afaerytalelife:A forest truffle is actually a mushroom, but an unusual one — it grows undergro

afaerytalelife:

A forest truffle is actually a mushroom, but an unusual one — it grows underground. Obviously, that means they are especially difficult to find since you can’t see them. That’s why high-quality truffles in France and Italy are often worth hundreds of dollars — they’re culinary treasures. These mushrooms exist in the United States also, and they’re almost as good as those from Europe. While truffles are one of the world’s most expensive ingredients, they can be found for free if you know where to look.


How To Look for Truffles

Rely on the help of the creatures of the forest.

Voles, squirrels, wild boars, and chipmunks love truffles just as much as humans do, and if you look for evidence that they’ve been digging in a certain area, you are almost certain to find truffles nearby. Like other mushrooms, truffles often grow in clusters quite close to one another — so if you find one, you may find more within close vicinity.

Search near trees.

Truffles are always found near a tree’s roots. Specific types of truffle have affinities for certain trees, but almost any tree can support them — especially Douglas firs, pines, oaks, and hemlocks. However, you aren’t likely to find them under maples or cedars.

Probe for truffles with your bare hands.

When you find evidence that animals have disturbed the forest floor (small areas of pushed-up earth and small holes in the duff), push your hand under the surrounding duff and, with your fingertips, feel around for a hard, ball-shaped object, generally the size of a walnut. There may be only one or there may be several. When done, pull the cover of duff back into place to leave the area as you found it.


How To Know You Have a Truffle

When in doubt, smell it. If it has a rich, earthy, garlicky, pungent smell (some think the aroma wonderful, others hate it), it’s ripe and edible. You may not smell anything right away; often, conditions in the woods are cold and wet during truffle season, and the truffle may need to warm some before it gives off its scent. If it is warm and remains scentless, wrap it in a paper towel, then place it in the refrigerator for a week or so to ripen. A real truffle when cut in half will have a solid core with unique, beautiful marbling throughout.


Train Your Dog to Hunt for Truffles

Originally, domestic pigs were used for locating and extracting truffles from the temperate forests of Europe and North America. They have a remarkable sense of smell, and are able to identify truffles from as deep as three feet underground. However, it is notoriously difficult to wrestle a truffle away from a hog. Therefore, training dogs to do this work make things much easier.

Use a found truffle — especially if it’s pungent — to train your dog to find more. Place the truffle in the toe of an old cotton sock, along with some other stuffing. Use it to play “hide and seek” with your dog. Make sure to reinforce the scent by letting the dog smell the sock between each search. Use a command such as “Find the truffle!” each time. Remember to reward with food and praise at each success, and make the search harder and harder. Eventually, move the game outdoors where you can bury the sock in the ground or under pine needles. Keep the sock in the fridge; eventually it will become very ripe, but your dog will love the smell all the more. Once your dog becomes proficient at this game, take him or her out to the forest for the real thing.

Happy hunting!