms. Its fruiting body is a dense, fleshy tuber. The most striking feature of this mycorrhizal fungus is that it grows underground. Only edible types are considered real truffles and they are considered to be the most expensive delicacies. Black truffle, winter truffle, and Italian truffle are the most valuable truffles. But are they worth the money? Let’s find out.
Are truffles worth the money? Truffles are beneficial to health as they contain a lot of vitamins B1, B2, PP, and C. Truffles are good antioxidants and they do not have any limitations on who can eat them. Truffles are also used in the production of elite cosmetics since a truffle extract can prevent deep wrinkles, lift your skin, and get rid of age spots.
Are truffles addictive? Some may say that truffles are addictive since they contain many beneficial elements such as antioxidants, vegetable proteins, pheromones, vitamins, alimentary fiber. Mauro Maccarone of the University of Rome, Campus Bio-Medico, found that truffles contain anandamide, a substance that affects the nervous system like marijuana.
Why Are Truffles So Valuable?
Why are truffles so valuable? Edible truffles are valuable delicacies because they are getting harder to find. Truffles grow in clean clay soil, and more territory is becoming poisoned by pesticides, industrial waste, and other waste products. More and more poachers are hunting for truffles making them extremely rare and hence valuable.
Truffle is undoubtedly a rare mushroom. There are more than 40 types of truffles in nature. They are, of course, edible, but only five or six are highly gastronomic and valuable, for example, brumal, or the white truffle from Alba.
Truffle grows almost anywhere where there are suitable soil, a sufficiently high temperature, and the right neighborhood. Cold below ten degrees is unacceptable: the mushroom will simply freeze. And truffles will grow only on the roots of several types of wood: oak, birch, hazel, beech.
In France, there have already been cases of injury and even murder of illegal hunters for a fragrant delicacy. Its price (from 700 euros per 1 kg) is such that many people are ready to risk their own lives. The excitement is fueled by a growing number of expensive restaurants, where the truffle is regarded as a must-have.
Truffles have a strong mushroom flavor that mixes with the light aroma of well-roasted sunflower seeds or even walnuts. Their smell and taste are very strong. Therefore, truffles are an ingredient for a wide variety of dishes, mostly expensive and exotic.
Truffle is valuable exclusively for its aroma, which is very difficult to describe. It is similar to saffron, as it not only adds its aroma to the dish but also combines the components. Truffles do not withstand heat treatment well, so usually, the mushroom is simply crumbled on top of the finished dish. If it is hot, the truffle immediately begins to give off aroma and if it is cold, it begins to smell, warming up to room temperature.
Truffle Taste
Do truffles actually taste good? Edible mushrooms actually taste very good. They have a mushroom flavor with deep roasted seeds or walnuts and a strong characteristic aroma. If the truffle is kept in water, it will taste like soy sauce. If you want to preserve the taste of the truffle, you should try a raw truffle. Many people who have tasted the truffle note that it has a strong odor reminiscent of algae.
Truffles are harvested at night due to the enhancement of their aromatic properties in cool air. Dogs and pigs are used when searching for truffles, which can easily catch the elite smell of mushrooms.
Truffle is a low-calorie product and if not for its exclusivity, it could become the basis of a fasting diet for many people who are losing weight. Its calorie content per 100 g is 24 kcal.
What Does Truffle Go Well With?
What does truffle go well with? Truffle goes well with such simple dishes as fried or baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, pasta, risotto. Truffle can be added to carpaccio, grated on an omelet or scrambled eggs, or put on foie gras. A more sophisticated way to use it is truffle and mushroom ravioli or truffle cheese and cheese. In other words, truffles open up a wide field for experimentation.
What is so special about truffles? Edible truffles are a precious delicacy. They have a strong mushroom flavor that mixes with the light aroma of well-roasted sunflower seeds or even walnuts. Their smell and taste are very strong. Therefore, truffles are an ingredient for a wide variety of dishes, mostly expensive and exotic.
Truffle is suitable for pickling. First, the truffles are thoroughly washed and then boiled for 15 minutes in wine (most often white). Then the wine is drained, and the mushrooms get rid of excess moisture. At the final stage, they are poured with Provencal olive oil of the highest grade.
Truffles in champagne are a world-famous dish. You will need at least six medium-sized mushrooms, chop them finely, and put in a small saucepan, alternating with pieces of fresh bacon. All this must be poured with a fat broth prepared without any additives in the form of spices or roots. When the contents of the saucepan boil, you can pour in a glass of champagne and then cook for another half hour on the lowest heat.
Truffles are so rare and expensive that many people try to serve them as an independent dish, and not as part of any other dish. In this case, it is customary to serve a variety of sauces that will set off and emphasize the taste of truffles. The most popular options are cream and wine sauces.
However, the restaurant menu often contains sauces made from the truffles themselves. For example, such a delicious filling can be prepared from wine, broth, mushrooms, and a decoction of these mushrooms. A similar sauce is good for stuffed meatballs, poultry, fillets, and pates.
Truffles are also used in meat dishes, and added to seafood, vegetables, and eggs. These mushrooms go well with fresh fruits such as apricots or apples. Truffles are used to make an exquisite filling for pies. They go well with cheese and veal, ham, and olives. Many exotic dishes, including snails and black caviar, are decorated with thin slices of truffles.
Why are truffles so rare? Truffles grow only in “clean” clay soil. Now a lot of territories are contaminated with pesticides and industrial waste, making it impossible for truffles to grow. That is why truffles are so rare. Today, between 30 and 50 tons of truffles are harvested around the world — this is only 3% of the amount that was available to people before 1914.
Until the First World War, truffle was not considered a luxury product as demand for it, especially in the southeast of France, exceeded supply. The fact is that in the 1870s France was struck by a poor harvest of grapes – vineyards throughout the country suffered from phylloxera, a small insect that damages the bark of bushes. Then, in order not to go broke, the growers switched to the extraction of truffles.
However, at the beginning of the 20th century, a “rural crisis” began in France, peasants left to work in cities, and no one was involved in supporting truffle farms. Later, the fields were plowed with tractors, which changed the structure of the soil, and truffles are very whimsical to the soil. Therefore, in 1945, a real shortage of truffles began. Today, between 30 and 50 tons of truffles are harvested around the world – this is only 3% of the amount that was available to people before 1914.
