What Makes the Truffle Mushroom So Noble?

The fact that the truffle mushroom is considered to be particularly noble is not only due to its unique aromatic taste, but above all to its elaborate harvest. Because breeding is problematic, the majority of truffles still have to be searched for with the help of specially trained dogs or pigs.

Truffle mushrooms grow underground on the trunks of deciduous trees and are therefore not as easy to find as other types of mushrooms. In order to track down the coveted truffles, pigs were trained for the search for a long time, but now specially trained dogs are used for this purpose. A few people are also successful as truffle hunters – they track down the noble mushrooms by certain characteristics on the surface of the ground. Attempts to breed the coveted truffles have so far met with only moderate success.

Because a truffle hunter, even with animal companions, often collects no more than 60 grams in a day, truffle mushrooms are considered very noble – and are extremely expensive. A kilo of black Périgord truffles, which come from the French province of the same name, costs an average of 3,000 euros. The white Alba truffles, which are mainly native to northern Italy, are even more expensive: the kilo price of this truffle fungus variety is around 9,000 euros.

From a purely visual point of view, the truffle mushroom, which comes in different black and white varieties, is rather inconspicuous and, due to its bumpy tubers, doesn’t look very appetizing. But its exquisite, aromatic taste makes it a noble delicacy. The black and white truffle mushroom varieties differ significantly in smell and taste. White truffles have a strong smell, but only a subtle taste. Because this evaporates when heated, white truffle mushrooms are never heated at the same time, but only rubbed over the finished dishes with the help of a special slicer. The black truffle mushroom, on the other hand, has a more subtle smell, but a much stronger taste and is therefore added to the other ingredients during cooking, which take on their special, noble aroma.