Truffle - description, main types, growth, benefits, cultivation + 63 photos

Gourmets create legends about the taste and aroma of black truffle: and everyone has their own “flavor”. There are claims that truffle smells like chocolate, for others its aroma is similar to the smell of forest dampness and expensive alcohol, for others it smells like nuts and tastes the same.

If we discard the lyrics and evaluate the aroma and taste of the mushroom from the point of view of an impartial cook, the result is this: the smell is bright and sharp, the taste has a noticeable bitterness.
The aristocratic mushroom is of great interest to farmers. Its impressive price on the market makes one think about the feasibility of growing truffles for sale.

Characteristics and description of the variety

Officially, in all reference books, truffle is written in Latin - Tuber melanosporum. But in common parlance it is called French or Perigord. According to legend, the first mushroom was found in this French province - Périgord and secured its name.

Interesting! The most expensive mushroom in the world has a very unpresentable appearance. It lacks the usual signs of a mushroom (cap, stem); it looks more like an unwashed potato.

The tuberous body of the black truffle is characterized by irregularities - the mushroom is covered with tubercles. Color - from dark brown to blue-black. If you press on the mushroom, it will change color at the place of pressure to brownish-rusty. The diameter of the fruiting body is from 3 to 9 cm.

The pulp when cut is hard, with light veins, giving the mushroom a “marbled” appearance. In young truffles it is pink, but as the mycelium inside the tuber matures, the flesh darkens, acquiring a chocolate hue. a leg as such, but a hymenophore (a place for the mycelium to mature) exists. In ordinary terrestrial mushrooms, the hymenophore is located at the bottom of the cap.

If we conventionally consider the tuberous body to be a “cap,” then the truffle mycelium should be looked for at the bottom of the tuber.

Help: To grow delicious mushrooms at home or on farms, it is better to purchase ready-made black truffle mycelium from trusted sources rather than extract it yourself.

The black truffle belongs to the genus of marsupial fungi, the truffle family, and is one of the representatives of plants valuable in cooking and cosmetology. There are about 70 varieties of truffles, but only 10 of them are of culinary interest.

A little history

The black truffle has been known since the time of the Sumerians (about 4000 years ago). Mushrooms were used by Avicenna for medicinal purposes. In 1825, truffles were first described by the famous French chef Anselm Brillat-Savarin in his cookbook.

Season and place of fruiting

Black truffle will not grow anywhere. These mushrooms are picky both in their habitat and in their choice of neighbors. The best chance of finding a French truffle is in a deciduous forest, but not under any tree, but under an oak or hazel tree.

Reference: Experienced truffle collectors note cases when mushrooms grew under hawthorn and even viburnum.

But it is not recommended to navigate only by trees. There are a few more sure signs from tartufaio (truffle harvesting specialists):

1. If the “witch’s circle” is clearly marked under the tree, that is, no plants are observed, then there is a chance to dig up several truffles.
2. If there are also red flies hovering over the “bare” soil, then there are definitely mushrooms. These insects lay their larvae in truffles and do not fly far from the “babies”.

The depth of the tubers is up to 50 cm, so it is difficult for a person to find mushrooms. Specially trained dogs and pigs cope with the task perfectly. But these helpers have significant drawbacks: a “truffle” dog is very expensive and needs to be trained for a long time, and a “truffle” pig can feast on the mushroom found.

The geography of growth of the black truffle is extensive: the mushroom can be found throughout Europe, under certain conditions it can even grow on the Scandinavian Peninsula. The historical habitats of the French truffle are the southwestern provinces of France, Italy, and Spain. The mushroom is found in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia.

The truffle growing season in our latitudes begins in October and lasts until January. In France, you can taste the fresh delicacy throughout the winter and in early March. Black truffles are especially actively collected in mid-winter.

How to quickly find mushrooms

Not many people know where truffles grow and how to look for them. Collecting these mushrooms is a complex process. It’s easier for someone who already knows exactly the location of the mycelium to come and look for the treasured clearing. Only a few manage to find mushrooms in an unfamiliar forest without additional actions.

Helpers are used to make the task easier. These are specially trained dogs.

It is better to search at night. During this period of the day, mushrooms emit the strongest aroma, which will make the task of searching easier for your four-legged partner. Instead of a dog, it is better to use a pig. This animal loves the fragrant truffle and finds it faster.

Where do black truffles grow in Russia?

A number of regions of Russia are characterized by the growth of summer black truffle.

This is a rare mushroom in our latitudes; it is difficult to look for black truffles in Russia, and it is not recommended - it is listed in the Red Book of Russia and in several regional Red Books. Therefore, the lucky person who finds a truffle runs the risk of being punished.

The mushroom is classified by environmental authorities as a species that is in a state close to threatened. The black Russian truffle population is very low. But it can occasionally be found in the Voronezh region, Krasnodar region, and the republics of Adygea and North Ossetia.

Even 100–150 years ago, black truffle grew in the Moscow, Belgorod, and Pskov regions. We collected a lot of mushrooms. Peasants were massively engaged in selling truffles.

The dog took the trail

A dog trained to search for truffles costs about several thousand dollars. Hunters choose females, but not hunting breeds, so as not to be distracted by the smell of game.

How do dogs collect truffles? First you need to accustom your puppy to the smell of mushrooms. He is given milk containing mushroom broth. After this, they begin training - the sticks are rubbed with this mushroom, and then hidden in the room, then in the garden, forest. After training, the dog will help its owner find truffles.

Some dogs learn in just a couple of days.

Growing at home and as a business in basements

Truffle farming as a business has its advantages and disadvantages.

Flaws:

• requires large start-up capital;
• difficulties in finding a supplier of quality seed material;
• long payback period of the project.

Advantages:

• high cost of grown products (500-2000 euros per kilogram);
• minimal competition in the niche.

1. In order to plant black truffles, open areas (this option is suitable for the southern regions), greenhouses and basements are used.
2. The system for growing delicious mushrooms differs from the methods of propagating the usual oyster mushrooms or champignons.
3. The process is complex and lengthy.
4. The first harvest can grow no earlier than five years after the trees are infected with mycelium.
5. With high yields, you can collect up to 15 kilograms of truffles per hectare.

Help: When growing mushrooms, you should take into account that the yield of black truffle is unstable. To maintain it, it is necessary to fulfill a number of conditions regarding the condition of the soil, temperature and humidity.

Algorithm for growing truffles in open ground:

• Proper selection of location: it should be a windless and shaded area near the house. The main condition is the presence of the required type of deciduous trees. The fungus forms a symbiosis with their roots to obtain minerals and develop. The truffle is not parasitic - it protects the tree from diseases and strengthens the root system.
• Ensuring stable temperature.

• Creating an artificial slope - 15 degrees.
• Soil preparation - the presence of humus, calcium, nitrogen, carbon, pH level 7.5-7.9, humidity - more than 70%.
• Purchasing high-quality mycelium from a trusted seller.
• Infection of the roots of seedlings with mycelium and planting in the ground (in the spring you can plant in warm soil with the addition of lime).

How to grow truffles in a greenhouse:

1. Construction of a greenhouse and creation of an environment for the development of fungi: for these purposes, soil from deciduous forests, fertilizers, and oak sawdust are taken.
2. The soil is sifted to remove stones and the pH level is checked.
3. The mycelium is mixed with a fertilized layer of forest soil.
4. A mixture of mycelium and soil is placed on oak sawdust.

The development of mycelium can be noticed after a month if a certain temperature and humidity is maintained. The first small harvest may appear within a year. Black truffle grows actively only after 3-4 years.

Information: The cost of 100 g of high-quality mycelium is 500-1500 rubles. This amount is enough to infect one seedling.

False doubles

Experiments to create a clone of the black truffle are now common in France. Perhaps, after its successful completion, the price of truffles will decrease. In the meantime, unscrupulous tartufayos can substitute a fake instead of a real “black diamond”. Or an inexperienced mushroom picker will confuse a true black truffle with a false one, which may look very similar to the edible one.

To protect your life and health, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the data in the table:

Before you go truffle hunting, carefully study the lookalikes of the true delicious mushroom. Better - from a photo or video.

Average cost of truffles when purchasing

The truffle is sometimes called the king mushroom. All because of its cost. In Russia, the delicacy costs from 500 to 2 thousand dollars. White is even more expensive, its price starts to rise from $800.

There are several reasons for such a high price:

• unique aroma and taste;
• Demand has long exceeded supply, and sometimes truffles also grow poorly if the weather is dry;
• Mushrooms do not grow everywhere and it is difficult to collect them;
• search dogs are often required, and training an animal is long and expensive;
• Mushroom pickers suffer during picking, most of them have back problems;
• Most truffles take a long time to ripen;
• cut mushrooms are stored for only a few days;
• the mushroom has aphrodisiac properties;
• There are also false truffles in nature; only a specialist can identify them.

Truffles have long become a luxury item and their consumption speaks of a person’s wealth. This is another reason why sellers inflate the price of the product.

Although expensive mushrooms grow in Russia, they are quite difficult to obtain. Sometimes the work may not be worth it. When going on a search, you need to carefully study many points. But if luck smiles, then you can not only try the delicacy, but also earn extra money.

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Evaluation of taste, composition, medicinal properties, benefits and possible harm

Most sophisticated gourmets claim that they do not eat the truffle mushroom itself, but its smell. In expensive restaurants, truffle is served in thin transparent slices, not as an independent dish, but added to meat, vegetables and even desserts. The unique mushroom emphasizes and enriches the taste of such diverse dishes.

Mushroom composition:

• proteins -54.5%;

• carbohydrates - 36.6%;

• fats – 10%.

The main beneficial quality of the mushroom, according to nutritionists, is its low calorie content. Also, black truffle has a positive effect on all systems and organs :

• activates metabolic processes;
• lowers blood glucose and lipid levels;
• rejuvenates the epidermis;
• normalizes the state of the endocrine system;
• improves intestinal motility.

Beneficial properties : the mushroom is widely used to treat gout, increase potency in men and treat infertility in women.

Eating truffles can be harmful:

• pregnant women;
• children under 12 years of age;

• people suffering from peptic ulcers;
• for allergy sufferers.

Application in cosmetology

Black truffle is used to make perfumes, shampoos, and skin care cosmetics. The active substances of the mushroom have the following effect:

• rejuvenate the skin;
• recover after plastic surgery and peeling;
• promote the production of collagen and elastin.

Cooking recipes

The good thing about truffle dishes is that they only require a few slices of mushroom to prepare. The delicacy goes best with pasta, rice, and eggs.

To enhance the taste and aroma, it is recommended to use truffle oil. It is not worth marinating, making canned truffles, frying, or preparing caviar from this type of mushroom - it is considered a delicacy.

Primary processing

The delicate mushroom does not tolerate intensive heat treatment. To preserve the aroma and taste of a high-quality truffle, it is enough to wash it thoroughly under running cold water and simmer in wine. Alternatively, keep it in the oven for about five minutes.

Pickling in jars

There are two ways to pickle truffles: cold and hot.

Information: Salting and preservation of truffles is practiced only in Russia and other post-Soviet countries. In French cuisine, this method of preparing a delicious mushroom is not used and is considered bad manners.

Cold pickling

Ingredients:

• mushrooms – 1 kg;
• salt – 100 g.

How to cook:

1. Wash the mushrooms.
2. Place in jars, sprinkle thoroughly with salt.
3. The pickling should be stored under pressure in a cool room.

Hot salting

Ingredients:

• mushrooms -1 kg;
• salt – 50 g;
• water – 0.5 cups.

Preparation:

1. Boil mushrooms in brine.
2. Place into sterilized jars.

Help: Since truffle is an expensive and rare mushroom, it is impossible to pickle a large amount of the product. Therefore, it is very difficult to find an exact recipe for pickling (up to a gram). Most often, housewives use the same volumes of salt and water as for pickling “simple” mushrooms. But adding fragrant spices when preparing truffle preparations is not recommended, so as not to “kill” its aroma.

Mushroom sauce

Ingredients:

• small black truffle – 1 pc.;
• butter – 200 g;
• heavy cream – 0.5 cups;
• truffle oil – 0.4 cups;
• white wine - glass;
• salt, dried garlic, shallots.

Preparation:

1. Bring the butter to room temperature and mix with the truffle oil. Cool the mixture.
2. Add shallots and garlic to white wine and boil for about 3 minutes.
3. Add cream and cook for another minute.
4. Cut the cooled butter into small cubes.
5. Reduce heat to medium and gradually add cubes (this is important!) of butter to the wine-cream mixture.
6. When the butter has melted, reduce the heat further to low.
7. Add the grated truffle to the sauce before serving.
8. Serve the sauce warm.

Nutritional value of morels

The nutritional value of morels is only 20 kcal per 100 g.

Fresh mushroom (100 g) contains:

• 2.9 g protein;
• 2 g carbohydrate;
• 0.4 g fat.

The main share is water - 92 g; it also contains dietary fiber - 0.7 g. Of the minerals, it contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, iron and vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, D.

Morels are the first spring mushrooms that are harvested in April–May.

Recommendations for proper storage

Black truffle remains fresh and presentable for 3-4 days, so it requires prompt processing or sale. The truffle should be stored raw in the refrigerator, wrapping each mushroom separately in a napkin and placing it in a glass container.

Video reviews

A selection of videos with descriptions and recipes for preparing mushrooms

My Planet, Mushroom Hunter, Vesti Crimea