Langhe, Roero and Monferrato and the first hills of Turin: three seemingly different areas united by a typical cross-cutting product, the precious Black Truffle. We are in Piedmont, in the southern part to be precise, an area that offers a combination of enogastronomic excellence, landscapes that look like paintings, and culture in the palaces and monuments of Italy's first capital. Here the truffle is for every season: whether white or black, every month will bring excitement to your palate.
Please be ready to immerse yourself in the scents and flavours of these lands, just forget about emblazoned labels or cover products, open your eyes and heart to a new discovery. Only in this way will you be won over by Nero Pregiato (precious black truffle), excellence in dark clothing that will leave you open-mouthed.
While science calls it Tuber melanosporum Vittadini, for us it is simply the precious black truffle. It can be found in several European countries, including Italy, and in Piedmont it is localized in the southern part of the region, preferring, as truffles often do, certain types of plants and humid environments to grow. Unlike the white truffle, it can be cultivated, or at least conditions can be created to encourage its growth. For this reason, its presence in local lore is considerable, and even a century ago, references to its cultivation could be found in truffle-growing manuals.
It is by far the most valuable of the black truffles. Its shape is globular, sometimes lobed, with a brown-black peridium, the gleba is gray or black-reddish, furrowed with light, thin veins that are very branched. The size reaches and can exceed that of a large apple. Its aroma is pleasant but intense.
