San Miniato, Tuscany, Is A Truffle Lover’s Paradise
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Flickr/Eric Chan/CC BY
Truffles, truffles and more truffles. That’s our idea of a good time. San Miniato is a village rich in culture, history and art, right in the heart of Tuscany. It’s also considered the white truffle capital of Italy. If you’re someone who lives for anything truffle and you’re planning a trip to Italy, you’ll want to schedule your travel for either November or December. The white truffle is usually picked from September until early January. In San Miniato, the end of October until the beginning of November is considered the best period for picking these rare gems in their peak ripeness.
The beautiful town of San Miniato sits in between the valleys of Egola and Elsa in the province of Pisa. Every year, since 1969, there’s a festival to celebrate the region’s prized white truffles — the National Exhibition-Market Of White Truffle or Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Bianco di San Miniato, in Italian. If wild mushroom risotto with shaved white truffles sounds like your kryptonite, this is where you need to be. You’ll find table after table of white and black truffles on display, each discovered by local hunters and truffle dogs in the surrounding valleys. Imagine the distinct, pungent and pure aroma of white truffle permeating all of the air around you. Pretty magical.
White truffles are usually found under specific trees, like chestnut trees, and around bushes. There’s no telling where the truffles will be, which is where the trained truffle dogs come in. Only dogs and pigs seem to have a sense of smell so refined that they can sniff out when a truffle is ripe and ready. White truffles are often associated with diamonds because they’re just as rare, precious and sometimes as expensive.
The truffles from San Miniato are characterized with a tinge of yellow and green and the scent is so strong and fragrant, it’ll make your mouth water. Truffles from this region are considered delicacies with a rare combination of conditions, including the particular soil, climate and vegetation.
Here’s what to remember when you’re cooking with these delicacies.
1. Never try to overpower the truffle with other flavors and aromas. Pasta, rice, potatoes and other bland foods are the best for shining the spotlight on the truffle itself.
2. Truffles work best with fatty foods like foie gras, butter, cheese and oils. The fats help to bring out the full flavor of the truffle.
3. Maximize the truffle flavor by using the least amount of the ingredient. Slice paper-thin strips or shavings on your dish.
4. White truffles are aromatic and pungent, but their aroma tends to fade fairly quickly. You should never cook white truffles.
5. Don’t mix truffles with acidity.
6. Use fresh truffles within about three days of purchasing them.
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