Where real expensive truffles grow in Russia - the places where black and white grow. Precious Mushroom. Why are truffles so expensive What is a black truffle

Truffle is a favorite mushroom of all gourmets, proudly bearing the title of the most expensive product in its category. It is valuable for three factors at once: amazing taste, beneficial properties and aphrodisiac qualities. Next, we offer a closer look at this fungus. First, we will tell and show in the photo what a truffle looks like, what are its features and what are its varieties. And then we will figure out how to pick the mushroom correctly and where it grows in Russia. But first things first.

The fruit body of the truffle has a rounded or tuberous shape and in its dimensions the advantage resembles a nut. In rare cases, the mushroom is so large that it looks like a full-fledged potato. The outer layer of the truffle can be either smooth, or cut with small cracks, or covered with multifaceted warts. In cross section, the fungus has a pronounced marble texture, which is formed by the interweaving of light "internal veins" and dark "external veins". Numerous spore bags are located on these veins.

Truffles are primarily known for their culinary properties. They are actively used in many national cuisines for making sauces, pastes, fillings for all kinds of pastries, and also as an addition to seafood or poultry. Often the mushroom is served as an independent dish.

Truffle - a valuable and healthy mushroom

Another feature of truffles is a useful composition. Mushrooms contain:

• vitamins of groups C, B and PP;
• vegetable proteins;
• antioxidants;
• fiber;
• carbohydrates;
• minerals.

Truffle juice is useful for various kinds of eye diseases, and mushroom pulp effectively helps to relieve the pain of gout. Ripe mushrooms are known to contain a small amount of anandamide, which has a calming effect on the nervous system. In addition, truffles contain strong pheromones that improve the emotional background of a person.

Important! There are no serious contraindications for truffles, but their use is possible only if two conditions are met: the absence of an allergy to penicillin and the freshness of the product.

Types of truffles

There are more than a hundred varieties of truffles in the world, which are classified according to three factors: biological group, gastronomic value, geographical group. The most common among them are the following mushrooms:

Growing and harvesting truffles

The search and collection of mushrooms is very difficult, as truffles are rarely shown on the surface of the soil. And they do not grow in all countries. So, in Russia there are only some types of mushrooms:

• Black summer - grow on the Black Sea coast and in the Caucasus, mainly in deciduous forests. Often settle in the root system of beech or oak. You can collect them all summer season and at the very beginning of autumn.
• Black winter - most often found in the Caucasus in forest areas with calcareous soils. Ripe from January to March.
• White - grow in several regions of Russia at once: Moscow, Tula, Smolensk, Oryol. They ripen from mid-autumn to early winter, but the most suitable picking period is the second half of October.

Advice. You can recognize the area of ​​active growth of truffles by the state of the ground and vegetation: the soil in such zones is gray-ashy in color, and the vegetation is somewhat stunted. Also, mushrooms can "give out" numerous midges above the earth tubercles, under which the fruits are hidden.

Truffles are searched for with the help of trained pigs or dogs: mushrooms have a strong specific smell that animals can smell even at a great distance. A kind of "hunting" is recommended to be carried out at night.

Dogs help look for truffles

Mushrooms should be consumed within 3-4 days after harvest. Only freezing or canning will help increase the shelf life of the product.

As you can see, the high cost of a truffle is fully justified by its advantages: unique taste, a wide maneuver for culinary experiments, and a positive effect on the human body. And no matter how difficult the processes of searching, collecting and storing a mushroom are, all these difficulties absolutely pale in comparison with the valuable properties of the product.

Finding truffles in Russia: video

“Tell me, what is a “black truffle”? Can it be grown at home?

Sofia Petrovna Zolotenko, Dnepropetrovsk

Indeed, the question of the genus Truffle is now of interest to many.

Black truffle - who is he?

Black truffle (or Perigord) is very interesting in itself and has been widely popular in cooking for many years, because it has extraordinary taste qualities.

Black truffle is considered a real treasure of the French. In general, truffles are called gourmet mushrooms, royal mushrooms, "black diamonds", because they have no equal in the whole world. But even these colorful epithets do not give a true picture of the truffles themselves.

The secret of the life of the black truffle

Many mysteries surround truffles. So, no one in nature has ever seen how they grow. Even those who have been collecting them for years. After all, the whole life of a truffle takes place underground and is completely dependent on trees or shrubs, the roots of which become their breadwinners, sharing carbohydrate reserves.

For a long time, truffle breeding was a mystery. In ordinary mushrooms, everything is simple: their spores are carried by wind or water. But truffle spores are spread exclusively by animals. Indeed, in order to give offspring, this fungus must be found, dug up, eaten, allowed into the intestines of forest gourmets and evacuated from there along with natural fertilizer. Only then will it be able to germinate in a new place and start the next life chain.

To attract animals, the fungus, hidden in the soil, has one and only lure - aroma. But not all truffles smell appetizing. For the most part, they exude a stench similar to the smell of rotten herring or rotting onions. And only a few types of underground mushrooms, among which the place of honor is black perigord truffle pleasant to the person.

Domestication of the truffle

Attempts to "domesticate" truffles have been going on for a long time. Considered a delicacy, black truffle costs several thousand euros per 1 kg. Therefore, the idea of ​​growing truffles at home is very tempting. But if it were as simple as, for example, growing mushrooms, then the truffle would be freely available.

In Ukraine, several types of truffles grow in oak and beech forests. Summer truffle is often found in the Crimea. These can be found even in the vicinity of Kyiv. All types of truffles are listed in the Red Book. And at the beginning of the last century, they were massively collected in Ukraine and sold to France.

However, by creating the appropriate conditions, it is very possible to grow black truffles.

Black truffle - royal mushroom

Growing technology

The most successful technology for growing truffles is Australian. It allows you to get up to 4 kg / ha in a year. In the future (after 5 years), up to 20 kg of truffles can be harvested from one hectare. The Australians themselves say that although this method of growing a delicacy is costly, given the cost of mushrooms, it pays off.

The culture of truffles in Ukraine is almost forgotten. But this does not mean that this fungus cannot be here at all. In Tasmania, for example, where the climate is continental, truffles have never grown. And the first outlandish mushroom was grown there in 1995. Now there are 55 truffle farms in the Australian state. This delicacy is sold depending on the type, quality and demand. Prices start from 1200 euros per kilogram!

Truffles are grown in several stages.

Infection

Seedlings of holm oak and pedunculate oak (common hazel is also used), which grow well in Ukraine, infect black French truffle mycelium.

To get a well-developed mycorrhiza on the roots of plants, it is better to infect not young plants, but seedlings.

In oak seedlings, the main root is initially formed, and then the main stem. Only in the first year the root can reach 50 cm in length. Higher growth rates of the root, compared to the stem, persist over the next few years, which contributes to the high viability of plants in different conditions.

Seedlings are kept under sterile conditions for several weeks in order for the mycelium to take root. After a successful inoculation, seedlings should be planted in a nursery, which should be under strict quarantine for the first months.

The final engraftment of mycorrhiza lasts about a year, until the sprouts reach a height of 20 cm.

Site selection and preparation

The choice of the place where these delicacies will be grown is very important:

• soil pH should not be less than 7.5; the optimal level is 7.9;
• the soil should be high in humus, calcium, well aerated, without stones;
• before planting seedlings, it is necessary to carry out deep mechanical processing;
• there should be no other competing mushrooms in the soil;
• at the time of planting and during the first two years, weeds should not be allowed around young oaks;
• relatively dry climate (this condition is more important for oaks than for truffles);
• the average temperature in summer is within 16.5 - 22°C;
• the territory should not be too relief, so that the mechanical tillage of the nursery is not complicated.

Tuberaceae). The name comes from the historical region of Perigord in France.

Description

The strong smell of the fungus attracts feral pigs, which dig up the fruiting bodies and promote the spread of spores. In truffles, red fly larvae develop, adult insects often swarm above the ground, this can be used to search for fruiting bodies.

Season: from November to March, the collection is usually made in the first months of the year.

Mushrooms are traditionally collected with the help of trained pigs, but since these animals destroy the forest soil, dogs have also been trained for this purpose.

Similar species

• Summer truffle ( Tuber aestivum) has lighter flesh, not as flavorful.
• Winter truffle ( Tuber brumale) is found in more northern regions.
• Tuber macrosporum has an almost smooth surface.

Nutritional qualities

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Literature

• Mushrooms: A Handbook / Per. from ital. F. Dvin. - M .: "Astrel", "AST", 2001. - S. 281. - ISBN 5-17-009961-4.
• Grunert G. Mushrooms / trans. with him. - M .: "Astrel", "AST", 2001. - S. 276. - (Guide to nature). - ISBN 5-17-006175-7.
• Lesso T. Mushrooms, determinant / transl. from English. L. V. Garibova, S. N. Lekomtseva. - M .: "Astrel", "AST", 2003. - S. 258. - ISBN 5-17-020333-0.
• Udu J. Mushrooms. Encyclopedia = Le grand livre des Champignons / per. from fr. - M .: "Astrel", "AST", 2003. - S. 171. - ISBN 5-271-05827-1.

Links

• - article in the magazine "Around the World"

Notes

An excerpt characterizing the black truffle

“Look for books, books,” said another peasant, who was carrying out the library cabinets of Prince Andrei. - You do not cling! And it’s heavy, guys, the books are healthy!
- Yes, they wrote, they didn’t walk! - a tall chubby man said with a significant wink, pointing to the thick lexicons lying on top.

Rostov, not wanting to impose his acquaintance on the princess, did not go to her, but remained in the village, waiting for her to leave. Having waited for Princess Mary's carriages to leave the house, Rostov mounted on horseback and accompanied her on horseback to the path occupied by our troops, twelve miles from Bogucharov. In Jankovo, at the inn, he took leave of her respectfully, for the first time allowing himself to kiss her hand.
“You’re not ashamed,” blushing, he answered Princess Marya to the expression of gratitude for her salvation (as she called his act), “every guard would have done the same. If we only had to fight with the peasants, we would not let the enemy go so far, ”he said, ashamed of something and trying to change the conversation. “I am only happy to have had the opportunity to meet you. Farewell, princess, I wish you happiness and consolation and wish to meet you under happier conditions. If you don't want to make me blush, please don't thank me.
But the princess, if she did not thank him more with words, thanked him with the whole expression of her face, beaming with gratitude and tenderness. She couldn't believe him, that she had nothing to thank him for. On the contrary, for her it was undoubtedly that if he were not there, then she probably would have to die from both the rebels and the French; that he, in order to save her, exposed himself to the most obvious and terrible dangers; and even more undoubted was the fact that he was a man with a lofty and noble soul, who knew how to understand her position and grief. His kind and honest eyes, with tears coming out of them, while she herself, crying, spoke to him about her loss, did not go out of her imagination.
When she said goodbye to him and was left alone, Princess Mary suddenly felt tears in her eyes, and then, not for the first time, she asked herself a strange question, does she love him?
On the way further to Moscow, despite the fact that the situation of the princess was not joyful, Dunyasha, who was traveling with her in the carriage, noticed more than once that the princess, leaning out of the carriage window, smiled joyfully and sadly at something.
“Well, what if I did love him? thought Princess Mary.
No matter how ashamed she was to admit to herself that she was the first to love a man who, perhaps, would never love her, she consoled herself with the thought that no one would ever know this and that it would not be her fault if she didn’t talking about loving the one she loved for the first and last time.
Sometimes she remembered his views, his participation, his words, and it seemed to her that happiness was not impossible. And then Dunyasha noticed that she, smiling, was looking out the window of the carriage.
“And he should have come to Bogucharovo, and at that very moment! thought Princess Mary. - And it was necessary for his sister to refuse Prince Andrei! - And in all this, Princess Mary saw the will of providence.
The impression made on Rostov by Princess Marya was very pleasant. When he thought about her, he felt cheerful, and when his comrades, learning about the adventure that had happened with him in Bogucharov, joked to him that he, having gone for hay, picked up one of the richest brides in Russia, Rostov became angry. He was angry precisely because the idea of ​​​​marrying a pleasant for him, meek Princess Marya with a huge fortune more than once came to his mind against his will. For himself, Nikolai could not wish for a better wife than Princess Mary: marrying her would make the Countess, his mother, happy, and improve his father’s affairs; and even—Nikolai felt it—would have made Princess Marya happy. But Sonya? And this word? And this made Rostov angry when they joked about Princess Bolkonskaya.

Truffles are a genus of delicacy mushrooms, with underground marsupial tuberous fruits.

There are hundreds of varieties of truffles, but the most expensive are black truffles from Périgord in France and white truffles from Umbria and Piedmont in Italy.

Black truffles (French, summer, Perigord) grow in the ground near oaks and birches. Black-brown on the outside, these mushrooms are red-brown on the inside. They have a strong, persistent, distinctive and very distinct aroma and a slightly nutty taste.

White truffle (Italian, Piedmontese) is a rarer species than black, therefore it is most valued among mushrooms. Outwardly, it is similar to Jerusalem artichoke, has a brown peel and light flesh with red streaks. In white truffles, the aroma is even more pronounced than in dark ones.

The truffle harvest can vary greatly from year to year. Undoubtedly the best truffles will always have a high price, but in years of poor harvest, the price can double or even triple.

The high cost of these mushrooms is due to the specific conditions for their growth, the method of their collection, storage and, of course, the refined taste and aroma.

When they grow

Truffles have a rather short season. For black truffles, this is the period from November to March, and for white truffles, from late autumn to early winter. As a rule, the collection of white truffles in Italy begins in October.

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The length of the season cannot but affect the price of the product. Accordingly, fresh truffles are most appreciated at this time - many restaurants announce the beginning of the season and create a special menu for tasting the delicacy.

This year the season for collecting white truffles in the Italian Piedmont is at the end of September. Thanks to favorable weather conditions, experts predict a large harvest of excellent quality truffles, which should surpass the 2012 harvest.

How they are collected

Collecting truffles is a complex process that requires increased accuracy and lengthy preparation. Truffles grow one at a time, each club is separate and must be removed from the root of the tree so as not to damage it. Look for places with ground pig mushrooms that are sensitive to their smell. Also, specially trained dogs are used for this.

Preparing animals for such an activity takes considerable time, since they must not only find a place, but also carefully dig up valuable mushrooms without damaging them and the root of the tree.

This archaic collecting practice gives truffles a special charm. The exclusivity of the product is also due to the fact that it cannot be obtained in any other way.

Despite the fact that they try to grow black truffles on farms, in particular in China, such a product still does not have those exceptional qualities that are inherent only in wild mushrooms, collected in unique conditions by a special method. White truffles are completely impossible to grow on farms.

How are they stored

Truffles have a short shelf life, therefore, to appreciate the unique taste, they should be tasted fresh. Because of this, during the season, truffles are sold out quite quickly, restaurants often even enter the race for the freshest mushrooms, and connoisseurs gather at this time in Italy or France to enjoy a rare local delicacy as soon as possible.

Despite this, truffles can still be stored for some time. Some keep them in oil to use later to supplement other products. They are also sometimes stored in rice, from which a unique risotto is later obtained. In addition, they can be frozen.

How they are prepared

Gourmets and culinary experts around the world agree that there are few foods that can match the taste experience of fresh truffles.

At the same time, unique mushrooms in cooking are universal, they can be used to prepare many dishes. But best of all, truffles show their qualities with a neutral addition that would not overshadow their unique aroma.

Truffles are used as a filling, for sauces, added to rice, egg, pasta dishes, thinly sliced ​​on a special grater.

Recipe: Ravioli with ricotta and truffle

For cooking you will need:

300 g flour
- 150 g eggs (three small eggs)
- 300 g ricotta
- 50 g mint
- salt pepper
- 100 g grated pecorino cheese
- 80 g butter
- 15 g truffle

Time for preparing: 30 minutes. Servings: 4

How to cook:

1. Knead the dough well by adding a little water to the flour and eggs. Roll out thinly and cut out circles with a cookie cutter (approximately 5 cm in diameter).

Use only fresh ingredients for cooking. Garnish the ravioli with mint leaves and a dash of extra-virgin olive oil

2. Mix together the ricotta (if it has moisture, let it drain well), pecorino, pepper and mint leaves. Spoon the filling onto the center of the circles of dough, mold the ravioli (in the shape of a semicircle, like dumplings, but not so densely filled). Pinch the ravioli very well and place them on a floured plate. Boil salted water, put the ravioli in and take them out as soon as they float to the top. Let them drain well and serve immediately with butter and thin slices of truffle.

The material was prepared using data from Time, askmen.com, Wafli.net

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Black truffles are valued even by the most sophisticated gourmets from all over the world, fruiting bodies are classified as marsupials. In today's material, we will consider everything that affects their features and external data, the specifics of growth and other important aspects. Truffles are a delicacy, the price of which is per 1 kg. can be up to a thousand dollars. The information below will help you form your own opinion about these tubers, which grow only in certain regions and require special conditions.

Description

1. Black truffle means French or Peregorsky mushroom, these names are also characteristic of this variety. The fruit specimen is assigned to the truffle family and the genus of marsupials, in which there are more than thirty varieties. This mushroom got its name from the French region of Perigord.
2. As you already understood, the mushroom belongs to the edible type. It is quite tasty, so it has gained fans all over the world and conquered even the most spoiled gourmets. Growth is carried out in the soil, above the ground is not shown. If we compare the structure with other mushrooms familiar to humans, then it is quite unusual. Initially, this specimen was confused with simple ground tubers.
3. The fruiting body is an apothecia characteristic of marsupials and lichens. Its format is round or irregular in shape. The tuber in diameter can reach 9 cm, it is painted red-brown or deep black, like coal. When pressed, the fruiting body changes its color to rusty-red. Its upper part is covered with uneven warts, which have 6 faces.
4. The soft part is compacted and hard, in young animals it is colored in a light tone. It is brown-pink or gray. With the course of the life cycle, it is pigmented with black-violet or just dark. If this fruiting body is cut, then in its soft part it is easy to notice red and white patterns. They are visible in age mushrooms. The pulp tastes bitter, but not repulsive. The scent is rich and pleasant.

Black fruiting bodies are considered classic. But there are still some varieties that, according to certain characteristics, coincide with our representatives of the family.

1. Black Himalayan. An instance can reach 50 grams in weight. The taste is somewhat similar to nuts. Due to the fact that the sizes are small, it is quite difficult to search for these fruiting bodies.
2. Russian summer black. Quite large, in diameter it can grow up to 12 cm. By weight, fruiting bodies grow up to 0.45 kg. With the course of the life cycle, the soft part of the fruit changes in color. Initially, it is white, but then acquires a gray-brown tone. It tastes like a walnut. It grows in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, in Russia in the European part. Prefers to grow under oak or pine. Fruiting begins in early summer, it lasts until mid-autumn.
3. Burgundy black. The fruit body is round in shape, which grows up to 0.3 kg in weight. It reaches 8-9 cm in length. The soft part is painted in a beige tone, the structure is marble. Notes of cocoa beans are clearly captured in the smell.
4. Winter black. From the name, we can conclude that this variety prefers to bear fruit in the winter. Namely, from the last month of autumn to the end of winter. The fruits are round in shape, reach 7-20 cm in diameter. They grow up to 120 g in weight. Characteristic outgrowths are noticed on the surface, the fruiting body itself is painted purple. It smells of musk, grows where there is linden or hazel. You can find it in Switzerland, Italy and Ukraine.

Spreading

1. The considered fruiting bodies are very popular all over the world. Black truffles have become famous not only because of their high cost, but also because of their unsurpassed taste, which is like nothing else. The mushroom has truly won the hearts of many.
2. However, it is worth mentioning that not everyone understands the delights of taste notes, having tasted such a fruiting body for the first time. Therefore, real gourmets are always advised to try the delicacy at least twice. Only then can one judge how good the truffle is.
3. The taste of such an instance is almost impossible to compare with anything. The same can be said about its exquisite aroma. When enjoying the mushroom, you can feel the notes of the forest in which it grew. Echoes of spirits and chocolate are also felt.
4. In the culinary world, professional chefs prepare a lot of different dishes that truffle can complement. Most often, in its raw form, the fruiting body acts as a condiment. In addition, specimens are often subjected to heat treatment.
5. The taste and aroma qualities of the mushroom are perfectly revealed with pasta, rice and egg dishes. It is worth noting that after harvesting, truffles can remain fresh for a very short period of time. Therefore, during the fruiting season, professional mushroom pickers in pursuit of truffles arrange real wars among themselves.
6. The same goes for the markets. Representatives of French restaurants are trying to buy the fruiting bodies in question as quickly as possible. After that, the chefs strive to prepare a lot of different dishes to please the client. This is because all gourmets who flock from different parts of the world want to taste the truffle.

Search and collection

1. Before preparing a gourmet dish, truffles must be harvested. Do not forget that such a process is quite laborious. Therefore, you need to prepare for this with all seriousness. To go hunting for specimens, you should definitely take specially trained dogs or pigs with you.
2. It is these animals that have a sharp sense of smell and are able to detect the places of fruiting of the mushrooms in question. At the same time, after the discovery of truffles, they must be dug out with extreme caution, without damaging the root system of the tree and the fruit itself.

Black truffles are one of the most expensive delicacies on the planet. Their cost can sometimes be really amazing. The problem remains that such fruiting bodies are difficult to find. In addition, in most cases they grow singly. Therefore, you should not hope that you will be able to reap a huge harvest at once.

Video: black truffle (Tuber melanosporum)