Hunting Truffles

Truffles are one of the most decadent foods in the world but before tasting them, one must find them... Truffle hunting is more complicated than one would imagine. Even if a strong perfume emanates from the truffle, it is almost impossible for humans to detect the tuber. Truffles are hidden deep in the ground. In order to find them, truffle growers use one

of these three methods: the dog, the “brulé” or the fly!

The Dog Method

Men need to rely on their hound's natural olfactory talent. The dog explores the surface of the ground with its nose. When the truffle is ripe, it releases a gas. This is that specific gas that attracts the hound. The dog marks the area with its paw and the truffle hunter cautiously digs the truffle out of the ground with a little hoe. The dog is rewarded with a special treat: a truffle flavored biscuit!

The Brulé Method

During the black truffle life cycle its mycelium interacts with the ecosystem and burns the vegetation around the base of the host tree. Vegetation-devoid areas on the ground usually means that truffles lay underneath the surface. This is called the “brulé” or “burnt”method.

The Mouche Method

A certain species of flies lay their eggs over truffle-growing area. The hunters walk with a little stick, sneak around the trees and watch for flies. Our advice: be patient and observe carefully!

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