The truffle as a promoter of the local economy. Città di Castello, a municipality in the Umbrian part of the Upper Tiber Valley, in the province of Perugia, boasts 40.000 truffle hunters out of 2000 inhabitants. In fact, in its area there is a quality of white truffle among the finest in Italy Tuber Magnatum Peak. And the truffle is the absolute protagonist of the National Market Exhibition which for four days (from 1 to 4 November) celebrates all the variants of the truffle and in particular the trifola dell'Alto Tevere authentic regional excellence, which has always grown in the territory of Città di Castello which stands on average at 280 meters above sea level, enjoying, thanks to the influences of the Tyrrhenian Sea , of a sublittoral temperate climate with moderately cold winters and summers characterized by high but not torrid temperatures.
This means that in this area truffles are present almost throughout the year, in the various seasonal variations: in autumn, the superb protagonist is the trifola, except for the Tuber Magnatum Pico; in winter the Tuber melanosporum, a quality of prized black; in spring the Tuber borchii, known as bianchetto, or marzuolo, and in the hottest season of the year the Tuber aestivumm known as black summer truffle, or scorzone. It is therefore no wonder that the slogan chosen for the 2018 appointment is: “The four seasons of the truffle".
However, the enhancement of production is not the only theme at the center of the 39th Tifernate Truffle Exhibition, but the aim is to promote tourism that combines excellent gastronomy and culture, landscapes and entertainment. In fact, a specific program has been developed by the Municipality of Città di Castello, the Truffle Exhibition Association and the Alto Tevere Umbro Mountain Community with local public bodies, the Chamber of Commerce of Perugia and the Umbria Region.
The slogan is "Umbria, let yourself be surprised”, for which within the Market Exhibition there is also space for wine (by Ais), extra virgin olive oil (with the University of Agriculture of Perugia), biodiversity (by the Pro bio association), the excellence national (Flavours of Italy in Piazza Gabriotti) and those of Umbria (Fragrances and flavors of the territory). The menus of traditional dishes will be offered with themed tastings from Slow Food. The focus on cooking also includes signature menus within the restaurant circuit of the Tartufo club and the dissemination of a recipe book (on paper and digitally, the latter available on the event website) created ad hoc with ingredients and methods of preparation of typical dishes based on trifola altotiberina. To enrich everything, the possibility of enjoying the works of great artists such as Raphael, Luca Signorelli and Alberto Burri on a journey through medieval Umbria, between the Renaissance and contemporary art. In fact, thanks to the Card Musei, friends of the truffle will have discounted entry to the three Burri museums and the municipal art gallery.
"It will be four days - assures the mayor of Città di Castello Luciano Bacchetta - in the name of taste and culture between typical products and regional traditions, together with the great chefs of the Umbrian and Italian scene who will interpret the trifola with their creativity in the Showcooking space White Truffle, a meeting point between professionals and enthusiasts. Finally, for the more daring, the 39th National White Truffle Exhibition of Città di Castello organizes adventurous excursions in the Apennine woods in search of the delicious Tuber Magnatum Pico. A real 'hunt' in the company of truffle hunters to experiment with extraction techniques and of course a truffle dog competition could not be missing.
"We are convinced that an excellence like the trifola dell'Alto Tevere arouses a strong interest not only among food lovers, but also among all those tourists who are looking for real travel experiences to remember and tell" declares the councilor Tourism and Commerce Riccardo Carletti, and the president of the Comunità Montana Mauro Severini adds: for this reason we have enriched the program of edition n. 39, with very heterogeneous events and initiatives, capable of intriguing different audiences, who cannot miss a city where the truffle show, classical and contemporary art and music are at the center of an entire weekend”.
Finally, good news for the pockets of Italians and especially gourmets comes from Coldiretti. Prices have practically halved this year. The first quotations, for average pieces around 20 grams at the beginning of the season at the Alba truffle market, a reference point at national level, reached 250 euros per hectogram, compared to last year, 450 euros were paid (-44%). It is the effect of favorable climatic conditions in a summer in which 56% more rain fell which allowed the multiplication of the most precious fruit of autumn. For the record, it is estimated that around two hundred thousand official collectors are involved throughout Italy who supply shops and restaurants and feed a business which, including related industries, develops an estimated value of around half a billion euros between fresh, preserved or transformed products, also thanks to the large capacity of tourist and food and wine attraction.
