Great List of festivals
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 11/03/2008 - 13:06In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Hi Tim, you are corect on all acounts and I acknowledge sourcing some great information from Trip Advisor's forums too. As you know it's good to share.
Prices in Alba were sitting at Euro 4,000 per killo last Saturday (1st November).
Yes rain is back with a vengance and unfortunately prevented our organised truffle hunt last Sunday. Ah well.....
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I thought I had seen this table somewhere :-)
You did miss out the International Charity truffle auction at Castello di Grinzane Cavour on November 9th and the Alba white truffle award also at the Castello on December 7th.
Do you have any tartufi on your land?
Cheers
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Yes! So far one 2g ball! But it's a start! We have some nuts at the lower valley part of our vineyards, ideal ground - but we don't have a truffle dog - so have to rely upon others to find them!
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I understand that trained pigs are also very good to find truffles.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
[quote=Gala Placidia;102214]I understand that trained pigs are also very good to find truffles.[/quote]
Leave the moderators out of this!
.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
This is what prompted my comment:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKyJ_KFgNwc&feature=related]YouTube - Truffle Hunting with A Pig in Provence[/ame]
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Gala, although they apparently use pigs in France for finding the (inferior) black truffles, no one would dream of using them for white truffles in Piedmont for two reasons:
1. Pigs like to eat truffles, dogs don't. Dogs are trained that wnen they find a truffle they get a reward. Pigs just scarf them down.
2. Scientists have identified that the aroma of a white truffle closely resembles the breath of a male pig (boar) in rut, no kidding, the pheromones would kick in and may have some problems in controlling your pig!
We used to keep Vietnamese pot belly pigs and small as they were (50 kg) they were very difficult to keep in control when they got the scent of food. I can't imagine trying to keep a 200 kg hog on the leash when she's sexually crazed and hungry to boot :laughs: (pigs were babies in this snapshot)
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Thank you again for the information, I can imagine the scene and really I don't think I would like to be involved in a situation like this. By the way, I love your pigs, they are absolutely gorgeous. But it may be easier to control a dog. And taking into account the price of the white truffles.....
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I found this information on training dogs to find truffles and which kind of dog is suitable. Sounds like a lot of work to try to train one. Anyway, have a look:
[url=http://www.correrenelverde.com/animali/cani/canetartufi.htm]cane da tartufi[/url]
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Hey! I'm a moderator! (having started the thread am I alowed to feel unfairly tainted :-))
Its always intersting going to truffle fairs (of which, as we have highlighted, there are many) to see the furtive discussions with dog owners about the skills of the parents of puppy's up for sale at remarkable prices. There may be a similar pig market in France, but the dog one is certainly big business here.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Taking into account the high cost of truffles it is understandable that prices for any helper you can get will be considerable. And yes, in France the pig market is big business, not only in Provence, they also use them very successfully in Périgord. I saw a documentary on the topic not long ago.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Hey Gala I'm trying to find a related video and that one in particular. No joy so far but have a look at this. A boy is said to be able to find them with his feet!!! Wowee - [url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-474144/Boy-claims-amazing-ability-finding-truffles-feet.html]Boy claims amazing ability at finding truffles with his feet | Mail Online[/url]
Is Nothing Sacred
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/09/2008 - 16:12In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I had forgotten what a great website - [url=http://www.zoomata.com]zoomata :|: a close-up on italy[/url] is. This is a somewhat scary article published there a month ago -Italy Faces Foreign Truffle Invasion - [url=http://zoomata.com/?p=1289]zoomata :|: a close-up on italy Blog Archive Italy Faces Foreign Truffle Invasion[/url]
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Last weekend (novembre 9) we went to the "fiera regionale del tartufo". There was a large market with a few truffle stands.
Very beautiful location, not too much people (easy to park the car !) and the weater was fine.
We had a great day !
Hi Phil,
love your post listing all the truffle festivals in Piedmont for this year, it must have taken some time to assemble this list from all the different information given by each province. :eerr:
Actually if I may comment that after September, we had a long dry spell and white truffle became quite scarse, as well as a lack of bigger ones, prices in the central market in Asti went up to 3-4 euro a gram, I wasn't able to make it down to the truffle fair in Alba (which this year moved into the exhibition centre outside of town), but I should imagine prices were higher there.
But as you would know the autumn rain has finally started and the real tartufi season starts now in November, expect good hauls this year :laughs: