As you already know, the truffle is a type of fungus that is usually found near trees due to its association with some of them. But, not all truffles are born anywhere, although the fungus is inoculated in truffle plantations. In fact, some of them only exist in specific places. There are many types, but we will name the most common.
white truffle
Tuber magnatum or also called Piedmont truffle. Yeah. He is in Italy. It has really explosive aromatic nuances. In fact, there are those who associate its aroma with that of methane gas. There are those who pair, by geography, the white truffle with Barolo or Barbaresco. I like it with a good champagne, like the Salón Blanc de Blancs. Yeah. I know. The two things, the white truffle and the champagne, are very expensive.
black truffle
Tuber melanosporum or also called Perigord truffle. It is widespread and grows wild in many areas during the winter. Both raw and cooked, this truffle is one of the most used in the kitchen and most appreciated considering its quality and price. I love pairing black truffle dishes or desserts with reposado tequila. The first time I tried it was with an old Rocado.
summer truffle
Tuber aestivium or summer black. It is black on the outside, but white on the inside and less aromatic than the previous two. Its price is also much more affordable and it appears in more preserves and in lower cost dishes. Reading Chartier, I discovered the pairing of truffles with tea and it is in the aestivium where this infusion has best fitted. Ecoherbes Pu Erh is a good option.
machenca truffle
Tuber brumale, also known as edge truffle is very aromatic, but of lower quality than melanosporum. When cut you can see the less black “poisoned”, but it is one of the ones that “strains” the most as a black truffle. The picaresque also exists in the world of truffles. A very aromatic sauvignon blanc works well with the brumale. Taleia de Castell d’Encús is proven proof.
truffle indica
Tuber indicum or Chinese truffle, due to its origin. This is the least expensive, the least aromatic, and the least tasty. Said like this, it seems that it is not associated with the exclusivity of the truffle, but, curiously, it is widely used to decorate dishes and is combined with essential oil of truffle or tartufatta. It works well with craft beer like American Pale Ale like Flor de Llupol.
javier field
Sommelier and wine writer
