The first certain information on the truffle appears in the Naturalis Historia, by Pliny the Elder. In the first century AD, thanks to the Greek philosopher Plutarch of Chaeronea, the idea was handed down that the precious mushroom was born from the combined action of water, heat and lightning. From here various poets drew inspiration; one of these, Giovenale, explained that the origin of the precious mushroom, at that time called "tuber terrae", is due to a thunderbolt hurled by Jupiter near an oak (a tree considered sacred to the father of the gods). Since Jupiter was also famous for his prodigious sexual activity, aphrodisiac qualities have always been attributed to the truffle. The doctor Galen wrote: “the truffle is very nutritious and can dispose of voluptuousness”.
The origin of the word tartufo has been debated for a long time by linguists, who after centuries of uncertainties came to the conclusion, considered probable but not definitive, that tartufo derived from territùfru, popularisation of the late Latin terrae tufer (excrescence of the earth), where tufer would be used instead of tuber (see Italian Dictionary Sabatini-Coletti, Giunti, Florence 1999).
According to the historian Giordano Berti, founder of the Historical Truffle Archive, the term truffle derives more realistically from terra tufide tubera or even from terra tufule tubera. This title appears at the head of an illustration of the truffle collection contained in the Tacuinum sanitatis, an illuminated codex with a naturalistic content dating back to the XNUMXth century, known in various versions. The term truffle would therefore derive from the similarity that was recognized between this underground mushroom and tuff, a porous stone typical of central Italy. The term then contracted into tufid land and into the dialects tartùfola, trìfula, tréffla, trìfola. The term tartufo began to spread in Italy in the seventeenth century, but in the meantime the vulgar term had already emigrated to Europe assuming various terms: truffe in France, Trüffel in Germany, truffle in England.
Among the noteworthy Renaissance authors it is necessary to mention at least the Umbrian doctor Alfonso Ceccarelli, who wrote a book on truffles, the Opusculus de tuberis (1564), which summarizes the opinions of Greek and Latin naturalists and various historical anecdotes. From this reading it appears that the truffle has always been a highly appreciated food, especially in the tables of nobles and high prelates. For some, its aroma was a sort of "fifth essence" which caused an ecstatic effect on human beings.
A research carried out by Raoul Molinari and Giordano Berti on medieval and Renaissance chronicles, chorographic texts of the Savoyard Kingdom, letters from eighteenth and nineteenth century chroniclers and travelers, has brought to light an extraordinary quantity of information which glorifies the entire Monferrato (an area which historically includes the Casalese, the western Alessandrino, the Acquese, the Astigiano, the Langhe and the Roero) as a place of production of the most excellent and fragrant truffles.
Italy is the first producer and exporter in the world of prized white truffles, the prized white tuber magnatum in terms of quality and quantity; throughout the peninsula it is possible to collect all the species of truffle used in gastronomy.
Among the places that have been renowned since the Middle Ages for the search and trade of truffles, two cities in particular emerge: Casale Monferrato, whose truffles, before being annexed to the Kingdom of Piedmont, were destined for the Gonzaga court in Mantua; Tortona, supply center for the Visconti-Sforza of Milan.
The most important white truffle production areas, due to their geographical conformation, are Piedmont (in particular Alba, in the province of Cuneo, the province of Asti, the Province of Alessandria in particular the Curone, Grue, Ossona and Borbera valleys and a part of the province of Turin), south-eastern Lombardy (Carbonara di Po, in the province of Mantua, in the protected Isola Boscone),[8] Emilia-Romagna (the entire Apennine belt starting from Piacenza, and in particular the hills of Bologna and Forlì), Tuscany (especially the municipalities of San Miniato, in the province of Pisa and San Giovanni d'Asso, in the province of Siena), Umbria (Città di Castello, Umbertide, Gubbio and Norcia, in province of Perugia) the Marches (headed by Acqualagna and Sant'Angelo in Vado, in the province of Pesaro and Urbino; the area of the Sibillini Mountains is also very popular, in particular the area of Amandola), Abruzzo with the town of Ateleta , in the province of L'Aquila, Quadri (province of Chieti), and Molise, whose areas of greatest collection are those falling within the municipalities of Larino and Spinete, in the province of Campobasso, and Frosolone, San Pietro Avellana and Vastogirardi in the province of 'Isernia.
Much more common, on the other hand, is the black truffle, which sees in Umbria and Molise some of the most suitable areas for its production, both of the summer variety (the so-called scorzone) and of the more prized winter variety (Tuber melanosporum). Other recently discovered productions can be found in Campania (Sannio and Irpinia), Puglia (Roseto Valfortore), Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily, where truffles have only begun to be valued in very recent times.
The Po Delta, in Veneto, is another area that lends itself well to hosting the production of scorzone, but also of Tuber albidum, called marzolino or bianchitto.
In Italy it is always possible to collect truffles, except during the period of the end of April. Traditionally the harvest was accomplished using a piglet. The problem with this method is that the pig is fond of truffles, and it is necessary to hold him back to prevent him from eating the truffle. Also, it is prohibited by law as it causes environmental damage in research. Instead, in some regions of France, particularly in the Lot and in Périgord, it is still customary today to go in search of truffles with perfectly trained pigs.
Nowadays, only duly trained dogs are used in Italy. No particular breeds are used (apart from the Lagotto Romagnolo), on the contrary, a small-sized mestizo is generally chosen.
Despite the association of the image of the wild boar with truffles, the collection with wild boar has never been used, due to the evident difficulty of controlling a wild and untamable animal.
In Italy in 1985, a law was passed to counter the increase in the collection and the spread of non-eco-compatible practices in the collection of truffles. The law of 16 December 1985, n. 752, "Framework legislation on the collection, cultivation and trade of fresh or preserved truffles intended for consumption" (Official Gazette 21 December 1985, n. 300) mandated the Regions to regulate the collection on their territory, establishing some common rules: it is forbidden to commercialize immature truffles or truffles not belonging to the 9 species listed below; truffle picking is free in the woods and uncultivated land, including pastures; the collection in the "cultivated" truffle grounds and in the "controlled" ones is the responsibility of the owners of their management, if duly authorized, delimited and reported; harvesting by hoeing, weeding and plowing is severely punished as it kills the fungus; the use of pigs for truffle hunting is prohibited, due to the environmental damage caused by this animal in research.
Species
These are the species whose collection is permitted in Italy.
Precious white truffle, Tuber magnatum Pico
Precious black truffle, Tuber melanosporum Vittad.
Moscato truffle, Tuber brumale var. moschatum DeFerry
Black summer truffle, Scorzone, Tuber aestivum Vittad.
Hooked truffle, Tuber uncinatum Chatin
Black winter truffle, Tuber brumale Vittad.
Bianchetto or Marzolino truffle, Tuber borchii Vittad. = Tuber albidum Pico
Smooth black truffle, Tuber macrosporum Vittad.
Ordinary black truffle or Bagnoli truffle, Tuber mesentericum Vittad.
Tuber excavatum Vittad.
Tuber puberulum Berk. & Broome
Tuber oligospermum Vitt.
Lipstick truffle, Tuber rufum Pico
