The truffle laid bare

An underground mushroom, the truffle lives off the roots of a tree, most often the oak. The presence of truffle mycellium shows itself at the surface of the soil by an extension without vegetation, the "brûlé". In the interieur of this, at a depth of from zero to 25 centimetres the truffle develops.

Young truffles begin to grow at the beginning of spring, from the end of April to the beginning of May. To reach maturity they need 7 to 10 months, a long period when their existence is constantly menaced by climatic hazards. The dryness of the summer and early frosts in winter have the worst effects.

As far as the truffle is concerned, the soil doesn't matter- or very little. It is the climatic variations during it's growth that condition for the most part the quality of the truffles.

The production from one region can differ greatly from one year to another. The only notable diference that the land has on the mushroom is noticeable by it's shape: a truffle grown in sandy soil has a more regular shape than a truffle grown in a stony area.
The truffle is the "Tuber Melanosporum" which is in fact given the appellation "truffled" for the preparations in which it is used. A necessary precision, when other varieties os tasteless and artificially coloured "tuber" are used more and more often to bring about confusion.

The harvest

The truffle is harvested from the month of November until the end of March. The harvest, carried out using an animal, is still a hazardous and delicate operation.

THE PIG adores truffles and searches for them with ardour. The finesse of this sense of smell makes him very efficient, but his unrestrained greediness makes vigilance and firmness necessary at all times otherwise the truffles unearthed with his snout will be damaged or even swallowed. The animal also tires easily and his transportation is difficult. He is used less and less and has been replaced by the dog.

THE DOG, contrary to the pig, has no natural interest in the truffle: his work is more certain as well as efficient. Specially trained, he learns to mark with his paw the spot where he has smelt the truffle. There is no particular canine breed which is predisposed to truffle hunting; on the other hand hunting dogs are avoided as they are more likely to smell game rather than mushrooms.

THE FLY seems drawn and even drugged by their parfume; a variety lays it's eggs above the truffle to feed it's larva. They are often found hovering over the spot where the truffle is hidden. You just need to get down to ground level to spot the miniscule nests... A more than uncertain technique for the truffle specialist, but amusing for the simple rambler!

The markets

The numbers of truffle markets has followed the decline in production which began at the beginning of the century. From 50 markets known before the first world war, barely a dozen survive today. Most are part of a larger market. Traditionally, the money made from truffles isn't kept: it is often spent at the market.

The markets appear unfocused, but are in fact well regulated. The vendors present their truffles in little baskets which they have harvested the day before. The brokers examine them according to a ritual which can vary. At Carpentras they go round the middle of a circle formed by the vendors. At Lalbenque the truffles are enthroned on benches with the buyers and vendors on each side.
When the signal is given, the market is open and the transactions begin. Each broker writes his offers on small pieces of paper. If the vendor keeps the piece of paper, the price is accepted. At the end of the market, the truffles are weighed on roman scales by the broker.

The truffle market remains one of the rare agricultural markets where the law of demand and supply is still in play.
The variation of prices observed from one year to another depends essencially on the quality available.
A bad year can make the prices double.

The truffle in all of its states

If our art is about good buying, our work is also about good preparation. Bought "in earth" at the markets, the truffles are carefully washed and brushed before being sorted. During the operation they lose between 15 to 20% of their weight. All of the truffles go through three successive sortings before being sold.

THE FRESH TRUFFLE
The fresh brushed truffles which we dispatch fron November to March have to be rapdly handled on reception. They are put into small chestnuts baskets to enable the mushrooms to breathe.
The orders are recorded by telephone or by telex.
We may be contacted for enquiries as to market trends and to obtain a firm price..

TINNED TRUFFLE

Tinned after the first boilin:
Tinned while fresh, the truffle undergoes a sterilization procedure which makes a normal tinned product. However this first sterilization makes it lose about 25% of its substance, which becomes truffle juice. This varying loss, which does not allow, when the tin is opened, for a net weight of cooked truffles, limits selling to professional buyers.

Tinned after normal cooking:
The truffle thus tinned undergoes two sterilizations. The first, carried out in large cans, boils off its juice. The second sterilization takes place when the truffles have been sorted a fourth and final time and repackaged in little tins. At this stage part of the juice lost in the first cooking is added; the rest is sold as truffle juice. This double operation permits ensuring a net weight of cooked truffles when the tins are opened..

         

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