"I think I've found a truffle"
|
|
|
This is the opening line to about one email per week we get at certain times of the year such as now. A good proportion of the correspondents are right, they have found a truffle. This was usually while digging in the garden but occasionally it was their dog that dug it up, in one case delivering it to the kitchen! Media headlines have been written about such events; for example "Truffle Surprise for Gardener" covered a find in Plymouth a few years ago. Such finds are not such a surprise to those in the know. We get a dozen or so reports reaching us each year including four in the last few weeks - Bristol, Gloucestershire, Weymouth and Norfolk. However, our response is often a mix of good and bad news. We ask for a photo of a cross-section through the truffle and, many at this time of the year, are almost white meaning they are unripe.
|
|
|
|
Yes you've found a truffle, but sadly it's not ripe.
|
|
Sadly, once dug up they won’t ripen like a tomato would on a window-sill. The major part of the truffle fungus is the mycelium, a mass of microscopic threads underground, the truffle itself being a "fruiting body". Once the mycelium has been cut, the truffle no longer gets "fed" or watered and won't get any riper. To quote someone, “An unripe truffle has all the culinary value of a Styrofoam cup!”.
Some email telling how when they found one, they then dug over the whole area as if they were harvesting potatoes! Preservation of the mycelium is critical; it has taken years to develop and has, sadly, been near destroyed in minutes. If harvested with care, they may have got many more truffles in this and future seasons.
The majority of correspondents are plain wrong; they find something odd in the garden and are convinced it must be a truffle. The immediate thought is "I'll try and sell it to someone" and don't spend time on-line checking to see if they are right. We have a growing list of "non-truffles". Some have been reported to us dozens of times!
|
|
|
|
King Alfred's Cakes or Cramp Balls - an inedible fungus usually on Ash trees but always above ground!
|
|
|
|
An Earthball fungus - they grow above ground on wooded heathlands. Eating will lead to a stomach upset.
|
|
|
|
The egg stage of a Stinkhorn fungus ("Witches Eggs"). When developed further their unforgettable phallic form has an equally unforgettable smell. At the egg stage it is claimed they are an aphrodisiac!
|
|
|
|
Closer! underground and looking truffle-like, this is a type of plant gall - an abnormal growth on plant tissue usually caused by parasites. The most well known, "above ground" plant gall is the Oak Apple. We've had several photos of another underground plant gall and one growing three feet above ground in a hedge!
|
|
|
If you've planted some truffle trees in the last year or so, do remember to keep them well watered, especially if we get any more periods of hot weather. This web page gives good advice on how much to water newly planted trees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kate Humble truffle hunting in Wiltshire - BBC
|
|
|
It was great to see our colleague Zak and his Black Labrador Stanley appearing in an edition of Back to the Land with Kate Humble. Zak supplies many of the countries leading restaurants with truffles that grow wild in a Wiltshire wood. Kate visited them, saw Stanley in action then watched truffles being cleaned before having a taste. UK TV licence holders can watch the episode on the BBC iPlayer here (the relevant clip starts 15 1/2 minutes in). If you would like to see truffle hunting for real (and eat truffles just hours from the ground) in Dorset, Wiltshire or Hampshire, do sign up for one of our unique truffle hunting experience days with our own Black Lab Jack. Don't leave it too long, the first five dates are either fully booked or nearly so.
|
|
UK Truffle Farming in The Media Spotlight
|
|
|
We have previously reported how a Périgord truffle, usually found in the Mediterranean-like climates, was grown in South Wales. A number of newspapers including the Telegraph, Financial Times (subscription required) and The Daily Mail reported how climate change is increasing opportunities for growing truffles in this country. The Telegraph's claim that "UK set to become truffle capital of the world within 30 years, scientists say", was strongly disputed on social media by truffle growers and experts in other countries!
|
|
|
|
Isle of Bute is 'perfect' for truffle growers - BBC News
|
|
|
Scotland's fourth truffle plantation on The Isle of Bute attracted media attention from BBC News, BBC Radio 4's "On your Farm" and several newspapers.
|
|
Truffle Dog Training Workshops
|
|
|
|
Chichester attendees - 8 dogs, 8 handlers and some spectators.
|
|
Thanks to the great groups of people and dogs that joined us in May for day long truffle dog training workshops at Banbury and Chichester. Among the feedback:
- "Thanks for today an amazing experience and what a nice group of people"
- "Thanks for a great day yesterday. I really enjoyed it."
We have a small number of places available on the next workshop near Chichester on 1st September.
|
|
Global Truffles Market Report 2018
|
|
|
We were delighted and slightly surprised to read that The English Truffle Company is regarded as one of the "key players influencing the global [truffle] market". The choice of image that accompanied the publicity article on a number of news sites removed any remaining credibility!
|
|
Truffle News From Around The Globe
|
|
|
|
Giancarlo Zigante with his black truffle (Facebook)
|
|
"Black truffle weighting nearly 5 kilos found in Croatia"
"A Croatian restaurant owner has discovered a gigantic black truffle in Istria, Croatia which weighed nearly 5 kilograms". That's what the news report says. Actually, he is the MD of a leading truffle / truffle product company and has already been in the Guinness Book of Records for a 1310 gram white truffle! There is also some debate on species, where it came from and if it is actually a truffle!
Australia on track to overtake France in producing black Perigord truffles
Australia may this year overtake France in producing black Périgord truffles. This is probably a one-off "blip", due to bad weather last season in France and a modest increase in Australian production. In the last season, truffle production in some regions of France and Italy was 90 percent down on previous years.
|
|
|
|
