black diamond truffles

trufa-neagra

Separated as if from another world, the fascinating aromas of these delicacies will add flavor to your meals, offering a special atmosphere, like a royal feast.

Truffles grow mainly in the forest, in the soil, under thick layers of dead leaves, at a depth between 5-40 cm, but can also be found up to 50 cm deep.

Truffles or as we like to call them "black diamonds" are the most special, the most refined and the most expensive natural delicacies. These are underground mushrooms with higher nutritional value than any other plant or mushroom. It is rich in proteins and mineral salts as well as organic acids, fats and carbohydrates.

Truffles appear in spring - summer in April-June, and in autumn - winter in September-December.

The main varieties of truffles from Romania

Truffles produce a volatile alcohol whose musky scent acts as a sex hormone and whose chemical formula is similar to that of testosterone. The species of truffles identified on the territory of the country, which are of commercial and culinary interest.

trufa-neagra-de-iarna
Black winter truffle, Tuber melanosporum

Black winter truffles are available from late November or early December to late March or early April, depending on the climatic conditions in the region. The interior of the truffle is veined dark brown to black as the season progresses. These truffles have a unique, rich, complex, intense chocolate flavor and an unforgettable flavor. Period: November-March.

tuber-uncinatum
Tuber Uncinatum

Round shape, deeper smell, dark color on the outside, and reddish-brown or chocolate color with a marble appearance on the inside. By sectioning we notice the difference in color between Tuber Aestivum and Uncinatum but the aroma is very different, stronger in Uncinatum. Period: September-December.

trufa-alba
White truffle, Tuber magnatum pico

It is also called the queen of truffles. It is the most valuable truffle due to its aroma and properties. It also only grows in certain areas for a short period of time and is difficult to find and harvest due to the depth at which it grows. It is a special truffle, very sensitive, its shell not being as thick as other types of truffles. It has an intense smell and a creamy brown color on the outside and reddish-white on the inside. Period: November-January.

Truffle farming

The largest truffle plantation is in Spain, at Naveleno, in the province of Soria. 330,000 truffle mycorrhizal saplings are planted there, on an area of ​​600 hectares of land.

Worldwide, the demand for truffles is constantly increasing, while the supply is decreasing, due to the harvest that brings variable results. For this reason, French researchers are looking for ways to clone black truffles.

Exploatarea trufei se dezvoltă și în România unde au fost făcute câteva invesții în culturi de trufe, această activitate devenind în timp o afacere tot mai profitabilă. Trufa din România are un gust calitativ superior celei recoltate din alte țări, cea mai mare parte a recoltelor de trufe din România exportându-se în Italia.

Speciile de trufe identificate pe teritoriul tarii, care prezinta interes comercial si culinar.

Black truffle

  • Tuber aestivum (black summer truffle): It has an irregular shape, brown to black on the outside, and inside it is covered with veins, white-grey or yellow-white. it is the most widespread variety, being found including in Central Europe, Romania and Great Britain; it can be harvested from July to September.
  • Tuber uncinatum: Round shape, deeper smell, dark color on the outside, and reddish-brown or chocolate color with a marble appearance on the inside. Known in France as "Truffe de Bourgogne", it is actually a variety of Tuber aestivum, which appears from September to January, even March. It is a popular variety, being found including in Central Europe, Romania and Great Britain; it can be harvested from July to September.
  • Tuber melanosporum: The black truffle champion can be found in our region from late fall through January and has a brown, sometimes even red, exterior. The taste is also pungent, but more refined than the Burgundy truffle, and the smell can be compared to the very distinct smell of all truffles. It is called "Truffe du Périgord" in France; the season is from December to March and harvesting is regulated by the state in the countries where it occurs.
  • Tuber brumale (winter truffle): In the winter months we find huge quantities of this wonderfully aromatic truffle, which unfortunately rarely grows larger than 1 cm in diameter. This small size is due to the climatic conditions specific to Transylvania, where winters tend to be quite severe, with temperatures down to minus 25 degrees Celsius... However, you can hardly find a better truffle for truffle butter or flavored salt! . It has smaller sizes and a different smell than the other truffles; the outside is smoother than the other black truffles; it is found in the same places as the black summer truffle, and the harvest period is from mid-November to March.
  • Tuber mesentericum (pine truffle): it is a truffle very similar to the summer truffle, but it is distinguished by the intense smell of phenol; the optimal harvesting period is October-December.
  • Tuber macrosporum (truffle with large spores): a species that is rarely encountered, being a demanding truffle in climate and soil conditions; it has a fragrance similar to that of white truffle, and the exterior is reddish-brown; the optimal harvesting period is October-December. In France it is called "Truffe Lisse" and in Italy "Liscio Nero".

White truffle

  • Tuber borchii (Tuber albidum) (white spring truffle): it is marketed in Italy as 'Bianchetto' and in France as 'blanquette'.
  • Tuber magnatum (summer truffle): Unfortunately, this truffle cannot be found in Transylvania, but in the southern part of the Romanian Carpathians you can find this elusive, but delicious and valuable species. Even though it is not available locally, we sometimes use it on special occasions for a delicious truffle paste!. It only grows spontaneously only in certain parts of Italy and south-eastern Europe; their season is from late September to November, or even December depending on the region.

Preservation of Truffles

Before using fresh truffles, they must be washed under running water with a brush to remove traces of soil. We recommend that you wash only the amount of truffles that you are going to use because, once washed, they deteriorate faster.

Truffles continuously emit aroma, until exhaustion. And exposure to air does nothing but speed up the process. At the same time, the truffles naturally dehydrate. So, you have to give them special care to make them last as long as possible. As much as possible, meaning they can be stored fresh for up to 10 days.

Whole frozen truffles, on the other hand, are sliced ​​or grated over dishes without being thawed beforehand. The lifespan of the truffle depends on its maturity at the time of purchase, varying between 7-12 days.

You can keep the food you want to use in the dishes overnight in the fridge, next to the truffles. All in an airtight glass or ceramic container. They will lend the aroma and the taste will be more intense..

"bury"in rice

This is how you protect their natural moisture and at the same time block moisture from the outside, which can trigger the decomposition of truffles.

napkin, paper towel

With the same role of delaying the dehydration and drying of the truffles, then changing the paper daily, since it will get wet anyway.

Olive oil

in hermetically sealed jars. Everything is stored in a cool, dry and dark place. About 4 degrees. Or in the fridge.

Contact US

We invite you to contact us through the attached form. We receive questions, recommendations and collaboration proposals. We will answer you as quickly as possible.

Nicolae Balcescu, Deva, Jd. Hunedoara
0731 741 237 , 0720 540 265
comercial@truffles.ro