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Truffle Guide

Truffle Guide

What To Know About Truffles

To say that truffles are the knobby fruit of a fungus that attaches to tree roots is accurate, but it greatly understates the seductive allure of these highly prized, hard-to-find, fragrant tubers. More poetically, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, author of The Physiology of Taste (1825), called the truffle a diamond of the kitchen, noting “it can upon occasion make women tenderer and men more apt to love.”

Truffle Types

VarietyRegionAttributesSeasonUses
Alba White Truffles
Piedmont, ItalyWidely regarded as the world’s finest truffle

Intoxicating aroma, profound flavor
October-DecemberAlways serve raw
Shave over cooked dishes
White Bianchetti Truffles
Piedmont, ItalySmaller than Alba truffles with similar flavorJanuary-MarchAlways serve raw
Shave over cooked dishes
Perigord Black Winter Truffles
EuropeConsidered the finest black truffle available

Intense earthy aroma & robust flavor
December-MarchShave raw over cooked dishes
Insert under poultry skin
Embed slivers in roasts
Black Winter Truffles
AustraliaPerigord truffles cultivated from European spores

Intense earthy aroma & robust flavor
Mid-June to mid-AugustMay be used raw or cooked
Black Summer Truffles
ItalySweet, subtle, somewhat chocolate-y tasteMay-AugustMay be used raw or cooked
Black Fall Burgundy Truffles
France or ItalyMilder, nutty, mushroom-like flavorNovember-FebruaryMay be used raw or cooked
White Oregon Truffles
U.S.More affordable than its European counterpart but less aromatic & complex

Earthy flavor with garlic & nutmeg notes
November-JanuaryAlways serve raw
Black Oregon Truffles
U.S.More affordable than its European counterpart but less aromatic & complex

Pungent, musky, pineapple flavor & aroma
Mid-December to mid-MarchMay be used raw or cooked

Truffle Q & A



A Truffle Timeline

  • Enjoyed by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks & Romans

  • Banned by the medieval Catholic church

  • Revived in the Renaissance

  • Relished by 18th & 19th century nobility

  • Prized by modern gourmands



  • Our Favorite Truffle Recipes

  • Pasta
  • Risotto
  • Roast Chicken
  • Potato Gratin
  • Polenta
  • Hollandaise
  • Aioli
  • Steak
  • Pot Roast
  • Vinaigrette
  • Scrambled or Fried Eggs