The mystery of truffles, the winter season, the white no more and forgotten. The black diamonds that come from Quercy are truffles from Cahors and they are no doubt, perfectly delicious melanosporum.
It is a cold January afternoon to the truffle the terrain of Lalbenque. The trufficulteur there have pigs instead of dogs. These pigs they say, only hunt out mature truffles. And I am told that hunting for truffles when it’s raining ruins them. The French have a word for hunting truffles, le cavage “to dig” and when truffles are found the digging part is crucial.
While pulling on the pig’s leash the trufficulteur stops the animal before it’s too late and distracts the pig with treats, before kneeling down. He digs and uses his hands to lift it delicately not to damage it. Immediately, the powerful smell of the mushroom invades our olfactory senses, a whiff of black from the ground is unforgettable.
Categories: Truffles
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