October is white truffle month in Piemonte and the annual Alba truffle festival celebrating the famous 'tartufo bianco' truffles is a massive event.
Alba is also home of the Associazione Nazionale 'Città del Tartufo' which was formed in 1990.
The aim of the association is to present a single reference point for anyone interested in the Italian truffle in much the same way the 'Strada del Vino' and the 'Città d'Arte' do for wine and culture.
The 'Associazione Nazionale Città del Tartufo' represents 19 towns in central Italy who produce truffles commercially.
These range from Norcia in Umbria to S.Giovanni d'Asso in Tuscany, Acqualagna in Marche and Agnone in 'Alto Molise'.
Truffle hunters who can't get to Alba should escort their pigs to Lombardia (Borgofranco sul Po), Liguria (Alta Val Bormida), Emilia Romagna (Savigno), Tuscany (San Giovanni d'Asso), Marche (Sant'Agata Feltria), Umbria (Norcia), Lazio (Leonessa) and Molise (San Pietro Avellana).
Nevertheless, Alba is now the main market for both the truffle output of Piemonte and a large part of Italy e.g. Monferrato, Oltrepò Pavese, Emilia Romagna and Marche.
The famous 'Tartufo d'Alba' or 'Tuber Magnatum Pico' is a marvellous gift of nature and a symbol of the rich cuisine of Piemonte.
The truffle was known in antiquity, not just for its inherent culinary qualities but also as an aphrodisiac.
Madame Pompadour was a great fan apparently out of fear of being too frigid for the tastes of her husband, the king.
Indeed, the Torinesi had been giving the truffle as gifts to the nearby French since 700 AD which might explain something.
The most thorough research was carried out by the University of Munich.
The scientists discovered that truffles contain a volatile alcohol with a strong musk flavor, a chemical brother of testosterone.
No doubt this is something the ancients knew all along.
The secret to enjoying the truffle is to avoid using it with other strong flavors.
It is perhaps best served as an antipasti, buttered on wholemeal toast or over pasta as shards with butter and parmigiano reggiano cheese.
Fiera Nazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba
www.fieradeltartufo.org
