Truffle Trees...Growing Your Own Black Truffles
 

OK...who doesn't like the taste of truffles? No one that I know. Who can afford to buy truffles? No one that I know, including me. Sooooo...I'm going to try growing my own. I know...it's a long shot, but I'm going to give it a try.

Truffles are a fungus that grows on the roots of certain kinds of trees. They're mostly grown in southern European countries s/a France and Italy. They are dug out of the ground, near the base of the tree and the growers usually have to use a special dog to sniff them out. You can now buy trees that have been inoculated with the truffle fungus, which you then plant, wait 4-5 years and hopefully, have some truffles to unearth. It's been recently found that truffles can be grown successfully in my area. Yeah!!! The fungus grows on several different types of trees. Hazelnut trees are one type, but they're shorter lived and produce less. Holly oaks are the perfect species for my area, so I'm going with those.

So, what can you do with truffles? There's truffle oil, but I'm looking forward to shaving them fresh on risotto, pasta etc. Truffled eggs are pretty good too. I'm looking for more recipe ideas. My trees arrive this week, so I need to get my collection of recipes started now.

~ C

I wish you lots of luck.
I gave my daughter a hazel tree with the inoculated truffle about 5 years ago now. They have kept the tree in a pot/planter, and anytime now there may be truffles!!!! The tree has grown well, so there should be truffles - I hope. Next time I visit I am going to rummage.
I have some truffle flavoured oil (shop bought), but I don't like the smell of it. It is unfortunate, and I think a waste of money.
Truffles are best freshly grated/shaved, as you say, on scrambled eggs, risotto, pasta. I think that the areas where wild truffles are found are a very closely guarded secret here in the UK. It must be lovely to live in Italy!

I'll have to tell the hubby about this and look into it a bit, I know hazelnuts grow here just fine. He has become interested in mushrooms over the last few years and I'm sure would be keen on truffles too. We've been talking about putting a log under our Douglas fir trees and inserting mushroom dowels in it. Hubby is a bit more short term thinker than 4-5 years in the future, but I'd remember :)

This past year we had a new vendor at the farmer's market, she grows mushrooms and we have become quite the fan of Lions Mane.

I've inoculated logs with plugs before. It's a lot of work. It took forever to put all of the plugs in. Then, my husband unwittingly threw out the logs while, "cleaning up." :sigh:

~ C

Let me know how it goes. Intriguing.

I am 83 and never had a truffle. What do they taste like?

I think that is difficult to describe, because it can depend on the nostrils of the person smelling it, and if you do not like the smell, it is unlikely that you will like the taste.
Think of the best fresh mushroom, chocolate, touch of vanilla, earthy, fresh garlic slowly softened in butter, and your favourite musky perfume - this is the best I can describe the taste from those smells. However, they are rich tasting, so little shavings on pasta, on creamy scrambled egg, risotto, and steak is very good. Stored in a jar of risotto rice will flavour any risotto.
I have only ever had a little piece of one, but I live in constant hope of another little one.

I think truffles fall into the umami category. Savory/earthy/hearty??

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami

If you haven't tried a truffle and are interested what that taste is like, try a nice quality truffle oil. The oil is far less expensive and you'll get the idea. I suppose that there are people out there that don't like the taste. They're kind of like a very strong tasting mushroom.

~ C