Everything you need to know about these earthy fragranced and pungent tasting gems!

October is a wonderful time to enjoy the bounty of olives and chestnuts, perfect for cozy comfort food, warm socks, and a hot drink by the fireplace.

But, of course, the best part is the chance to hunt for truffles, especially the prized white truffle! If you’re not into cozy socks and hot drinks, truffle hunting can be quite a challenge!

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRUFFLE HUNT?

There’s no set “truffle season,” just a matter of following nature’s rhythms and knowing where to look and what to search for throughout the year. If you’re interested, keep reading as we’ll share everything you need to know about truffles!

As we mentioned, following nature’s course is a great starting point when you’re looking for truffles. First, you need to know what you’re searching for! Truffles are related to common mushrooms, actually a type of underground fungus called an Ascomycete, and specifically one of the Tuber species. They grow in partnerships with some trees’ roots, spreading their spores mainly through animals that enjoy truffles, mushrooms, and other fungi. Truffles grow independently, and you’ll rarely find more than one in a single hole, but you might find others near the same tree. Another interesting fact is that truffles actually start growing about five months before you find them, so if you discover one in winter, it likely formed during the summer. However, truffles ripen at different times, and their scent only lasts for about eight hours, and they only “live” for 10-15 days before decomposing into organic matter for small animals and the soil.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR?

There are mainly two types of truffles, divided into other categories: the black truffle and the white truffle. Here in Tuscany, we have the black ‘summer’ truffle (Tuber aestivum) or ‘scorzone,’ which has a hard skin and dark aromatic flesh; you can find this one just under the surface of the ground. We harvest the black summer truffle from the beginning of June until late autumn, and it has a very appreciated culinary value, along with the burgundy black truffle (Tuber uncinatum), which is part of the same species but is called this way for its crocheted-like skin. Starting from late September, there is a transition period, in which it’s likely we find the last of black truffles, as well as the first ripe white ones. This marks the beginning of the eagerly awaited white truffle period, which lasts until mid-January more or less.

The white truffle (Tuber Magnatum) can be found under the roots of oaks, hazels, poplar, or beeches and has a pale light brown flesh with white marbling. It grows deeper into the ground than the black one (up to 160 ft. underground), which makes it more difficult to find. Since it forms during summer, when there is less (to none) humidity in the soil, white truffle originates deeper underground, taking advantage of the more humid part of it. A less known and used type is a kind of ‘wild’ truffle called Tuber Macrosporum, which has a strong garlic taste and is hardly ever used in the kitchen.

For Luigi’s dogs, truffle hunting is more of a fun adventure than a job, as some might imagine. They love sniffing around the woods, hoping to find those delicious truffles, because they know there’s a tasty reward waiting for them if they do, and they’re also quite greedy for those earthy treats! Who wouldn’t be?

But what really matters is the bond between the dog and his owner. You can’t just buy or rent a trained dog and expect him to do all the work for you! You need to know, feel, and love your dog to understand his behavior and read his body language. Otherwise, you might end up with your truffles eaten by the dog before you know it, or even worse: no truffles at all!

One last thing to keep in mind is that, besides the dog, you’ll need a state license. Hunters get a special permit (which lets them search for truffles and mushrooms in any forest across Italy) by taking a special course. They learn about hunting, including the laws, how to guide, knowing the woods, and protecting the forest floor and undergrowth.

Now, we might have made that last part sound a bit daunting, but don’t worry! If you’re interested in hunting but don’t have the time to take a class and train your own dog while you’re on vacation in Italy, you can still join Luigi for a fun hunting trip in the Tuscan woods around Certaldo. You can even enjoy the bounty over a delicious four-course lunch at Cucina Giuseppina, where it’s all about great Chianti wine and homemade Tuscan treats.