Specialised Food: Italian Truffles
Truffles are underground mushrooms that grow freely under Italy’s Tuscan soil. They are searched for with the same zeal and excitementas if one is searching for a lost diamond. White truffles (Tartufo Bianca) are found in Piedemont and Umbria in Italy. The harvesting season lasts from September till December when festivals are held at the different towns to celebrate the harvest. Trained pigs are used to find them. It is said that truffles are the royal family of all cuisine and white Italian truffles are the king. They are extremely aromatic and too delicate to be cooked. For this reason they are normally served fresh - though it can be preserved in cooking oil.
Black truffles are found in Italy and France from November to March. They are less aromatic than white truffles and normally used in different products that are canned. Examples of these are:
- Truffle paste that can be whisked into sauce for that garlicky flavour. Or as the finishing touch in mashed potatoes.
- Truffle butter that can be spread on toast or tossed into fresh pasta or mashed potatoes.
- Truffle juice are used in appetizers as well as main courses for extra flavour.
- Truffle sauce are a blend of truffles and Parmesan cheese which makes a perfect pasta sauce. It is also used in marinades and soup.
- Other products on the market is truffle honey, preserved truffles or infused cooking oils.
Truffles are true gems in the world of food and only a privileged few have the opportunity to work with it. One such group is the Graduates from Prue Leith Chef’s Academy in South Africa who is up to the task of cooking for anyone, anywhere in the world
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