The white truffle season has arrived. In these parts of Italy renowned for their truffles such as the iconic Alba in Piedmont and San Miniato in Tuscany – the location of two of the most important fairs of this sector: Alba from 8 October to 4 December and San Miniato during the last three weekends of November – truffles can be found all year round thanks to the seasonal varieties: in autumn and in the first months of winter there is the White Truffle; late in winter, the Black Truffle and the Muscat truffle; in spring, the whitish truffle; in summer and in autumn, the summer truffle and the burgundy truffle.

The white truffle is the most prized among all truffles. A nugget of white truffle from Alba or San Miniato can cost several thousand of euros per kilo, but it guarantees an unforgettable experience for your nose and mouth. Today, it is also becoming increasingly popular the Truffle Experience: going truffle hunting with a truffle picker and a dog in the places where they grow and where expert truffle hunters look for them. The spectacular truffles are in fact fungi that hide underground, waiting to be hunted, found and picked.

One of these events is the Alla Scoperta del Tartufo (about 4 hours between the truffle hunting and the tasting) which is held in the estate of the most famous truffle hunters of Tuscany, the Savini.  The highlight of the hunt is the search for the truffles in the estate of Cumoli between Pisa, Florence and Siena, a land where the best autumn products are grown. For those passionate for gourmet recipes, there is also a cookery course (5 hours) held by the chef of Savini Tartufi where you can learn how to make the best use of both fresh truffles and processed truffles in the preparation of some traditional dishes.

In Piedmont, the Consorzio Turistico Langhe Monferrato Roero organises guided hunts in the woods on Saturdays and Sundays in October and November with the best “trifolau” in the area. Also, the hotel Casa di Langa, which overlooks 40 hectares of breathtaking landscapes of vineyards and hazelnut groves, provides for its guests the services of a Truffle Concierge starting from September and a special fridge to preserve their truffles.

(photo: Casa di Langa; article by Letizia Cigliutti)