"Whosoever says truffle, utters a grand word, which awakens erotic and gastronomic ideas...." -Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
- truf·fle
- 1. Any of various fleshy, ascomycetous, edible fungi, chiefly of the genus Tuber, that grow underground on or near the roots of trees and are valued as a delicacy.
- 2. Any of various chocolate confections, especially one made of a mixture including chopped nuts, rolled into balls and covered with cocoa powder.
- [Alteration of French trufe, from Old French, from Old Provençal trufa, from Vulgar Latin *tūfera, truffles, from dialectal variant of Latin tūber, lump.]
- From The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Truffles have always held a mysterious allure. Truffles have been called black diamonds or pearls of the Earth, though they also come in white varieties. Their use dates to at least Mesopotamia and were believed by the Greeks to have healing properties, whereas the Romans prized truffles for their supposed aphrodisiac qualities.
Their origin was unknown, leading to the belief that they arose from lightening or thunder: "Since, during storms, flames leap from the humid vapors and dark clouds emit deafening noises, is it surprising the lightning, when it strikes the ground, gives rise to truffles, which do not resemble plants?" -Plutarch
Truffles briefly disappeared as a food during the Middle Ages, when they were considered by the Church to be a dangerous creation of the Devil, occasionally referred to as "witch's fares." The Renaissance saw their reappearance on royal menus.
The chocolate truffle is a French creation of melted chocolate, butter, cream, and other flavorings such as rum or coffee, which is then rolled into a ball and dusted with cocoa. These resemble real truffles, which when removed from the ground are roundish, brown, and dirty. Truffles can even smell like chocolate. Additionally, truffles have been preserved in brandy or port and chocolate shells filled with this liquor allow the enjoyment of both flavors together.
Either dogs or pigs can be used to find wild truffles. Sows are naturally attracted to truffles because they contain a steroid equivalent to boar's pheromones. Dogs have the advantage of no true desire to eat truffles and are trained merely to find them.