From the soil to the plate

Birth of the truffle :

The truffle is the fructification of a fungus living in symbiosis with a host tree (oak tree, nut tree, and also hornbeam, lime-tree, willow). The underground filaments of the mushroom creep into the root cells creating a double structure called the Mycorhize. At that step, an exchange of good services takes place. Indeed, this is at the level of the mycorhizes that the food exchange of the symbiosis occurs. The tree needs the truffle and the truffle needs the tree. The tree gives sugars to the truffle (carbohydrates) coming from photosynthesis. Meanwhile the mushroom gives the tree mineral salts (phosphorus) and helps the tree to stand chalky soils. The truffle is nothing but a mushroom which appears in Spring between April and June. Then, thanks to the hot July days and the August storms, the truffle grows. If there is enough rain and enough heat the truffle will get its normal size at the beginning of September.
 

The Harvest

Harvesting of the truffle depends on the species. Concerning the black truffle tuber melanosporum (the one which is concerned here) harvesting starts at the end of November to end at the beginning of March. Once mature, the truffle gives off characteristic scents making its location easier. Several options are possible for the “cavage”( the truffle digging up) :
Either with the help of a pig naturally attracted by the scent of the truffle. Very efficient but more risky for our precious harvest . Indeed, the pig, unlike the dog, does not dig up the truffle to please its master but to eat it. After digging the soil with its snout, the pig receives a few grains of maize or a bit of potatoe as a reward.
The truffle fly, attracted by the scent of the truffle to lay its eggs, will fly away when the “caveur” comes, making him easier to see the place where in most cases the ripe truffle is. This solution is nevertheless much more uncertain.
The truffle is collected from the soil thanks to a tool made of oblong metal piece called “cavadou” from which comes the word “cavage”. This tool can be a simple ice-hammer.
Or with the help of a dog who finds his pleasure in discovering truffles and in the reward given by his happy master. In most cases, the dog sniffs the ground and marks it with his paws and sometimes he digs up the truffle itself.