| p>Tuber Magnatum - Italian White Truffle | | | | Tuber magnatum (Italian white truffle) is the most |
| The Italian white truffle (Tuber magnatum) is found | | | | expensive of the truffles. It is considered to be the |
| primarily below 600 meters ASL in Northern Italy and | | | | queen of all truffles while the black truffle is considered |
| up to 900 meters ASL in Central Italy. It is also found in | | | | king in gastronomic circles. |
| small areas of south-eastern France, in Istria, Croatia, | | | | Large Italian white truffles in excess of 250 gr. and up |
| and the Ticino district of Switzerland. | | | | to 2 kg. usually demand a relatively higher price. The |
| The mean January temperatures in these areas range | | | | harvesters receive about 60% of the wholesale price. |
| from -2 to 8°C and mean July temperatures from 18 | | | | In Italy, to avoid paying taxes on the truffle sales (paid |
| to 26°C. The mean annual precipitation varies from | | | | by the seller), as much as half of the crop is sold on |
| 500 to 2000 mm, which is spread more or less evenly | | | | the black market. |
| throughout the year. Though in summer, this rain is | | | | The Italian white truffle has not yet been cultivated ( |
| usually as thunderstorms. | | | | artificially inoculated ) on to any host tree yet. So |
| In Italy, this truffle is found in woods with more or less | | | | supplies are limited to what can be harvested from |
| closed canopies, also in areas with relatively sparse | | | | natural areas. Even thou in the year 2010, there where |
| vegetation along stream beds. Host trees include the | | | | reports saying that some scientists were close to |
| hazelnut (Corylus avellana), willows (Salix spp.), hop | | | | successfully inoculating host trees with the Italian white |
| hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia), Italian alder (Alnus | | | | truffle spore or mycelium. So lets hope that this |
| cordata), poplars and aspens (Populus spp.) and oaks | | | | mystery can be finally solved and plant more Italian |
| (Quercus spp.). The most productive hosts are poplars | | | | truffle trees. |
| and willows. | | | | Italian white truffles are commercially canned and |
| The Italian truffle is harvested from mid August until the | | | | bottled but the aroma changes in this process. When |
| end of December. In August and early September, the | | | | the truffle is preserved, they are quite inferior to the |
| fruiting truffles are usually severely infested by insect | | | | fresh truffle. Cans and bottles of Italian white truffle |
| larvae such as Suillia univittata. | | | | may also contain other morphologically similar species |
| Unlike the black truffle, the Italian truffle is used either | | | | such as Tuber dryophilum, Tuber borchii (bianchetto) or |
| uncooked or added to dishes after cooking. The white | | | | Tuber maculatum. Italian white truffle oil is widely sold in |
| truffle is used as flavouring for salads or pasta, to | | | | upscale delicatessens. Sadly, most of these truffle |
| retain its delicate and volatile aroma. As the black | | | | flavoured olive oils have never seen a truffle. The |
| truffle is usually used in cooked dishes and is | | | | truffle aroma is usually being derived from added |
| harvested between November and March, there is little | | | | chemicals. Despite the high demand and the high prices |
| competition in the marketplace between the two types | | | | prices, the production of the Italian white truffle, like the |
| of truffles. | | | | black truffle, has declined over the past 100 years. |