Learning about many of the great foods of the world first requires you to get your feet wet … better said, downright muddy. Mud-stained boots are a common trait of unpretentious food producers, from vintners to cheese makers to hog farmers to mushroom hunters. Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of these artisans right in their soggy fields, connected to the soil that gives them the source of their living. Their love for their craft, along with tradition, yields good things for you and me to enjoy, be it California Chardonnay, English Cheddar, Spanish Ibérico ham, or the world’s most exclusive tuber—the Italian white truffle

THE TRUFFLE ARTISAN

Speaking of truffles ... in January at an international food show, we met Paolo Montanaro, whose family owns the company TartufLanghe. This gentle-spoken, hospitable gentleman explained to us how truffles grow and how they are harvested. Yes, by muddy shod truffle hunters in hilly, wild terrain with the aid of specially trained dogs. 

We shortly realized we were talking to “The Man” when it comes to truffles! Not only is Paolo himself a second-generation truffle hunter, but he and his family buys truffles from other hunters, such as the ones featured in "The Truffle Hunters" documentary. The Montanaros select the best truffles around the year, including the black winter truffle, the summer truffle, and the most exclusive, the Alba white truffle later in the fall. 

Truffles are prized because of their rarity and, of course, they are simply so delicious! They have several natural compounds that make them so craveable. For one, they are full of glutamate, which gives our palate the sensation of umami, that wonderful silky, savory flavor that's found in foods such as teriyaki, beef stew, hard cheeses, etc. However, with fresh truffles being so expensive and perishable, why even consider them, beyond an occasional splurge? The good news is the singular taste of truffle is accessible every day to food lovers like you and me!

TASTE TRUFFLES ANYTIME

Paolo and his family are much more than truffle hunters. They are food scientists who have collaborated with some of the world’s top chefs, including Massimo Bottura. Thanks to their love of the truffle, they invented ingenious ways to infuse its flavor perfectly into many other foods. For example, Paolo’s parents, Beppe and Domenica, created the first of such products in 1990, an egg pasta infused with real truffle flavor they called Tartufissima. Look for this and other wonders of truffle-rich foods made by our new friends from TartufLanghe. The Montanaros give us easy ways to enjoy one of the greatest flavors in food. We have a tasty selection of their truffle-infused pasta, honey, salt, risotto, and more.

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CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES?

The Alba region of Italy is also rightly famous for chocolate making. Over a century ago, chocolate makers began blending the regions' tasty hazelnuts into their chocolates, inventing gianduia. The Montanaros are also award-winning chocolate makers. Pick up a bag of their chocolate “truffles” Trifulòt for a tasty sweet treat.

3 IDEAS FOR ENJOYING TRUFFLES

Scrambled eggs featuring Summer Truffle Slices.

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Tartufissima Truffle Pasta Alfredo.

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Parmigiano-Reggiano drizzled with Acacia Honey with White Truffle.