Of all the food and wine ingredients indigenous to Tuscany, the white truffle is probably the most highly-prized – yet it’s one of those things that you will either love or hate; it has a heady yet strange, earthy, musky aroma and a delicate flavour that lends itself particularly well to eggs and buttery tagliolini pasta
Different types of truffles grow year-round in Tuscany and in various areas, the most prolific of which are San Miniato, the Mugello and the Crete Senese. They are, however, elusive. White truffles will only thrive in just the right conditions, growing on the roots of trees and normally hidden by layers of damp leaves and earth.
A truffle hunt with an expert trifulau (truffle hunter) and his dog is a compelling way to discover how the truffle-hunting world works. The stakes are high – white truffles sell for huge amounts of money. In 2007, a 1.28kg tuber sold at auction in the US for an astonishing $330,000.
The most highly prized of Tuscany’s rich food harvest, the white truffle is also the most elusive. An expert-led truffle hunt is an ideal way to discover and taste these extraordinary tubers.