Truffle mushroom species. Where in Russia do real expensive truffles grow - the places where black and white truffles grow. Where does black truffle grow in Russia?

Truffle is an edible member of the Truffle family.

Appearance

The fruiting bodies of truffle mushrooms are round or tuberous in shape and range in size from 2.5 to 10 centimeters. Their surface is dark in color - from bluish-black to brown-black. It often contains pyramidal warts, but there are also types with a smooth surface.

The pulp of a young truffle is dense, while that of a mature one is loose. At first it is whitish, but as it ages it becomes brownish-yellow. When cut, the light veins inside the pulp give it a marbled color. The taste of truffle pulp is sweetish, reminiscent of a nut. The aroma of the mushroom is pleasant, similar to the smell of algae.

Kinds

The most common types of truffle are:

Summer

It is found in central Europe, including Russia (its second name is “black Russian”). It is valued less than other types of this mushroom. The ripening season for this truffle is summer and the first month of autumn.

Ginger

Grows in Europe and North America. It can also be found in Siberia.

White

This truffle can be found in the northern regions of Italy and neighboring regions of France. It is also called Italian or Piedmontese. The surface of such truffles is brownish or light ocher in color. The inside of the mushroom is dense, whitish or yellow-gray, its marbled pattern is cream or white. This type of truffle smells similar to cheese with garlic. Its collection is usually carried out in October.

Black

It is considered the most valuable among mushrooms of this species. It grows most often in France. The second name of such a mushroom is associated with the area of ​​growth - Perigord mushroom. It is distinguished by a reddish-brown-black surface color, dark pulp, characteristic odor and pleasant taste. Such a truffle grows in winter time, it is collected in January-March.

Winter

This mushroom grows in Switzerland and France. It is also found in Ukraine. Its main difference is the ripening period (November-March).

Where does it grow?

Truffle is an underground mushroom. It usually grows at shallow depths, and old truffles may appear on the surface. You can find such a mushroom in forests - both deciduous and mixed (truffles appear extremely rarely among coniferous trees). It loves calcareous soils and often grows under the roots of birches, oaks, hornbeams, and beeches.

This type of mushroom grows in Central Europe. In Russia, it can be found in the Caucasus on the Black Sea coast. Truffle searches are carried out by specially trained dogs and pigs. Over the places where truffles grow, in the evening (at sunset) you can see swarms of yellowish flies.

How to choose and where to buy

Since the mushroom has a short shelf life (2-4 days after picking), it is therefore eaten fresh only during the picking season. These mushrooms are not sold in regular supermarkets. They can be purchased in specialized departments and directly from suppliers. Most often, truffles are purchased in small quantities for restaurants. For long-term storage, truffles can be preserved and frozen. Mushrooms are transported in special containers, sometimes immersed in olive oil or covered with rice.

Why are truffles so expensive?

The cost of this type of mushroom is very high. A kilogram of this delicacy costs from 400 euros. The high cost of truffles is due to the difficulties of growing, the seasonality of obtaining this mushroom, as well as the high taste and aromatic qualities of the product.

The value of truffles is primarily affected by the size of the specimens. The larger the mushroom, the higher its cost. The most expensive are the large mushrooms (like apples), but less than 1% of all collected mushrooms will grow such truffles. About 10% of the harvest is nut-sized - these truffles are classified as Extra grade. About 30% of mushrooms the size of a grape are collected. The remaining mushrooms are even smaller, so they are cheaper and are mainly used for making sauces.

Characteristics

• The mushroom is considered a gourmet food.
• It has a mushroom taste, mixed with the taste of nuts or seeds. When truffles are placed in water, they have a taste similar to soy sauce.
• Truffle has a strong characteristic odor.

Nutritional value and calorie content

100 g of truffles contains:

Chemical composition

By consuming truffles, a person receives with them:

• proteins;
• vitamins C, PP, B1 and B2;
• carbohydrates represented by mono- and disaccharides;
• minerals;
• pheromones;
• alimentary fiber;
• antioxidants.

Beneficial features

• The presence of pheromones in truffles improves a person’s emotional state.
• This type of mushroom contains many antioxidants.
• Truffle juice can treat eye diseases.
• A positive effect of consuming truffles for gout patients has been noted.

Harm

• Individual intolerance (extremely rare).
• Digestive problems.

Application

In cooking

• A serving of truffle for one dish is rarely more than 5-8 grams. The mushroom is weighed in a restaurant on very precise scales.
• Often truffle acts as an addition to the main dish. The mushroom is cut on a special grater.
• This mushroom goes well with any food, especially with dishes that do not have a particularly pronounced taste.
• In French cooking, truffles are most often combined with poultry, lobsters, eggs, and fruits.
• The mushroom can be served in its pure form, and to highlight the taste, it is served with creamy or wine sauce.
• Fillings for pies and truffle sauces are made from small truffles.
• Slices of mushroom are often used to decorate black caviar, snails and other exotic dishes.

You can learn even more about truffle mushrooms from next video Galileo transmissions.

In cosmetology

Cosmetologists in Italy include truffle extract in masks and skin creams. They claim that adding this mushroom to cosmetics helps tighten the skin, remove age spots, and cope with fine wrinkles.

Growing

The cultivation of the truffle mushroom in France began in 1808, when the first truffle oaks were planted. Later, truffle groves were created, producing up to a thousand tons of mushrooms per year. The decline of the country's agricultural industry also affected truffle cultivation. Every year, fewer and fewer truffle mushrooms are harvested from French truffle mushroom plantations.

In addition to France, such mushrooms are grown in China (now this country is the leader in truffle cultivation), Great Britain, the United States, Sweden and Spain, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Truffle grown in China has less aroma, but is attractive due to its low price and great similarity in appearance and taste to its French counterpart. To improve the quality of mushrooms supplied from China, they are mixed with truffles grown in France.

• It is believed that truffle contains a substance with psychotropic effects. It's called anandamide.
• Due to the unknown origin of the mushroom, which was not known for a long time, many legends have appeared around the truffle. The ancient Romans considered this mushroom to be healing and enhance potency. In the Middle Ages, truffles were given mystical powers. During the Renaissance, this mushroom was considered an aphrodisiac.
• The use of truffles in cooking began in the 15th century by Italian chefs.
• Truffles were grown in the Moscow province, and bears whose teeth had been pulled out were involved in their collection.
• In the village of Lorgues en Provence there is a restaurant whose menu features a large number of dishes with truffles.

Kira Stoletova

The truffle mushroom is one of the rarest and most expensive in the world. It grows underground, at the roots of oak, beech, and hazel. It is collected according to special, characteristic signs or with the help of animals. The mushroom is included in the most delicious dishes and has an unusual taste and aroma. It began to be cultivated the century before last, but since the harvests are small, prices remain high.

Description of the mushroom

Truffle is a mushroom from the Actinomycetes department and the order Paececium, of the Truffleaceae family of the Truffle genus. The fruiting bodies of these amazing mushrooms almost completely hidden underground; in their “appearance” they resemble potato cones or tubers. No wonder the name in Latin sounds like “terrae tuber”, or “earthen cone”.

The fungus is covered on top by a peridium, an outer covering layer with numerous warts or cracks. In some species it is almost white. The inner flesh looks like marble when cut. It consists of internal and external veins, which have different shades. Sacs containing spores mature in the internal veins. They are lighter than the outside ones. The color of the pulp varies among different species.

According to the species description, the aroma of truffle mushroom has several notes: smell autumn forest, rotten leaves, humus, ripe fruits, even cocoa and chocolate. The truffle tastes like a nut or roasted seeds, and sometimes has a fruity, coconut or chocolate aftertaste. It is prepared with minimal heat treatment; gourmets advise eating it raw so as not to lose its unique aroma and taste. If you send a truffle for storage, it loses most of its qualities.

The mushroom is used as a seasoning for various dishes. It goes well with poultry, steaks, pasta, and omelettes. It is used to prepare sauces, delicious pates, and fillings. Its calorie content is low. Also known beneficial features mushrooms They contain B vitamins (B1, B2), PP, C and essential amino acids. These mushrooms were once used as an aphrodisiac.

Truffle mushroom cannot be stored for a long time: only 2-3 days in the refrigerator at a temperature of +1...+2°C in glass jar or tightly closed container. Fresh mushrooms are purchased during the harvest season. At the same time, restaurants serve a special “truffle menu”. Mushrooms are preserved in cognac, wine, and sometimes special oil or paste is made from them. But the taste of these products is completely different.

Where do truffles grow?

Truffle mushrooms grow in forests of deciduous trees, less often mixed trees. Their mycelium settles on the roots, taking from them everything necessary nutrients. Fruiting bodies that grow at the roots of oak are of particular value; less valuable ones settle near beech, birch, hazel, linden, and poplar. Groups of 3-7 pieces are found near one tree, but often they grow alone. The fruiting bodies lie at a depth of 5 cm to 30 cm (on average 20 cm).

Irina Selyutina (Biologist):

Indeed, truffle mycelium can give rise to 3-7 fruiting bodies, which are usually arranged in a circle, forming a nest. The fruiting bodies here will be of different sizes.

When these valuable mushrooms ripen, the soil above them rises, which for the truffle collector serves as a clear indicator of the presence of fruiting bodies in a given place. Every year there is a gradual growth and expansion of nests. With skillful collection, i.e. preserving the integrity of the mycelium, in these places - truffles, it is possible to harvest in subsequent years.

It takes 3-4 months for a truffle to fully develop.

The habitat of the species is Western and Central Europe, the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Crimea, and the Mediterranean. A specific white Moroccan truffle grows in North Africa. Its mycelium settles on the roots of coniferous trees - cedar, pine, although it can also envelop the root system of oak.

Types of truffles

There are different types of truffles. About a dozen are considered edible, but in total there are more than a hundred of them. At the same time, a number of inedible and poisonous varieties are classified as other genera. Their lifestyle is similar to a real truffle: they also grow underground.

Piedmontese truffle

The Piedmontese truffle, or Italian white truffle, is the most prized truffle in this family. It grows only in certain areas of Piedmont, in northern Italy. It is found in the hilly region around Turin, in Monferrato, Langhe and Roerot. It grows under oaks, willows, poplars, and less often under linden trees. The growing season is from mid-October to mid-February.

Characteristic:

• The fruiting body is tuber-shaped, with numerous outgrowths and deformations.
• The outer shell is yellow-red or yellow-brown, velvety, and fits tightly to the pulp.
• The inner pulp is light (white or cream), less often has a light pink tint or a marbled pattern.
• The size of the fruiting body is 2-12 cm.
• The average weight is 300 g, individual specimens can reach up to 1-1.3 kg.
• The aroma is similar to cheese with garlic, with pronounced musky and earthy notes.

Sometimes this type is called the “Tuscan gold truffle”, its price is the same as what it would be for a gold bar of the same weight. Mushrooms are sold at special truffle auctions, which have been held since 1930. You can taste fresh white truffles in October-January; the most delicious specimens are collected in November and December. At other times of the year, there are only canned ones; they taste much worse.

The cost of white truffle is high, on average 3000-4000 € per 1 kg, sometimes more. The most expensive and largest specimen weighing 1.5 kg was sold for $330,000 US per piece. At auctions, Piedmontese truffles are sold one at a time. The product is wrapped in paper napkins and are shown from smallest to largest.

Each mushroom has its own pedigree, which indicates the time of collection, the tree under which it was found, the name and breed of the dog. Market traders do the same.

Black Perigord truffle

Périgord, or French black truffle, is the second most valuable after white. It is widespread in France (the most productive places are in the southwest of the country), Spain, and Central Italy. This species has now begun to be grown artificially; it was brought to America, Australia, South Africa. Truffle mycelium feels good under oak, less often under others deciduous trees. Mushrooms ripen from November to March. Best period January and February are the months to harvest this winter truffle.

Description of the mushroom:

• The shape of the fruiting body is rounded or slightly elongated.
• The upper layer (peridium) is brown-red, becomes black with age, and is covered with tetrahedral or hexagonal warts.
• The pulp is first gray or red-brown, then turns into black-violet; a marble pattern is clearly visible on the cut.
• Size – about 9 cm in diameter.
• Average weight – 400 g.
• The aroma is nutty, with faint notes of nutmeg and chocolate, the taste is spicy, with a hint of bitterness.

The mycelium of this species is aggressive, it destroys competing plants, so it is easier to find the mushroom underground than others. This can be done along islands of bare soil in those places where truffles are located. It used to be widely cultivated in France, but now harvests there have declined, but it has begun to be grown in China, Australia and other countries.

Black winter truffle

Black winter truffle grows in France, Italy, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Prefers moist soils. The mycelium loves the roots of linden and hazel; this variety is also found under birch and beech trees. Main features:

• The shape is round, sometimes irregularly spherical.
• The upper skin (peridium) changes color with age from red-brown to black, and is covered with small warts.
• The young flesh is white, then acquires a black-violet tone with brown and yellow veins.
• Diameter – 8-12 cm.
• The weight is sometimes 1-1.5 kg.
• The smell is rich, musky.

This variety is harvested from November to February.

Black summer truffle

Russian truffle is the second name for the black summer truffle, found in Scandinavia, Central Europe, and also in Russia. It grows under oak, beech, hornbeam, and rarely under birch or pine trees. Russian truffles ripen from late July to early November.

Main characteristics:

• Round shape of the fruiting body.
• The outer layer is blue-black and warty.
• The pulp is dense at first, then becomes loose and streaked.
• The color of this truffle varies from white-yellow to brown-gray.
• Diameter – 2.5-10 cm.
• Average weight - about 400 g.
• The taste has a pronounced nutty hue with a hint of seaweed.

The peculiarity of this species is its shallow location underground, sometimes the fruiting bodies even come to the surface. These are the only black truffles in Russia.

Black autumn truffle

Autumn or Burgundy truffle is valued lower than its other French and Italian counterparts. It grows in the north-east of France, sometimes in Italy, rarely in England.

What does this mushroom look like:

• The shape is correct, round.
• The outer shell is covered with black tubercles.
• The pulp is dense, brown, with pronounced white veins on the cut, and never becomes loose.
• The taste and aroma are reminiscent of hazelnuts with pronounced chocolate notes.

Truffles of this variety are collected from late July to November.

White Oregon truffle

These mushrooms can only be found in the western part of the United States. They are small, only 2.5-5 cm in diameter, weigh about 250 g. Their feature is their shallow location in the soil. Mushrooms are often found directly under the layer of pine needles. Their taste is characterized by a pronounced herbal and fruity accent.

Himalayan or Chinese truffle

The species was first found in India at the end of the nineteenth century, and then it was found in the Himalayas. Nowadays, varieties of Chinese truffle are grown artificially and exported throughout the world. Their prices are lower, because mushrooms are significantly inferior in taste to their French and Italian counterparts.

This type of truffle looks like a small cone or potato with a dark, uneven skin dotted with cracks. The center is gray-brown, with beige or yellowish veins, hard, smells weak, tastes lean. It is considered a type of black winter truffle.

African truffle

The African truffle mushroom, or steppe, is found in the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The mycelium forms mycorrhiza not with trees, but with herbs: sunflowers and cistus.

Characteristics of the mushroom:

• The shape is round and elongated.
• The cover is brown or brown-yellow, smooth.
• The pulp is mealy, loose, white with brown or yellow veins.
• The diameter of the fruiting body is about 5 cm.
• Mushroom aroma.

This type of truffle is not considered too valuable. It is sought out and eaten by local residents of coastal areas North Africa, also collected in Italy and France.

Red glitter truffle

The red shiny truffle is found in all European countries, in deciduous and mixed forests. The mycelium enters into symbiosis with both foliage and coniferous trees. Collection time is from May to August. The sizes are small, 1-5 cm, weight - up to 50 g. The surface is brown-yellow, the flesh is pink-tinged, soft. The taste and aroma have shades of red wine, pear and coconut.

This species is considered a relative of the red truffle.

Red truffle

Red truffle – common European look, which is characterized by a red tint to the top layer. The flesh is yellow-brown, with a typical marbled pattern. The sizes are small, weight - up to 80 g. The taste is sweetish, “meaty”, with a grassy-coconut tint.

Red truffle has low culinary value.

White March truffle

The white March truffle grows in southern Europe, including the Crimean region. The surface is light brown when young, darkening over time to a reddish-brown hue. The pulp is dense, with a pronounced mushroom aroma and garlic notes in young specimens. In old mushrooms, the smell becomes unpleasant and repulsive.

The fruiting bodies are found under deciduous and coniferous trees and ripen from December to April. The species can be cultivated, but its cost is low.

There are several other types of edible truffles that are not of commercial interest: Durand, variegated, hairy, ocher. The mottled white truffle is used to make oil and is not eaten.

There are several types of mushrooms that do not represent the Truffle genus, but are very similar in appearance. Among them there are edible, conditionally edible and even poisonous.

Most of these species are not specifically collected. They become accidental finds when animals rake through the layer of litter under trees. They are often eaten wild boars, proteins.

The psilocybin species is also known to have hallucinogenic properties, after consuming which a person has bizarre dreams.

How are truffles collected?

Collecting truffles is difficult. Fruiting bodies always form near the roots, so you need to look for them under trees. The black Périgord variety displaces all plants, which is why in the place where it grows there is always a bare patch of soil. Species that grow closer to the surface can displace the soil - small mounds are visible near the trees.

• Hunting for flies: Mushroom pickers focus on specific flies that lay larvae in the fruiting bodies of truffles. They fly in small clouds near the trees where mushrooms grow.

Irina Selyutina (Biologist):

Indeed, this exotic way for our people to search for truffle mushrooms has long been used by residents of the French provinces of Périgord and Vaucluse. Locals It has long been noticed that some species of flies (the so-called “truffle flies”) lay eggs in the soil near truffles. Their larvae use the fruiting bodies of these fungi for food. Having noticed flying insects, people determine the location of truffles.

• Tapping the ground: Another way to look for truffles when picking. A void is formed around the fruiting body, the soil is loosened, so the sound will be louder than above a continuous layer of earth. This method requires considerable experience and keen hearing.
• Collection using animals: Animals help collect mushrooms; this is the most popular way. In northern Italy, specially trained dogs are used for this. They sniff the ground and dig it in the place where the truffles grow. Training requires experience and patience, good search dogs cost about 5000 €. Italian mushroom pickers prefer dark-colored dogs that do not bark. They go out to gather at night to distract competitors: a dark animal is not so noticeable in the forest. Also, at night, odors become stronger, which increases the chances of a successful hunt.

By the way. The domestic pig is good at searching for truffles. These animals love mushrooms, even in the wild they pull them out from under the roots to eat them. The boar can smell the smell from 200-300 m away. With this method of collection, the main thing is to pull the pig away from the tree in time: if it digs up a truffle, it will certainly eat it.

Growing truffles at home

Growing truffles at home is a lucrative business, but it requires a lot of investment and an appropriate level of patience. Harvests begin to be obtained only 5-10 years after the establishment of the grove. Cultivation first began in France in the first half of the 19th century. By the end of the century, thousands of hectares were planted in this country with oak groves containing truffles. France annually supplied about 1000 tons of mushrooms to world markets.

During the First World War, most of the forests were destroyed because... There were intense battles in those places. Seriously affects yield and poor ecological situation. Currently, only 50 tons of truffles are grown in France per year.

Australian, Chinese, Japanese, and American farmers have learned to cultivate this tasty and original mushroom.

However, you should not expect that artificial cultivation of truffles will bring the main income to the owner of the grove. Productivity is unstable, the first fruiting bodies have to wait about 5 years, the main products are obtained between 10 and 20 years of cultivation. Then its quantity gradually begins to fall.

Growing technology

Australian cultivation technology is considered the most productive. Already a year after planting, the first fruits are harvested, and after 5 years they receive up to 20 kg of produce per hectare. Primary requirements:

• The climate should be moderate and humid.
• Soil pH - 7.4-7.9.
• The roots of oak or hazel are suitable for infection with mycelium.

The soil should be dug well; it should contain useful minerals. The soil is fertilized 6-8 months before planting. Carefully remove all weeds (down to the last root). Herbicides and pest control agents are not applied: they will damage the mycelium. The only suitable drug is ammonium glufosinate (a contact non-selective herbicide).

To grow truffles yourself, small tree seedlings are infected with mycelium. First, they are kept in quarantine under sterile conditions for several weeks. Immediately after applying the truffle mycelium, the seedlings are planted in a nursery or greenhouse. On open ground they are transferred after a couple of months, when the height of the tree reaches at least 20 cm. good time for planting - spring, when there is no threat of frost on the ground surface.

Planting depth is 75 cm. The area for one tree is 4x5 m. It is possible to grow up to 500 seedlings per hectare. Around the tree, mulch from fallen leaves and forest litter is laid out in a circle (diameter - 40 cm). The main benefit of mulch is the creation of optimal conditions for the growth of mycelium. Attention! A truffle farm should not be adjacent to willows, poplars, chestnuts, and fir trees.

Truffle mushroom is capricious, so growing it requires patience. It is necessary to constantly check the composition and acidity of the soil to prevent the appearance of weeds. The plantation is fenced to keep small rodents and other animals out. The most realistic way is to grow black truffles.

Searching for truffles as a business idea or additional income

Russian truffle - search with mycologist Vishnevsky, www.grib.tv

Truffles: why so much money?

Conclusion

Truffles are the most expensive mushrooms in the world. They are capricious, so the annual harvest is small. Plus, they grow underground, making them difficult to find, which also affects the cost. It is possible to grow these mushrooms yourself, but waiting for the first harvest may take at least about 5 years.

Truffle (Latin – Tuber) is a unique edible mushroom, represented by the Truffleaceae genus of the order Peziziales. It has an original appearance and unusual taste. Therefore, many will be able to appreciate it.

Description

The fruiting bodies are round or tuberous in shape. They can reach from 2.5 to 10 cm. Their surface is dark in color - they have a blue-black or brownish-black tint. There are often warts on the surface, however, truffles with a smooth surface can also be found.
The truffle pulp is dense. And when the marsupial mushroom reaches maturity, it becomes loose. It may be whitish and, as it ages, take on a yellow-brown hue. The cut has veins that give the mushroom a marbled color. The taste of truffle pulp is sweet, it vaguely resembles a nut. The aroma of the mushroom is pleasant, it is very similar to the smell of algae.

Varieties of truffles

Truffle mushrooms come in the following types:

Summer. It can be found in central Europe and Russia. He is often called the “black Russian”. It is not of great value. Grows in summer and September.

Ginger. This mushroom grows in North America and Europe. It can also be found in Siberia.

White truffle mushroom. It is quite easy to find in the northern regions of Italy, as well as in France. It is also called "Italian". The surface of such a truffle is brown and has a light color. The inside of the mushroom is dense and whitish – it also has a marble pattern. This species is collected in October.

Black truffle mushroom. This mushroom is the most valuable among truffles. It grows in France. Its color is reddish-brown and the flesh is dark. It has a pleasant smell and taste. This truffle grows in winter and is collected from January to March.

Winter truffle. Grows in France and Switzerland. It is also rarely found on the territory of Ukraine. The ripening period of this species is from November to March.

Where does it grow?

Truffle is an underground mushroom. It can often be found at shallow depths. And old truffles may appear on the surface. It grows in deciduous and mixed forests and loves calcareous soil. Truffles are often found under the roots of oaks, birches, hornbeams, and beeches.
This species has become widespread in Central Europe. In Russia it can be found in the Caucasus.

Who helps you look for truffles? The search for such mushrooms is often carried out by specially trained dogs and pigs. Yellow flies often fly over truffle growing areas.

Truffle mushroom can be stored for no more than 2-4 days after collection, which is why you can buy fresh truffles only during the collection period. Such mushrooms cannot be bought in ordinary supermarkets. They can be purchased in special departments and directly from suppliers.
Most often, truffles are purchased in small quantities for restaurants. For longer storage, they can be canned or frozen. Truffles are transported in special containers that are immersed in olive oil.

What is the value of truffles?

It is believed that growing such expensive mushrooms is not so easy, which is why the price for such a product is at a high level. The cost of 1 kg of quality truffles is around 400 euros. This delicacy is not available to every person.

Main characteristics

TO characteristic features truffles include:
This trib is a real delicacy.
They have a mushroom taste, mixed with the taste of seeds and nuts. Truffle dipped in water is very similar to soy sauce.
Truffle has a strong, characteristic odor.

Chemical composition

When consuming truffle mushrooms, each person receives:
Vitamins B1, B2, C, PP.
Squirrels.
Carbohydrates.
Pheromones.
Minerals.
Antioxidants.
Alimentary fiber.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of truffle mushrooms include the following:
The presence of pheromones that are part of mushrooms. They have an impact on a person's emotional state.
This variety has a large amount of antioxidants.
Truffle juice can cure eye disease.
A person suffering from gout will get many benefits by consuming truffles.

Harm

Like other types of mushrooms, truffles can cause harm to the body. This can happen when:
Individual intolerance.
Having digestive problems.

Applications of truffles

Truffles are most widely used in cooking. The following information will be useful for every housewife:
When preparing a truffle dish, one serving should contain from 5 to 8 grams of mushrooms. Weighing is carried out very carefully.
Often truffle is a simple addition to the main dish. The mushroom is cut on a grater.
It goes well with foods that do not have a pronounced taste.
In French cooking, truffles are combined with eggs, poultry, fruits and lobsters.
The mushroom can be served in its pure form. But in order to give it even more flavor, it is worth serving it with wine or cream sauce.
Small truffles are often used as a filling for pies. They are also used to create truffle sauce.
Snails are decorated with slices of truffles, black caviar and other exotic dishes.

Truffle (Tuber) is a marsupial-type mushroom that forms underground tuberous and fleshy fruiting bodies. This is the most expensive and valuable mushroom delicacy.

Despite the fact that the fruiting bodies of the marsupial variety do not look very attractive, the finished mushroom dishes have an excellent taste and a distinctive, incredibly pleasant smell. Dishes based on such a product are highly valued not only in restaurants in our country, but also among foreign consumers.

What do truffles look like?

The fruiting body grows underground, It has a round or tuberous shape and also has a fleshy or cartilaginous structure. Apothecia in an adult truffle are usually closed and can vary in size from the diameter of a hazelnut to the diameter of a fairly large potato tuber. The outer side of the fruiting bodies is represented by a leathery layer called peridium. The surface of the peridium can be smooth, cracked, or covered with warts of the polyhedral type. The cut has a marble pattern represented by alternating light veins or “internal veins” and dark veins or “external veins.”

Truffle is the most expensive and valuable mushroom delicacy

Where do truffles grow in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus?

Valuable fruiting bodies are sought in deciduous forests, where they are capable of forming mycorrhizae with woody roots. For example, the black truffle has a very expressive smell and most often grows next to oaks, beeches, hornbeam and hazel, while the white truffle has a milder aroma and creates mycorrhiza with birch, poplar, elm, linden, rowan and hawthorn. Ideal places for growth are considered to be Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany.

On the territory of our country, this valuable mushroom grows extremely rarely in the Moscow, Vladimir, Tula, Oryol and Smolensk regions, but is quite often found in Black Sea coast Caucasus, as well as in the Middle Volga region. In Ukraine, the optimal soil and climatic conditions for truffles are the Lviv region, the Carpathians and the Khmelnitsky region, as well as the territory of Transcarpathia. On the territory of Belarus, a unique mushroom is found in the forests of the Svisloch-Berezinsky reserve.

Gallery: truffle mushrooms (25 photos)

Where do truffles grow (video)

Taste and nutritional value of truffles

The undoubted benefits of fruiting bodies, as well as their nutritional value and excellent taste are determined by the chemical composition:

• proteins – 3.0 g;
• fat – 0.5 g;
• carbohydrates – 2.0 g;
• dietary fiber – 1.0 g;
• water – 90.0 g;
• ash – 1.0 g;
• vitamin B1 or thiamine – 0.02 mg;
• vitamin B2 or riboflavin – 0.4 mg;
• vitamin “C” or ascorbic acid – 6.0 mg;
• vitamin “PP” – 9.5 mg;
• niacin – 9.0 mg;
• monosaccharides and disaccharides – 1.0 g.

The average energy value varies depending on the species, but most often it is 22-24 kcal.

About the benefits of truffle mushrooms

The benefits of truffles are not in doubt. Fruiting bodies are a source of vitamins, which are especially important at the stage of active, rapid growth processes. Besides everything else, This product is an excellent antioxidant that helps rejuvenate the body.. The ability of the marsupial fungus to manifest itself as a very strong and effective aphrodisiac is also well known. Cosmetics based on this mushroom make wrinkles less noticeable, get rid of age spots and tighten the skin. Truffle also helps to get rid of chronic fatigue and loss of strength.

Types of truffle mushrooms

Several types of truffles are well known, differing not only in their appearance, but also in taste and nutritional value.

T.aestivum - forms an underground modified apothecium, which has a tuberous or round shape with a brownish-black or bluish-black surface on which black pyramidal warts are located. The pulp, depending on the stage of development, can be very dense or more loose, whitish or brownish-grayish-yellow with the presence of light veins that form a marble pattern. The taste is high. The pulp has a nutty and sweetish taste, as well as a very pleasant and pronounced aroma with slightly herbaceous notes. The spores are yellow-brown, fusiform or oval in shape, with a very characteristic reticulate type. Fruits in summer or in the first ten days of autumn.

T.brumale - forms irregular spherical or almost round fruiting bodies with a peridium covered with polygonal or shield-shaped warts, sometimes of a deep type. The outer part is red-violet or black. The color of the pulp changes from white to grayish or grayish-violet with a large number of white and yellowish-brown marbled veins. The spores are ellipsoidal or oval in shape, different in size, brown in color, with curved surface spines. It bears fruit from November to the last ten days of spring.

Italian or Piedmontese truffle

T.magnatum - forms underground type modified apothecia, represented by uneven and tuberous bodies with an uneven surface, covered with thin and velvety, light ocher or slightly brownish skin, which is not separated from the pulp. The internal structure is dense, whitish or yellowish-gray in color, sometimes with a reddish tint. The pulp is characterized by the presence of a white and creamy-brown marbled pattern, with a pleasant and spicy aroma reminiscent of garlic cheese. The spores are yellowish-brown, oval-shaped, with a reticulate pattern. Fruiting bodies are collected from the last ten days of September until the end of January.

Périgord or black truffle

T.melanosporum - forms modified underground tuberous apothecia, round or irregular in shape, with a reddish-brown or coal-black surface that changes color to orange when pressed. The skin is covered with numerous small multifaceted irregularities. The structure is solid, light gray or pinkish-brown in color with a whitish or reddish-pink marbled pattern on the cut. The pulp has a very strong and characteristic aroma, as well as a pleasant bitter taste. The spores are dark brown, fusiform or oval in shape, with a curve. Collection takes place from November to March.

Truffles are sometimes classified as other varieties that have similar fruiting bodies. Most often they belong to the genus Choiromyces, Elaromyces and Terfezia:

• Terfetia lion yellow- a North African variety that has a rounded and uneven shape, as well as a brownish or whitish-yellow coloration of the surface. The pulp is light in color, mealy, moist, with pronounced whitish streaks and brown spots;
• Elaphomyces granularis– characterized by the presence of an outer crust, on top of which numerous small warts are densely located. Fruit bodies with an ocher-brown or yellowish-ocher surface covering white or grayish flesh.

The Caucasian variety Terfezia transcaucasica, well known as tombalan, grows on the territory of our country. A variety of marsupial fungi, quite widespread in Azerbaijan and the Absheron Peninsula, as well as in Nagorno-Karabakh and Central Asia.

Beneficial properties of truffle mushrooms (video)

How and when to look for truffles correctly

Collection of fully ripened fruiting bodies is carried out, as a rule, in the last ten days of summer or at the beginning autumn period. Most often, mushrooms of this species grow in clearings well illuminated by sunlight, along the edge of an oak grove, near birch groves, and can also be found in aspen and alder plantings. To determine the location of mushrooms, pigs and dogs are specially trained, they have the best sense of smell, which helps to find mushrooms due to their very unique and quite strong aroma.

Truffle sites can be easily identified by the presence of a grayish-ashy coloring of the soil, as well as the appearance of withered or stunted mosses and grass. As a rule, fruiting bodies are represented by several specimens in one place, some of which can sometimes protrude above ground level. It is best to collect fruiting bodies in the evening. In many countries, specially trained domestic or farm animals are used to search for mushrooms.

Features of growing truffles at home

Difficulties in growing, the seasonality of obtaining fruiting bodies, as well as high taste and aromatic qualities explain the high cost of such a product. Despite the fact that it is customary to grow truffle plantations en masse in many foreign countries, but you can also get quite decent yields at home. To properly grow valuable bodies, you need to adhere to the following recommendations and step-by-step technology:

• purchase on a substrate or special substrate;
• harvesting fallen oak, walnut, beech branches and foliage, as well as moss;
• purchasing peat nutrient substrate for cultivating indoor plants;
• choosing a tree and digging several holes around it up to a quarter of a meter deep and up to 10 cm in diameter;
• filling each dug hole ½ full with prepared nutritious peat substrate;
• laying mushroom mycelium and sprinkling it with a nutritious peat substrate, followed by dense compaction;
• abundant watering of the mushroom planting with rain or melt water;
• laying the prepared mixture based on foliage, moss and branches, followed by watering.

The timing of the appearance of the first harvest directly depends on the soil and weather conditions, as well as the quality characteristics of planting material. As a rule, the first fruiting occurs after three to four years.

You can also get quite a decent yield of truffles at home

How to properly cook truffle mushrooms

This valuable delicacy forest product must be properly prepared. A very tasty and original combination can be obtained from mushrooms with pasta, rice and eggs. One of the most popular dishes served in famous establishments is “Truffles in Champagne”, To prepare it you will need:

• prepare a fatty broth from a liter of water and 500 g of pork, which should be cooked for about an hour and a half;
• cut four fruiting bodies into thin slices and place in a saucepan, adding about 100 g of pork lard and not a large number of meat broth;
• After boiling, add 2/3 cup of champagne.

The resulting composition is cooked over very low heat for half an hour, after which the dish is decorated and served.

“Pasta with anchovies and truffle” is a very original and delicious dish. To prepare, you need to finely chop one truffle and five anchovies, then chop four garlic cloves using a press. Place the chopped mushrooms and anchovies in a well-heated olive oil in a shallow frying pan, then add all the chopped garlic, some black pepper and a small amount of red pepper. Salt is added to taste. The mixture, fried for a couple of minutes, is added to the pasta, previously boiled until fully cooked. The finished dish must be seasoned with grated Parmesan before serving.

How to cook truffle mushrooms (video)

How to properly store fresh truffles

The average shelf life of freshly picked truffle fruit bodies, regardless of the type, is not too long. To experience the unique and very refined mushroom aroma, it is necessary to prepare the dish within several hours, as soon as possible, preferably immediately after collecting the fruiting bodies.

Several methods can be used to extend the shelf life. Storing the collected fruiting bodies in rice has proven to work best, and storing the most valuable mushrooms in oil allows you to give it a simply unique and very mild aroma. For the purpose of maximum long-term storage, it is advisable to freeze freshly harvested truffle fruit bodies.

Gallery: truffle mushrooms (40 photos)

What is a truffle, calorie content and chemical composition. Beneficial properties of the delicacy and harm from consumption. Mushroom recipes and Interesting Facts about a haute cuisine product.

The content of the article:

Truffle is a valuable mushroom from the genus Marsupials, species Petsitsev. The delicacy is so prized that it was once sold for its weight in gold. True truffles are the fruiting bodies of the genus Tuber and are called “real” truffles. Unscrupulous sellers may sell analogs that are similar in appearance - from the genera Elaphomyces, Choiromyces and Terfezia. Fake delicacies are not poisonous, but have no value. Externally, truffles resemble fleshy tubers. The color can be black, white or yellow. The skin-shell is thin, and the tender flesh in cross-section resembles marble with many veins. Mushroom sizes range from small peas to medium-sized grapefruits. The most prized varieties are those growing in Italy and France - black and white truffles. In Ukraine, Russia and Belarus there is a summer truffle, which is not valued. Gourmets believe that mushrooms grown artificially are not as tasty as those growing in the wild. Although this may be a bias.

Composition and calorie content of truffle

The calorie content of truffle per 100 g is only 22-24 kcal, of which:

• Proteins - 3 g;
• Fats - 0.5 g;
• Carbohydrates - 2 g;
• Dietary fiber - 1 g;
• Ash - 1 g;
• Water - 90 g.

• Vitamin PP (Niacin equivalent) - 9.498 mg;
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - 6 mg;
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 0.4 mg;
• Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 0.02 mg;
• Vitamin B3 (PP) - 9 mg.

The amount of mineral acids and amino acids is insignificant, in thousandths of milligrams.

The benefits of truffle are provided by:

1. Niacin equivalent, without which organic metabolic processes - protein and oxidative - are impossible. Functions of the vitamin: regulation of cholesterol levels in the blood, reducing the risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system, eliminating vascular spasms, lowering blood sugar levels.
2. Ascorbic acid prevents cancer of the large intestine, helps to fully absorb calcium and iron from food, and increases general and local immunity of the body.
3. Vitamin B3 stimulates the production of testosterone and estrogen, normalizes the functioning of the endocrine system and adrenal glands, and has an antioxidant effect.

Useful properties of truffle

Additional beneficial properties of truffle:

• Increases immune status;
• Stops the development of degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the musculoskeletal system and prevents inflammatory processes, arthritis of all types;
• Eliminates nervous disorders, has a sedative and calming effect;
• Improves visual function;
• Has an antioxidant effect;
• Stimulates the regeneration of organic tissues at the cellular level, accelerates the restoration of the skin in dermatological diseases;
• Prevents malignancy of tumors;
• Improves the condition of patients with Alzheimer's disease;
• Increases the tone of blood vessels and muscle fibers located in the dermis, rejuvenates and prevents sclerosis of blood vessels;
• In the last stages of diabetes mellitus, it alleviates the patient’s condition, softens the manifestation of symptoms that cause discomfort - reduces dry mouth and flaking of the skin, the number of pigmented areas.

Harm and contraindications to eating truffle

But truffles, like all mushrooms, accumulate toxins and heavy metals that saturate the air and soil. Therefore, you should not eat mushrooms that were collected in environmentally unfavorable areas.

When collecting truffles, you should choose protected areas where no human has literally set foot. Also, you should not order dishes from them in cheap restaurants - they are unlikely to offer real expensive mushrooms. If you do not follow the recommendations, after enjoying the taste you may end up in a hospital bed.

Truffle recipes

Recipes with truffles:

1. Paste. To get a rich mushroom taste, just add 1 valuable mushroom to the dish. Soak 30 g white dried mushrooms in water so that it covers the fruiting bodies completely. Then the water is carefully decanted - it will be needed later, and the mushrooms are cut into slices and fried in olive oil for 10 minutes. During frying, 2 minutes before the end of the process, add 2-3 cloves of garlic and a shallot. Pour mushroom water into the frying pan and simmer until the liquid has evaporated by half. Ready-made pasta 1 kg: cook according to the instructions, adding 70-80 g of cream 3 minutes before the end of cooking. Sprinkle the pasta with 1 tablespoon of truffle oil, mix with fried mushrooms, grated Parmesan, salt and herbs to taste. Bake the peeled truffle in a hot oven for 2 minutes, grate and add to the dish. If the truffle is white, then it is grated raw.
2. Poulards with truffles. Poulard is what French chefs call large broilers. First they do the poolard: they wash it clean, make an incision along the spine and remove all the bones except the legs and wings. Then rub it with flour. A regular chicken is cut up and the giblets are removed. Everything is stewed separately: giblets separately, white meat separately and dark meat separately. The meat is mixed with cream - take a glass of it. Peel pistachios - 50 g, finely grate 1 large truffle. Pour pistachios and truffle into the giblets and stir until completely homogeneous. Carefully, so as not to shake off the flour, place the poulard on a napkin, and layer the filling inside: dark minced meat, white minced meat, giblets with mushrooms and nuts, again white meat and dark. The poolard is sewn up and wrapped in an ordinary clean canvas napkin soaked in oil. Separately, steep chicken broth is cooked from the bones of both birds. When it is boiled, put a napkin with poulard into it and cook until the napkin swells with a bubble. Before serving, remove the threads and cut into portions. Potato or pumpkin puree and basmati rice are suitable as a side dish.
3. . An ordinary omelette turns into a gourmet dish thanks to pieces of black truffle. 10 g of mushroom pulp is enough to make a 3-egg omelet an exquisite delicacy. Beat the eggs, adding 1 teaspoon of sour cream, adding a little salt. If it is impossible to imagine a dish without pepper, use white pepper. Add finely chopped mushroom pulp and let it brew for 5 minutes. Pour the egg mixture into a hot frying pan greased with butter and fry on both sides. The surface should remain slightly moist - no need to overcook. Before serving, sprinkle with herbs. To make the dish more satisfying, add a tablespoon of flour when mixing the egg mixture.
4. Truffle Pie. The preparation takes a long time, but the taste is worth it. 800 g of pork, a mixture of loin and neck, cut into small cubes and marinated in a mixture of cognac and white wine - 20 and 150 g - with various spices, pepper mixture, cloves, basil and coriander. Spices are chosen to taste. The meat is marinated for 10-12 hours. Using a blender, prepare the dough: 2 eggs, 150 g of melted butter, a glass of water, a teaspoon of vinegar, 250 g of flour, salt, 110 g of starch. Ready dough Wrap in cellophane and put in the refrigerator for 4 hours. When all the ingredients are ready, take out the dough, roll out some of it, and place it in a baking container. Peel the nuts - pistachios are combined to taste with truffles - 50 g, add mushroom pulp cut into small pieces and pour everything into the marinated meat, stirring. Beat the eggs - they are necessary to grease the pie. The meat is placed in the dough, covered with another layer, forming a closed pie, and allowed to stand for a while so that it rises. When the dough “comes to life”, brush it with egg, make cuts, insert foil funnels into them to allow steam to escape, and send the pie to the oven. Bake at 190°C for one and a half hours. While the cake is baking, dilute a package of gelatin 15 g in hot water, cool to 40°C. After the cake is cooked, pour gelatin into the funnels, cool the cake to room temperature and put it in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Serve cold.
5. Mushroom sauce. A stick of butter is left to melt at room temperature in a deep enamel bowl (or pan). 1 truffle for approximately 20 g is chopped into pieces, chopped greens: a tablespoon of green onions, garlic, parsley and dill, half a teaspoon of basil, rosemary, tarragon. You can use dried seasonings by adding half a teaspoon of herbes de Provence. Beat the greens with butter until smooth, put everything on cellophane, roll it into a sausage and put it in the freezer to freeze. Use in pieces, placing on hot meat or fish. This addition significantly improves the taste of the dish.

The first culinary recipes were offered by Italian chefs, then the inhabitants of France, the provinces of Aquitaine and Provence began to extract the valuable product.

In Rus', bears were trained to search for mushrooms. Despite the fact that their teeth were first pulled out, harvesting was very dangerous for the owner of the animal - the animals refused to share. The method of collecting truffles with the help of dogs or pigs has become very popular.

Truffles are collected at night: at this time of day, the mushrooms, which lie underground at a depth of 20 cm, emit such a strong aroma that animals can easily catch it.

Experienced mushroom pickers forage for mushrooms during the day, independently, focusing on swarms of truffle flies. Insects lay eggs near the fruiting body, the larvae feed on truffles and quickly mature. By the swarm swirling above the ground, mushroom pickers understand that there is a mushroom plantation here.

When harvesting truffles, under no circumstances should you damage the fruiting body or mycelium. In the first case, the mushroom will not be of any value; in the second, the mycelium quickly dies.

The most valuable mushroom varieties are black, winter, blue and Italian. Gourmets describe the aroma of mushrooms as the smell of an autumn forest. It contains the moisture of falling trees, notes of musk, and the smell of fresh earth.

Polish and white truffles are found on the territory of Ukraine and Russia, but it is impossible to collect a large harvest, the myceliums are not large. White truffle looks like a potato tuber, and its taste is not pronounced enough.

Truffle breeding is expensive, it is necessary to ensure a soil composition reminiscent natural conditions, maintain constant humidity, provide conditions for symbiosis - mushrooms prefer oaks. First, an oak grove is planted, and when it gets stronger, the mycelium is sown.

Chinese farmers successfully completed the task: by 2005, 40 tons of valuable mushrooms were sold to French restaurants. Despite the fact that real connoisseurs of the delicate dish protest against such a replacement - the Chinese counterfeit is not very similar in taste to the original, restaurateurs are ready to purchase mushrooms with a less pronounced taste at a lower price.

Watch the video about truffle: