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A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, predominantly one of the many species of the genus Tuber. In addition to Tuber, over one hundred other genera of fungi are classified as truffles including Geopora, Peziza, Choiromyces, and Leucangium. These genera belong to the class Pezizomycetes and the Pezizales order. Several truffle-like basidiomycetes are excluded from Pezizales, including Rhizopogon and Glomus. Truffles are ectomycorrhizal fungi, so they are usually found in close association with tree roots. Spore dispersal is accomplished through fungivores, animals that eat fungi. These fungi have significant ecological roles in nutrient cycling and drought tolerance. Some truffle species are highly prized as food. French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin called truffles "the diamond of the kitchen". Edible truffles are used in Italian, French, and numerous other national haute cuisines. Truffles are cultivated and harvested from natural environments.
Black
Black Périgord truffle, cross-section
Main article: Tuber melanosporum
The black truffle or black Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum), the second-most commercially valuable species, is named after the Périgord region in France. Black truffles associate with oaks, hazelnut, cherry, and other deciduous trees and are harvested in late autumn and winter. The genome sequence of the black truffle was published in March 2010.
Summer or burgundy
Summer truffles in a shop in Rome
Main article: Tuber aestivum
The black summer truffle (Tuber aestivum) is found across Europe and is prized for its culinary value. Burgundy truffles (designated Tuber uncinatum, but the same species) are harvested in autumn until December and have aromatic flesh of a darker colour. These are associated with various trees and shrubs.
White
A white truffle washed and with a corner cut to show the interior.
Main article: Tuber magnatum
Tuber magnatum, the high-value white truffle (tartufo bianco d'Alba in Italian) is found mainly in the Langhe and Montferrat areas of the Piedmont region in northern Italy, and most famously, in the countryside around the cities of Alba and Asti. A large percentage of Italy's white truffles also come from Molise. the other part comes from France, Romania and Bulgaria
Whitish - Tuber borchii
The "whitish truffle" (Tuber borchii) is a similar species native to Tuscany, Abruzzo, Romagna, Umbria, the Marche, and Molise. It is reportedly not as aromatic as those from Piedmont, although those from Città di Castello are said to come quite close.
Other Tuber
A less common truffle is "garlic truffle" (Tuber macrosporum).
In the U.S. Pacific Northwest, several species of truffle are harvested both recreationally and commercially, most notably, the Leucangium carthusianum, Oregon black truffle; Tuber gibbosum, Oregon spring white truffle; and Tuber oregonense, Oregon winter white truffle. Kalapuya brunnea, the Oregon brown truffle, has also been commercially harvested and is of culinary note.
The pecan truffle (Tuber lyonii) syn. texense is found in the Southern United States, usually associated with pecan trees. Chefs who have experimented with them agree "they are very good and have potential as a food commodity". Although pecan farmers used to find them along with pecans and discard them
To say truffles taste like mushrooms would be a huge injustice, and yet that is where we must start to explain the sensation you get from eating them. Generalizing what truffles taste like is not an easy task, but they do contain the earthiness and musky/meaty/gamy flavor of some popular above-ground mushrooms. When describing truffles some would say they taste like they smell: oaky, nutty, earthy, sweet, and juicy with stinging savory notes like black olives. Often times the aroma of fresh truffle spores is stronger than the flavor, as even the strongest black truffles will not overpower other ingredients on the palate.
Truffles are edible spores that grow on an underground fungus in the family Tuberaceae. They're often confused with mushrooms, but they're technically not the same species — mushrooms grow above ground, while truffles grow underneath the surface.
Truffles contain a lot of important vitamins and minerals for our bodies such as vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and iron. They are also high in protein and fiber. In fact, studies have found that truffles may even be a complete source of protein, providing you with all the nourishment you need.
The reason behind such high costs is the scarcity of the produce, truffles are seasonal, extremely difficult to grow, and take many years to cultivate. They also have a short shelf life. Truffles require a very specific climate to grow and require lots of oak trees, that's why they're often found in woodland.
Although the truffles themselves are fungi rather than a plant explicitly, they themselves are considered vegan. However, some methods of finding naturally occurring truffles include the use of pigs or dogs for their sense of smell. In these cases, vegans may object to eating them.
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