The Dawn of the Summer Season brings on the Hunt for Fresh Summer Truffles

The elusive truffle is perhaps the world’s best example of a diamond in the rough. The black truffle’s textured and dark mottled exterior and amorphous shape may look like nothing more than a clod of dark earth, but forsaking its appearance, the black truffle is regarded as one of the greatest culinary treasures in the world. Truffles are a type of fungus, except they grow beneath the soil’s surface, in the tangle of roots of oak, pine, willow, beech and chestnut trees where they get their nutrients from. They are classified according to their colour (black or white truffles) and the season in which they grow (winter, summer, autumn and spring truffles).

While winter truffles are highly coveted for their more pungent flavour and aroma, as well as the alleged aphrodisiac properties that are common to the entire truffle family, summer truffles are becoming increasingly popular, both for their more subtle flavours and affordability. The Sibillini Mountain National Park in Italy is widely regarded to be one of the richest sources for the many different coloured and seasonal truffle varieties, not least of all the black summer truffles. Summer has pretty much dawned across Europe now, which means that the delightful summer truffles are swelling and matured beneath the dark and fertile soils of the forest. The truffle hunting parties are out in full force with their canine companions sniffing out the mature summer truffles. So, for all those food enthusiasts and restaurants looking to incorporate these delectable treats into their cooking, a wide range of summer truffles and associated products, such as truffle oil, are now available!

The elusive truffle can quite confidently be said to be the diamond of the culinary world: difficult to find, tricky to unearth and an incredibly beautiful addition to gourmet cooking. The demand for truffles outweighs the supply by far, which is another reason for their superior prices compared to the range of other food fungi. However, with summer truffles coming in at a substantially lower price than their winter cousins, they are becoming more accessible to a larger market. So now you don’t need to visit the local gourmet restaurant to enjoy the delights of summer truffles. They are right here, ready for order and ready to be savoured!