| Truffle Guide |
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Truffles InfoWhite TrufflesYour guide to white trufflesThe White truffle or Alba Truffle (Tuber magnatum) comes from the Langhe area of the Piedmont region in northern Italy and, most famously, from the city of Alba. It is also found in Croatia, on the Istria peninsula in the Motovun forest alongside Mirna river. Growing symbiotically with oak, hazel, poplar and beech and fruiting in autumn, they can reach 12cm diameter and 500g, though are usually much smaller. The flesh is pale cream or brown with white marbling. Like the French black truffles, Italian white truffles are very highly esteemed. The white truffle market in Alba is busiest in the months of October and November. The Tuber magnatum truffles sell between 200€ and 400€ per hectogram ($1000 - $2000 per pound). They produce a scent that mimics a male pig sex hormone, and for this reason, female pigs have been used historically in Europe to help find truffles. However, more recently, dogs have become preferred for truffle hunting since they can be trained to just find the truffles whereas sows eat the truffles as soon as they find them. White truffles are rarer than Black truffles and consequently more expensive. Apart from the obvious colour difference, white truffles are known to have a more pungent aroma which is highly prized in Italian food. White truffles are generally harvested between the months of October and January and are believed to grow primarily in the Piedmont region in North West Italy. Both black and white truffles grow at high altitudes, usually between 300-1000 metres above sea level. |
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