What are truffles?
The truffle is an edible fungus that grows underground through a symbiotic relationship with the roots of specific host trees. When the tree and the fungal filaments reach maturity, usually after about five years, the fruiting body or truffle is produced and occurs seasonally thereafter.
Truffles can be described as 'gourmet mushrooms'. They have a pungent, intense, earthy fragrance and lend a unique flavour to food. They occur naturally, mainly in France and Italy, and are sometimes referred to as 'black gold' or 'black diamonds' because of their scarcity and worth.
Where do they occur?
Truffles occur naturally in the northern hemisphere where there are over 70 species that have been taxonomically described. The black truffle or Tuber Melanosporum, also known as the Perigord truffle, grows mainly in France and Italy and is the variety most commonly cultivated in a truffle orchard or trufferie. With a unique scent, they our sniffed out by trained pigs and dogs.
Truffles in Europe occur under their native woodland trees of oak, poplar, willow and hazelnut. In the regions of France and Italy where truffles occur naturally the truffle harvests are decreasing over time. It is thought that this is due to urbanisation, climate change and pollution. For example, prior to 1914 some 1800 tonnes of truffles were harvested annually in the Perigord area alone. Now the whole of France produces less than 50 tonnes. In 1998 annual production was reported to be only 8 tonnes.
In the 1970's a major initiative began in France to cultivate truffles. There are now also established trufferies in Spain and Italy. However productivity from these orchards is relatively small compared to that collected in the natural forests.
Outside of Europe, the first black truffles were produced in 1991 on specially inoculated oak trees in Oregon, USA. There have now been substantial plantings in the USA including a 70-hectare trufferie established near Houston Texas in 1991.
In the southern hemisphere, the winter of 1993 saw the first production of commercial truffles in New Zealand, and in 1999 black truffles were produced in Tasmania to further confirm their production feasibility in the southern hemisphere.
