What is a truffle? Definition and all edible species

 

Not the chocolate. A truffle is the fruiting body of underground fungi in the genus Tuber that live in symbiosis with tree roots (oak, hazel, beech, poplar). They develop below ground and are found with trained dogs. Their value lies in volatile aromatics: think perfume and umami rather than long cooking.

Definition
A truffle is the subterranean fruit of Tuber fungi that mature in soil. It forms a mycorrhiza with host trees and releases powerful volatile compounds that can perfume a dish in tiny amounts.

Taste and aroma
Truffles work through aroma more than mouth flavour.
• White truffles (Tuber magnatum): dominantly alliaceous/sulphury (garlic/shallot character) with buttery/malty undertones. Best shaved raw over a hot dish.
• Black winter truffles (Tuber melanosporum): earthy and complex, with notes of cocoa or hazelnut. Respond well to gentle heat in sauces and butters.
• Summer/Burgundy truffles (Tuber aestivum / Tuber uncinatum): milder, light hazelnut/malty notes. Keep dishes simple and use gentle heat or shave over fat-rich bases.
General rule: simple, fat-carrying bases (egg, butter, cream, potato, fresh pasta, risotto). Avoid aggressive spices. Never boil; use gentle heat only when appropriate.

The 9 edible species recognised in Italy
(Indicative Italian harvest windows; regional rules may vary.)

  1. Tuber magnatum — White truffle — alliaceous/sulphury; buttery/malty undertones — shaved raw on a hot dish — Oct–Dec/Jan

  2. Tuber melanosporum — Black winter / Périgord — earthy/complex; cocoa/hazelnut notes — gentle heat (sauces, butters) — Nov–Mar

  3. Tuber brumale — Winter black — earthy/mossy, more rustic — gentle heat — Jan–Mar

  4. Tuber brumale var. moschatum — Moscato — nutmeg-like, slightly spicy — gentle heat — Nov–Mar

  5. Tuber aestivum — Summer / Scorzone — delicate; light hazelnut/malty — light gentle heat or shavings — May–Nov

  6. Tuber uncinatum — Burgundy / Uncinatum — more intense than summer — light gentle heat or shavings — Oct–Dec

  7. Tuber borchii — Bianchetto / March truffle — lively alliaceous, sometimes peppery — raw, with a light hand — Jan–Apr

  8. Tuber macrosporum — Smooth black — light alliaceous, sometimes “white-like” — raw or gentle heat — Sep–Dec

  9. Tuber mesentericum — Ordinary black (Bagnoli) — earthy/iodine, mild bitterness — specific uses — Sep–Jan

Taxonomy note
Tuber uncinatum is often treated in literature as the autumn form of Tuber aestivum. In Italian commercial practice they are listed separately.

Other species you may see (not in the Italian list)
• Tuber indicum (“Chinese black”): visually similar to melanosporum but aromatically weaker.
• Desert truffles (Terfezia, Tirmania): edible truffles outside the Tuber genus from arid regions; different profile.

Price note
Truffles are effectively quoted weekly: market lists update prices by species, size/grade, season and weather. In general, white (magnatum) sits at the top tier; black winter (melanosporum) follows; summer/uncinatum are more accessible. Always request the current week’s quote and the grade.

Call to action
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