Who in their right mind would spend their Italian vacation digging in the dirt?
You would. And you won’t regret a moment of it.
The hills of Northern Italy are alive with the smell of truffles. Truffle hunting in Tuscany, Piedmont, and other regions is an activity as thrilling as it is relaxing. Envision a quiet walk in a secluded forest, watching cute dogs sniff their way from tree to tree until suddenly…
BOOM!
You’re delicately digging an elegant white truffle out of the ground – the coveted treasure that an entire multi-million-dollar industry is built around.
And it’s yours to savor with what will likely be one of the best meals you’ve ever had.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Gorodenkoff
Trainline’s Truffle Hunting 101
What is truffle hunting?
Truffle hunting is the search for truffles, edible spores that grow on an underground fungus. Not to be confused with mushrooms, nuts, or chocolate truffles, truffles only grow beneath specific types of trees and require a rather delicate environment to yield a size, shape, and aroma that is coveted around the world.
Because truffles grow underground, hunters use dogs to sniff out the spores. These trained pets, particularly the Lagotto Romagnolo breed, can smell truffles buried six inches below ground. Responsible hunters will harvest the truffles and cover up the hole so that the spores remaining can grow new truffles the following season.
When is truffle hunting season?
While it’s possible to find truffles year-round in some parts of Europe, the best times for harvesting are in the autumn. Depending on the amount of rain a region receives, September through November are peak times for foraging for white and black truffles.
What’s the difference between white and black truffles?
It depends on who you ask. From a growing perspective, white truffles are much more delicate and require specific conditions for growing which is why they’re limited to natural growth in select regions like Northern Italy. Black truffles grow naturally and can be cultivated on farms in many countries which is why they’re more prevalent.
Ask a foodie and they’ll say that white truffles have much more of a pungent aroma and stronger flavor than black truffles. Ask a truffle hunter and they’ll tell you that an ounce of white truffles can sell for exponentially more than black truffles. Truffles are a multi-million-dollar industry in Italy alone and white truffles can fetch prices so high you’d think it was made of gold.
Where is truffle hunting in Europe?
Truffles grow in many European countries, though Italy is famed for having the best of the best. France has the fungi and Spain’s got spores, too. Truffles grow in Germany but the harvesting laws are super strict. Italy’s Piedmont region should be your go-to for truffle hunting, not only because of the quality of truffles harvested there but because of the rich culture and generational community surrounding these subterranean specialties.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Peter Adams. Image Location: San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy
How to truffle hunt in Italy?
Truffle hunting is a tricky subject. Caught between a global need for more regenerative tourism and a decades-old industry that brings in millions of dollars every year, truffle hunting in Italy isn’t as simple as digging holes in the dirt. There are tourist truffle hunting experiences throughout Northern Italy but these will usually be in private forests or more public areas. Professional truffle hunters won’t share their secret spots with a stranger (or even close family members) so don’t expect to spend hours in the wilderness with a dog and a shovel.
Truffle festivals in Italy
It’s best to enjoy the celebrations of all things truffles and join group hunts during truffle festivals in Italy.
The International Alba White Truffle Fair in Piedmont is the premier truffle event held in November. It’s a ritzy affair where if the taste of the finest truffles in the land doesn’t knock you off of your feet, the insane amount of money one will fetch at auction will.
More white truffles can be enjoyed at the San Miniato Truffle Fair in Tuscany. Held throughout November, the fair features other local foods, offering you an opportunity to really immerse your taste buds in every Tuscan flavor imaginable.
How to get around Italy by train
Buying truffles can be expensive; buying train tickets doesn’t have to be.
Italy’s vast network of high-speed and regional rails will get you from the streets of Rome to the truffle-filled hills of the north in no time. Multiple daily departures from major cities like Florence, Venice, Naples, and Milan give you instant access to every tasty corner of Italy.
Download the Trainline app and let it help you plan your first truffle hunt in Italy.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, brizius. Image Location: International Truffle Fair, Alba, Piedmont, Italy