Alba White Truffles Selection

Alba White Truffles Selection

 White truffle of Alba (tuber magnatum pico) is the most renowned and sought-after truffle from truffle hunters and gourmets. The delicious mushroom is harvested in  piedmont, Tuscany, the Emilian Apennines, the marches, Umbria and Molise, which is usually an altitude of below 600 m. Additionally, it can grow in Italy and Istria. The Alba white truffle grows spontaneously and cannot be cultivated like the black truffle, that is why it is more rare and precious.

The  Alba white truffle  is recognized by the experts as one of the finest truffles: lovers of this genuine and spontaneous product of the earth are willing to travel several kilometers to savor this delicacy in the various specialized kitchens. With the Alba white truffle, the chefs can offer dishes capable of unleashing all the remarkable and appreciated organoleptic characteristics of this intense product of the earth, with a truly unique taste.

Characteristics of the Alba white truffle

• White truffle is a fungus that grows underground between the roots of plants and lives in symbiosis with them, in particular with the holm and oak. When it comes to shape and size it is very similar to a potato. This depends on the conformation and the nature of the soil (soft, dry, stony) it can be more or less regular in shape.

• The peridium of the Alba white truffle  is the outermost part of the fungus that encloses the mass of the spores and remains closed until they mature: it has a smooth yellow surface with various shades from ocher to olive green with brown areas.

• The gleba of white truffle is the pulp, the fleshy part, whose color varies according to the degree of ripeness, the soil and the plants with which it lives. Usually, it has a color ranging from white to yellow with shades that go to brown-hazel, sometimes with points of red for those truffles in contact with the roots of lime trees.

• The scent of ripe white alba truffle is very pronounced but pleasant, where hints of parmesan and garlic blend harmoniously.

• The flavor of the alba white truffle is pleasantly similar to that of Parmigiano Reggiano.

• The asco of the white truffle is the fertile cell that contains from 4 to 8 spores, the latter having a light yellow color.

• It can be confused with the bianchetto, which has a much more intense flavor but is distinguished from the latter also by the lighter peridium and the brown gleba with much more visible streaks.

• It is distinguished from the false white truffle by the non-communicating and well-defined veins; furthermore, this type of fungus becomes irritating after a few hours.

The Alba white truffle collection

The collection of the alba white truffle begins in September and ends in December and is linked both to the environment in which it develops, then to the soil (limestone, soft, airy and humid), and the seasonal trend. With good rainfall, truffles consequently express good quality and abundant harvests while the harvest will be more scarce with a particularly hot and dry climate.

The white truffle of alba grows up to an altitude of 600-700 meters, where the soil is rather sandy and clay, fresh and humid, more likely in the wooded areas of the valley floor and along the canals on whose banks grow willows, oaks, hazels, limes.

How to evaluate a white truffle

Assessing the quality of the alba white truffle is not at all easy and is a task reserved for real experts but thanks to some simple tips as it is possible to get an idea of ​​the product that is at hand.

Here are some quick tips to assess the quality of the white truffle of alba:

• It must be of good consistency and not too soft.

• Evaluate the size preferring the larger and heavier because the weight denotes a greater freshness due to a higher presence of water in the truffle.

• The scent must be strong and pleasant. Remember a combination of garlic and parmesan cheese.

• If the truffle has some imperfections, such as minute feedings of small animals, it does not mean that it is to be discarded it could testify to its good quality.

Alba white truffle in the kitchen

• The white truffle of alba can be cut into very thin strips on both hot and cold foods, in particular, are truffle risottos, tagliolini, ravioli that compete with a fried egg for the privilege of accompanying this king of flavors.

• It goes well with white wines and red wines.

•  Alba White Truffle Selection. The Piedmont Alba White Truffle Season is available from October to end of December. These truffles are also known as White Alba Truffles they come from Piedmont of northern Region of Italy, typically Piedmont. Known as the diamonds of the culinary world, White Alba Truffles are prized all over the world for their pungent aroma and distinct flavor. They are of a yellowish/gray color, and shaped like a potato. The aroma of fresh White Alba Truffles will fill a room with heavenly fragrance!

1 ounce (28 gram)

Serving: 1 ounce of truffle is about 2-3 portions

Storing: Keep refrigerated at under 42F. We recommend consuming the truffles soon after they are received.

Product of Alba, Piedmont -  Italy