When I was a child I hated mushrooms. As I got older I came to appreciate their subtle earthy taste. Since moving to Italy I have come to learn that the "king" of the fungi family is the truffle. The difference between a mushroom and a truffle being that truffles grow under the ground. For over 3000 years people have been enamoured by the bold taste and aroma of the truffle, but a truffle is not for everyone. For some the taste is overpowering. Just as a fine scotch is an acquired taste loved my some and hated by others, so is the truffle. For me, I can't get enough of them.
I have come to learn that truffles grow 3-12 inches below the ground among the roots of trees, hence why they are difficult to find making them a buried treasure of sorts. It is said that "truffle hunters" use specially trained dogs or pigs to sniff out and dig up these expensive pearls of the ground. While pigs are better at sniffing out the truffle, I am told that it can be a challenge to get them to relinquish the tasty treasure. It seems that pigs love truffles too.
In November Italians celebrate the truffle with fall fairs. I have come to realize that if Italians aren't celebrating a saint they are celebrating food - both being great excuses to get together for a day of delicious food and fine wine. In honour of the truffle friends and I headed out for a day of adventure to the heartland of the truffle, San Miniato, which is located half way between Florence and Pisa. The last three weekends of November attract truffle lovers from all over the world to this medieval hilltop town that survived German mining during World War II.
During the truffle festival the streets and piazzas of this quaint hilltop town are lined with truffle vendors, as well as vendors for other local specialties including olive oil, pecorino cheese, salami, pastes and sauces, often truffle-based. As I browsed through the stands my mouth watered anxious to sample the many delicacies. I was in food heaven. Of course no food experience here in Italy would be complete without wine. I am still amazed how you can get a wonderful bottle of wine for less than 10 euro here in Italy. In fact, 10 euro is splurging. I did taste my first cannoli at the truffle festival. It just seemed to be screaming out to me. And yes I had lived in Italy for two years and had yet to taste a cannoli. I had waited because I thought that I would find it too sweet. As the creamy taste melted in my mouth I thought how wrong I was to have waited so long to try a cannoli. Given that Italians are masters of pasta, wine and "dolce" I never should have doubted how delicious it would be.
After indulging, we did walk to the tower that was destroyed during World War II and then rebuilt as a sign of the rebirth of the town. Doing so made me feel not quite so guilty about this day of adventure being about indulging in great food and wine, as now there was an educational component. After a wonderful day I headed home with cheeses and pastes thinking that my daughter Emily, also a truffle lover, would enjoy them when she came over at Christmas. Well it is a good thing that it is the thought that counts because they did not last until Christmas for Emily to enjoy. A girl can only have so much willpower. I could only last so long with the truffle pecorino and gorgonzola cheeses, as well as the truffle paste, screaming "Eat me!!!" from the fridge. We all have our weaknesses. For me, the truffle would definitely be one of them.
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