Truffle Hound: On the Trail of the World’s Most Seductive Scent, with Dreamers, Schemers, and Some Extraordinary Dogs

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We had a wonderful day on Saturday – thank you so much. I still can’t quite believe that these little treasures are just under the surface and that within minutes they are enriching a dish as simple as scrambled egg on toast! Just a fantastic experience for foodies who love the outdoors…and dogs. Cath, London In Italy, the use of pigs in truffle hunting has been prohibited since 1985, as the animals can cause damage to the mycelia of truffles while digging, reducing the production rate for a number of years. [5] Truffle hounds [ edit ] Once a truffle has received enough nutrients from the host plant, it can begin to form what is known as the fruiting body, the familiar shape of culinary truffles. The fungi do this to produce spores to help it spread. There are many different variations of truffle that grow throughout Italy. However, they are generally grouped by colour and the season in which they are harvested.

Thank you for a super day. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Your course was extremely instructive and useful and our co-attendees were a lovely bunch of people and dogs. Poppy is looking forward to improving her technique at home! Anna & Marius, Kent From the beloved, James Beard-award-winning author of A Geography of Oysterscomes a captivating exploration into the secretive and sensuous world of truffles, the elusive food that has captured hearts, imaginations, and palates worldwide. Once again a great day out and my friends really enjoyed themselves. Also the people that come to your days are all very nice, I remember the time before the people were great. John – a returning guest!Both Mike and I thought that it was a really nice and interesting day! Thank you so much! – Dawn and Mike, West Sussex It was a great day thanks very much we all enjoyed it. Very very interesting Again thanks for all your hard work on the day. Sarah, Surrey A great book about food informs you, excites you, and inspires you to learn more - Rowan Jacobsen's Truffle Hound does exactly that. This book follows Jacobsen across the world as he learns about truffles - different varieties, how they're grown, who farms/forages for them, whether or not the truffle oil we see at the supermarket has any real truffle in it, who runs 'Big Truffle,' etc., Istvan Bagi’s dog Mokka, a Labrador, searches for truffles in a forest near Jaszivany, east of Budapest.

The choice of the truffle dog of your dreams clearly falls on you and must be made according to your needs, but not only! The one you will adopt is, in fact, not a mere truffle hunter’s helper, but a dog in its own right with its needs, its peculiarities, and, why not, its quirks (and “flaws”). The emotional involvement of the dog is fundamental for the success of the training and must start from the owner. The task of the truffle hunter is to make the dog passionate about the search, making exciting what he will be asked to do. It is the truffle hunter’s duty to transmit his passion and love for his job to the animal in more poetic terms. Truffles are culinary delicacies much prized by fine chefs and food cognoscenti; thus they're very much coveted and extremely expensive. Evaluate the level of your truffle hunting activity: are you a simple enthusiast or a real professional? Depending on the answer, choose a dog that reflects the commitment you will put into such work, more or less demanding to manage according to the case.Thank you so much for yesterday – Lee and I thoroughly enjoyed it as did Essie – she is shattered today! Clare, Surrey Thanks again for a fantastic day yesterday, from start to finish it was absolutely spot on. I had no idea we would find so many truffles but even if we hadn’t found any I would not have come away disappointed – your talk was so interesting, Max was an absolute star and please pass on our thanks for Karen’s wonderful hospitality [Norburton Hall] (and a request for the recipe for that yummy apple cake!) Hannah and Rowan, Manchester Thanks so much for an absolutely brilliant day James! I learnt so much about truffles and had a wonderful time! Can’t wait to cook dinner tonight! Great bunch of people and perfect location. Natasha, London