Introduction to truffles

White truffle is a fungus plant. This plant has a very long growth cycle and cannot be cultivated artificially. Only wild varieties are available, and they are buried deep underground. So very rare. The most interesting thing is that if you want to collect this kind of white truffle fungus, you need the help of animals, because only their noses can accurately find these precious ingredients buried deep in the ground. Gourmets around the world are willing to pay real money for the unique aroma of white truffles. White truffles are currently the most expensive edible fungi and only appear in Italy and northern Croatia from October to December each year.

Fungi

White truffle

(Tubermagnatumor white truffle) wild plant fungi, similar to mushrooms and boletus, produced in Italy and praised by the world , only appearing in auctions and media headlines. Because of its preciousness, it is called white diamond. White truffles are used as seasonings for food. They should be eaten raw and do not need to be cooked, because the most useful thing is the sweetness of white truffles, which is like the strong aroma of garlic. It will lose its flavor when exposed to fire. White truffles were first discovered in 1950 and have since become a delicacy at banquets.

Truffles like alkaline lime soil. The soil is loose and easy to drain and breathable. It needs rain during the summer growing season. It needs a little water but not too much. It is also afraid of heavy and long rains in spring. ; Because truffles cannot perform photosynthesis on their own to produce carbohydrates for growth, they must survive with the roots of oak trees and use the roots of oak trees to absorb nutrients. Therefore, truffles generally grow in areas where forest trees gather. Among the trees. Therefore, artificial cultivation of truffles is more difficult. For example, if you plant truffle mycelium on the roots of oak trees, after seven to ten years, if you are lucky, you may be able to harvest truffles. Overripe truffles will disintegrate and rot in the soil, releasing spores, which will germinate and grow into mycelium. When they encounter oak roots, they will produce fungi and grow.

Because white truffles exude a rich aroma with a garlic flavor, Italian people like to eat them with cheese slices or bread. When used on dishes, it can help enhance the aroma of the food. and taste. White truffles can only be dug with a keen sense of smell by dogs with approved licenses. In order to maintain freshness, they can only be stored for about ten days after being dug, making white truffles extremely valuable.

In Europe and the United States, it is as noble as foie gras and caviar. It costs about 100 Hong Kong dollars per gram, which is four times more expensive than the famous black mushroom in France. White truffles generally weigh 30 to 40 grams, have a brown and rough appearance and a hard texture. Just wipe off the soil on the surface after digging it out. There is no need to wash it. In order to maintain the freshness, it is best to eat it within two weeks.

Truffles themselves have no special taste, but because of their special smell, many people have been fascinated by them since ancient times. In 1825, the famous French gourmet Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin praised truffles as "the diamond of the kitchen" in his book "Physiology of Taste". Europeans rank truffles, along with caviar and foie gras, among the "three most delicacies in the world" as one of the noble ingredients. In particular, black truffles from France (Tubermelanosporum Vitt.) and white truffles from Italy (Tubermagnatum Pico) are highly valued.

The Legend of the Truffle

According to legend, the truffle is the daughter of lightning. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that truffles had magical aphrodisiac properties, which added a layer of mystery and magic to truffles. "Eatable white diamonds", "the taste of heaven..." are all used to describe white truffles.

White truffles are one of the most expensive foods in the world. White truffles, like diamonds, are rough and bulky on the outside before being processed, but once carved, they reveal an interior that is as bright as a diamond. The marble-like texture, ivory pattern and refreshing aroma can give people strong sensory stimulation.

In fact, truffles are a natural fungus that mainly grows under the soil near the roots of oak trees. But the strange thing is that truffles cannot be cultivated artificially, and it is very difficult to find truffles. Only strictly trained female pigs and dogs can smell them. The secret, it is said, is that truffles contain alpha male hormones. It is this smell that is thought to lead female animals into thinking they are stalking their opposite-sex mates.

High-priced truffles

The price of white truffles fluctuates every year,

but usually ranges from $800 to $1,500 per pound (453 grams). The largest white truffle in history was discovered in 1951, weighing approximately 4 pounds and sold for $5,000 at the time. But $5,000 was still a "sky-high price" for people who had just ended World War II.

A white truffle from Italy weighing 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) has set a new world record. A New York restaurateur beat all his rivals in a fierce bidding process to win the new sky-high Italian white truffle at a price of $41,000.

The Legend of Truffles

Truffles are to gourmet food

What Cadillac is to cars, Versace is to fashion, and Chanel No. 5 is to perfume, it represents The most expensive luxury in the world. Truffles, which combine staggering prices, mysterious and magical legends, and a refreshing taste, have always been the object of pursuit by wealthy people from all over the world. They are willing to spend a lot of money to get their hands on them.

In a small town in Tuscany, Italy, the main producing area of ??famous white truffles, Italy’s first truffle museum will be officially opened on the 13th to tell tourists the legendary story of truffles.

Theme Museum

This truffle-themed museum is located in a 13th-century castle in Italy. The founder specially invited a pharmacist, a botanist and a chef to participate in the creation of this themed museum. The museum uses multimedia technology, exhibits, videos, interactive games and other methods to tell the history of truffles to each visitor and recreate the modern scene of searching for and collecting truffles.

Among the many exhibition projects, the "Scent Exhibition" is an exhibition project that the founder is unique and proud of. In this link, visitors can taste the fragrant and distinctive aroma of dozens of different varieties of truffles.

As Francini, the treasurer of the Tuscany town, said, "Truffles are more than just a delicacy for us, they are part of our culture... This is not just a themed museum, It will also be a feast for the senses!”

Truffle News

1. Xinhuanet, Hong Kong, November 16, 2007. The white truffle, known as the "diamond among delicacies", sold for a record-breaking HK$950,000. , purchased by an Italian female gourmet in Hong Kong.

This white truffle mushroom weighs 1.2 kilograms, which is much heavier than the ordinary 40 grams of the same mushroom. It will be officially made into 4 main dishes on the 18th and will be provided to white truffle buyers. .

Why are white truffles valuable? Experts say that this kind of fungus has little medicinal value and will not have much benefit to the body after eating. The main reason is that it is difficult to find. Most fungi are black, but white truffle fungi are all white in color and are even more precious.

Italian chef Cen Botao, who will cook white truffles on the 18th, said that white truffles have a sweet and fragrant taste, similar to herbs. They only need to be "cooked" and cut into thin slices to spread on the main course. . He said that this precious fungus was first discovered in 1950 and was a delicacy at banquets.

2. The 2008 World's "King of Fungi" was purchased by Stanley Ho for HK$1.56 million

The world was affected by the financial tsunami, and the value of the white truffle, known as the "white diamond", also increased. Unavoidable to be affected, last night at the Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau, a charity auction of white truffles was held simultaneously in four cities around the world through artificial satellites. This year’s production weighed 1.08 kilograms and was the largest “King of Fungi” of the year. "It was won by Stanley Ho for HK$1.56 million, with an average price of HK$1,400 per gram. The price per gram dropped by more than 17% compared to last year.

According to the "Sing Tao Daily" report, the 2008 "International Italian White Truffle Charity Auction" was held last night at the Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau, and was conducted via satellite in Macau, London, Rome and Abu Dhabi. cities simultaneously. This year's "Bacteria King", the largest in production and weighing 1.08 kilograms, appeared at the Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau and became the most dazzling protagonist of the auction, attracting many rich and famous people in the city, such as the movie star Jet Li. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to charitable organizations, including Macau Caritas, Mothers Association, Tung Sin Tong and Macau Special Olympics.

The satellite live broadcast bidding atmosphere was enthusiastic

As the "host", Stanley Ho was present. In his speech, he expressed that he hoped everyone would support this auction and also hoped that the auction would enhance Macau's international status. He said with a smile, "The guests here tonight are all eating fungi, not hairy crabs. You can be an Accumulator with confidence and do your best to raise more charity for Macau Accumulate."

The auction officially started at 10 p.m. , the bidding atmosphere was lively at the scene and on the satellite live broadcast. Stanley Ho took the lead and won a 200-gram white truffle for HK$20,000. He continued to pay tribute to the largest "bacteria produced all year" that was recently dug out in Molise, central Italy. "King" takes advantage of the victory and pursues it. The "King of Fungi" initially started with a reserve price of US$50,000, and the bidding atmosphere was heated. During this period, Stanley Ho and Abu Dhabi were mainly arguing. After more than fifteen bids, Stanley Ho finally bought the White Truffle King for HK$1.56 million. The average selling price per gram is 1,400 yuan, and the price has dropped by more than 300 yuan compared with last year.

I wanted to give it to Abu Dhabi

Last year, Stanley Ho bought a 1.5kg King White Truffle of the Century for about HK$2.56 million, and held a grand dinner and dance with him. The guests shared their love for white truffles, which became a popular story. In addition to the auction of the King of Fungi last night, 16 smaller white truffles were also auctioned in four places at the same time. Guests participated in the bidding enthusiastically, and Macau even won eight. Together with Stanley Ho's "King of Fungi", it was a 1** *1.83 million yuan was raised, and the total donations from the four places reached HK$2.22 million.