The White Truffle Fairs in Piedmont

The White
Truffle Fairs
in Piedmont
2015
Alba White Truffle
Tuber magnatum Pico
Something who tells about a territory, speaking to the future by the language
of its own traditions; something who rediscovers colors and scents of a land,
changes and it is equal to itself at the same time, in the infinite cycle gifted by
Mother Nature: that’s White Truffle.
It is still a gem in Piedmont, which seems enchanted and calls worldwide’s
attention. Every year, the taste of this product with no equal is discovered.
The purpose of this brochure is to make it known to the always growing lovers
of cookery, thanks to the multiple fairs where the White Truffle is the actual
leading actor of our lands.
Sergio Chiamparino
President of
Regione Piemonte
Alberto Valmaggia
Councillor for Environment and Mountain
development of Regione Piemonte
W
hat is truffle?
For those who love it, it is a
wonderful scent. Technically,
however, a truffle is a
“hypogeal” mushroom (not
a tuber!) which grows
underground and clings to
the roots of trees. A humble
product of nature and a
prestigious status symbol,
its charm has seduced us
for thousands of years,
surrounded
by
mystery.
According to the myth, it
was a thunderbolt launched
by Zeus himself - the lord
of all gods and a great lover
- which fertilized the place
where a precious pearl would
later bloom: truffle. Among
the over 120 aromas that it
is able to release, researchers
have identified the presence
of pheromones, thus giving
a scientific explanation to its
aphrodisiac powers in 1981.
W
here, how
and when to
find truffles
White truffle, in contrast to black
truffle, cannot be cultivated. It
grows in autunm and winter, 1015 cm deep in the soil, in fresh
and wet habitats. As all symbiotic
mushrooms, it originates from
the mycelium, but it needs a
special environment to grow:
calcareous soil and the presence
of specific trees and shrubs,
such as oaks, poplars, willows,
lime and hazelnut trees. From a
legal point of view, truffles are
considered “res nullius”, wich
means that belong to whoever
find them, except when they
grow in controlled and certified
cultivation areas. Piedmont is
one of the few places where
truffles grow in significant
quantities. The truffle area covers
4 provinces: from the LangheRoero and Monferrato hills
to the Turin area. The harvest
period goes from September 21st
to January 31st.
T
he “trifulau” and
their dogs
Many
mysteries
revolve
around truffles, such as the
right places and times to find
and harvest them. The most
skilled “trifulau”, the best
truffle hunters, only share these secrets with their loyal dog,
whose acute sense of smell is
trained to recognize the peculiar scent of truffles. They form
an inseparable team in life
and in the many hours spent
searching the woods. Their
knowledge comes from instinct, but also from studying.
More than 130 years ago, the
first and only university for
truffle dogs was created in
Roddi, a few miles of Alba! A
“trifulau” needs a valid pass,
issued by local administration
authority, that is valid in the
whole italian territory.
P
reserving
and cooking
truffles
Truffles must be kept in a
fresh place, between 3 °C and
6 °C, possibly wrapped in paper towel and placed inside
a glass container. Preserved
in this way, a fresh truffle can
be kept for about one week.
Wrong preservation can accelerate deterioration. Some of
the things which should never be done are placing truffles in a freezer (they lose all
their features), in oil (they ferment) or in brine (where they
lose their scent and taste).
Truffles are ideally eaten raw,
cut in very thinny slices on
top of simple dishes with few
condiments, such as “tajarin”
(typical egg tagliatelle) or a
humble fried egg.
A
guaranteed taste
Piedmont hosts the most important district of Alba White Truffles, where this
extraordinary product reaches the table in perfect conditions thanks to the wisdom of hundreds of operators. This heritage of knowledge and traditions is
at the service of consumers, to whom we offer simple and useful indications.
At fairs make sure that the price and the truffles species are clearly indicated and,
in support of your purchases, trust the “Commission Quality” service.
Restaurants who joined the Truffle
Club
(www.truffleclub.org)
have
entered into agreement, by signing a
policy document, in order to observe
the following conditions:
1. the price of Alba White Truffle will
be clearly indicated;
2. the truffle will be sliced directly at
your table, and not in the kitchen;
3. Alba White Truffle, according to
law, will be offered only during the
ripening season, from September
21st to January 31st;
4. at restaurants, customers will be
allowed to eat the truffles purchased
by their own.
N
ational fairs
Moncalvo (AT) - Fiera Mostra Mercato del tartufo
Once again, the fair offers exhibitions and the award for best truffle of the year,
as well as many side events. During the festival, visitors have the opportunity to
meet truffle hunters and their dogs, visit the truffle market and the booths of typical products and handicrafts, as well as participate in food and wine tasting events.
www.comune.moncalvo.at.it
Montechiaro d’Asti (AT) - Fiera nazionale del tartufo bianco del Monferrato
Even in the 2015 edition, this picturesque village in Monferrato hosts a market of typical
products. Throughout the day, visitors can enjoy entertainment events and the best truffles are awarded a prize. www.montechiaro.info
Murisengo (AL) - 48ª Fiera nazionale del tartufo - Trifola d’Or
Created in 1967, this is a special occasion to enjoy the wholesome tastes of a land where tradition is still a genuine habit. The fair, that will take place on two sundays, will
offer moments of entertainment for kids and touring shows.
www.murisengo.com - www.fieradeltartufo.com
Rivalba (TO) - Mostra mercato del Tartufo bianco d’Alba della
Regione Piemonte raccolto nelle colline torinesi
The fascinating settings of Torino hills, for more than twenty years have been the location
of the fine White Truffle’s fairs, which is a typical product in Rivalba territories. The 2015
edition will take place in two weekends, with markets of wine and food products, handicrafts and the award ceremony of the very best truffle. www.comune.rivalba.to.it
San Sebastiano Curone (AL) - Mostra mercato del tartufo bianco e nero
The exhibition illustrates the production of truffles in the lands of Giarolo, and showcases the great wines and typical products of the area. The day also includes a market, the
awarding of the “Tartufo d’oro” prize and the event “A tavola con il Tartufo”. Visitors
can also participate in the truffle auction. www.comunesansebastianocurone.it
R
egional fairs
Acqui Terme (AL) - 11ª Mostra regionale del tartufo
comune.acquiterme.al.it
Alessandria - 30° Fiera di San Baudolino
www.asperia.it
Asti - Fiera del tartufo
www.comune.asti.it
Bergamasco (AL) - 17ª Fiera mostra mercato del tartufo
www.comune-bergamasco.it
Canelli (AT) - Fiera regionale del tartufo
www.comune.canelli.at.it
Castelnuovo Don Bosco (AT) - Fiera regionale del tartufo
www.comune.castelnuovodonbosco.at.it
Mombercelli (AT) - Fiera del tartufo 2015
www.comune.mombercelli.at.it
R
egional fairs
Mondovì (CN) - Peccati di gola 2015 - XVII Fiera regionale
del Tartufo
www.comune.mondovi.cn.it
Montiglio Monferrato (AT) - Fiera del tartufo di Montiglio
Monferrato
www.comune.montigliomonferrato.at.it
Odalengo Piccolo (AL) - 22ª Fiera Tufo & Tartufo
www.comune.odalengopiccolo.al.it
San Damiano d’Asti (AT) - Fiera regionale del tartufo anno 2015
www.comune.sandamiano.at.it
Trisobbio (AL) - Fiera del Tartufo
www. comune.trisobbio.al.it
Vezza d’Alba (CN) - Fiera regionale del tartufo bianco di
Vezza d’Alba e dei vini del Roero
www.comunevezzadalba.it
1
Montiglio
Monferrato (AT)
October 4th and 11st
Fiera del tartufo di Montiglio Monferrato
2
Alba (CN)
From october 10th
to november 15th
85ª Fiera internazionale del Tartufo
Bianco d'Alba - Edizione 2015
3
Odalengo
Piccolo (AL)
October 10th and 11st
22ª Fiera Tufo & Tartufo
4
Bergamasco (AL)
October 10th and 11st
17ª Fiera mostra mercato del tartufo
5
Moncalvo (AT)
October 18th and 25th
61ª Fiera Mostra Mercato del tartufo
6
Mombercelli (AT)
October 19th
Fiera del Tartufo 2015
7
Acqui Terme (AL)
From october 23rd
to october 25th
11ª Mostra regionale del tartufo
8
Trisobbio (AL)
October 25th
Fiera del Tartufo
9
Mondovì (CN)
From october 30th to
november 1st
Peccati di Gola 2015 - XVIII Fiera
regionale del tartufo
November 1st and 8th
XXVIII Mostra mercato del tartufo bianco
d'Alba della Regione Piemonte raccolto
nelle colline torinesi
10 Rivalba (TO)
11 Alessandria
November 8th
30ª fiera di San Baudolino
12 Canelli (AT)
November 8th
Fiera regionale del tartufo
13
Montechiaro
d’Asti (AT)
November 8th
Fiera nazionale del tartufo bianco del
Monferrato
14
San Damiano
d’Asti (AT)
November 8th
Fiera regionale del Tartufo - anno 2015
15 Asti
November 15th
Fiera del tartufo
16 Murisengo (AL)
November 15th and 22nd
48ª Fiera nazionale del tartufo Trifola d’Or
San Sebastiano
Curone (AL)
November 15th and 22nd
32ª Mostra mercato del tartufo bianco
e nero
November 21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th
Fiera regionale del tartufo bianco di
Vezza d'Alba e dei vini del Roero
November 29th
Fiera regionale del tartufo
17
18 Vezza d'Alba (CN)
19
Castelnuovo Don
Bosco (AT)
Malpensa
Airport
Turin
Airport
1
16
3
n International fair
5
n National fair
10
Turin railway
station
Porta Nuova
15
19
11
n Regional fair
13
14
6
18
4
12
17
7
2
Cuneo
Airport
9
8
Council for Environment and Mountain development
Corso Bolzano, 44 - 10121 Torino - Italy
Design and production by IPLA spa
For more information, please visit:
www.truffleclub.org
Special thanks for its contribution and cooperation to:
photos: D. Dutto (p. 2,4,5,6) e S. Spadoni (p. 1,3,16)
graphics: F. Mensio - IPLA spa / stampa: Artistica Savigliano