Truffles are found anywhere from 2 to 15 inches below the ground, usually in a circular formation about 4 to 5 feet from the base of an oak tree. A number of varieties exist.
The ascoma (fruiting body) of truffles is highly prized as food. In 1825 Brillat-Savarin called the truffle "the diamond of the kitchen" and praised its aphrodisiac powers. While the aphrodisiac characteristics of truffles have not been established, it is still held in high esteem in colloquial French, northern Italian and Istrian cooking, and in international haute cuisine.
The mention of truffles conjures up images of the expensive French black truffle from the Périgord region of southwest France, used in making pâté de foie gras, or the renowned odorous white truffle of Alba, in the Piedmont district of Italy.
White truffles are generally served uncooked and shaved over steaming buttered pasta or salads. White or black paper-thin truffle slices may be inserted in meats, under the skins of roasted fowl, in foie gras preparations, in pâtés, or in stuffings.
The flavor of black truffles is far less pungent and more refined than their white cousins. It is reminiscent of fresh earth, mushrooms, and when fresh, their scent fills a room almost instantly.
Looking for truffles in open ground is almost always carried out with specially trained pigs or dogs. Pigs were the most used in the past, but nowadays farmers prefer to use dogs, which do not eat the truffles.
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