Every year, towards the end of October, I get a flood of press releases from upmarket restaurants proudly announcing that they are serving white truffles. As with other ingredients, such as hairy crabs and pea shoots, which are also in season now, the availability of white truffles is fleeting – you have only a few months to enjoy them.
The Tuber magnatum is not really white; it is pale beige or tan, and the interior is even darker. The knobbly fungus is associated with Alba, in Italy, but it is grown in other parts of the country too, as well as in certain areas of France.
White truffle is – or should be – wonderfully fragrant. It is also highly perishable and does not last long once dug up. It is found under the types of tree, including oak, hazelnut and beech, with which it has a symbiotic relationship.
