The Most Mysterious Mushroom

Ancient civilisations already appreciated truffles just as much for their undeniable virtues of taste as for their alleged magical properties.

In the Middle Ages, the consumption of truffles fell into disrepute (they were said to be evil and it was believed that truffle groves led to hell), but they were restored to favour in the 14th century by the Popes of Avignon.

Truffles have been venerated ever since this date and they are still reputed to have all sorts of properties…. such as the ability to rouse desire: Was it not Brillat-Savarin who wrote that “whenever they have eaten a few truffles (...), men are more polite and women are more amiable”…

What is certain is that truffles are mushrooms which grow underground, that their presence is dependent on the soil and the climate, and that they live in harmony with certain types of trees, such as the oak… Buried deep in the ground, they are invisible and in order to find them, specially trained dogs – or sometimes even pigs – are used to sniff them out.

Man has always been fascinated by truffles and has made many attempts to unearth their secrets and control their production, but without success.
A naturally wild product, truffles have maintained their share of mystery and their harvest continues to be dependent on the good grace of Nature.