Winter Truffle

The winter truffle is the common name for Tuber melanosporum, its scientific name. This truffle is also known as the Périgord truffle or black truffle. It is a highly prized culinary delicacy due to its intense aroma and flavor.

This is a fungus that lives underground, in a hypogeous environment, in symbiosis with the roots of holm oaks, oaks, and hazelnut trees, primarily. It is still found growing wild, but can also be cultivated in plantations with mycorrhizal plants.

Winter truffles are harvested approximately from November to March, and since they grow underground, they are found using dogs that detect them by scent. They reach their peak ripeness during the winter, hence their common name.