Before You Buy Truffles in Australia - Truffle Biology

Before cultivating or buying truffles, it is important to understand a little about the species’ biology. So when the time comes to buy truffles, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting.

Tuber (genus)

True truffles are a group of valuable and highly sought-after edible species of underground ascomycetes belonging to the fungal genus Tuber.  All are ectomycorrhizal and are therefore found in close association with trees, sunflower seeds or walnuts, though not all people are able to catch the odour of this fungus. The water after soaking truffles can taste a bit like soy sauce.

Brillat-Savarin called the truffle "the diamond of the kitchen" and praised its aphrodisiacal powers. While the aphrodisiacal characteristics of truffles have not been established, it is still held in high esteem in French, northern Italian and Istrian cooking and in international haute cuisine.

If you would like more information before you buy truffles, feel free to contact us at any time.

The origin of the word truffle appears to lie in the Latin term tuber, meaning "lump", which early on became tufer- and gave rise to the various European terms: French Truffe, Spanish Trufa, German Truffel, Turkish domalan and Dutch Truffel.  Interestingly the Italian tartufo and Piedmontese tartifla suggest an affinity with the German Kartoffel "potato". The ascoma (fruiting body) of truffles is highly prized as food.

Click here for more information you should know before buying truffles in Australia.

Are You Looking to Buy Truffles in Australia?

It is very important before buying truffles to know whether they are true truffle species. Strictly speaking, the true truffles are those species of the genus Tuber; however, the term has been applied to several other genera of underground fungi around the world. These include the genera Terfezia and Tirmania of the family Terfeziaceae, known as the Desert truffles of Africa and the Middle East. The term "Hart's truffle" has been used to refer to Elaphomyces while "Bohemian truffle" has been used to describe Pisolithus tinctorius, which was historically eaten in parts of Germany.

Trees produced at the T.A.S.T.E nursery are DNA certified as being inoculated with Tuber melanosporum.

True truffles form symbiotic relationships with several varieties of deciduous trees, including oak, beech, hazel and poplar, but cannot be found on maples or cedars. They flourish throughout the autumn, winter and spring, and can be found buried between the fallen leaves and twigs and the soil. Their growth beneath the earth's surface is thought to be an adaptation to forest fires, drought, or severe cold, where the mushrooms on the surface of the soil are more prone to destruction.

View our frequently asked questions for information you should know before you buy truffles.

» Click here to contact T.A.S.T.E before cultivating or buying truffles in Australia, including Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.