The truffle is among the world’s most mysterious foods. Man has not tamed it, still has not figured out a sure-fire way to cultivate it, though progress is being made. Is its very elusiveness part of its charm? Perhaps what we don’t know about the truffle is greater than what we do know. (1)
You will hear, people often call them “black diamonds”. Not without good reason for sure.
Tuber aestivum or Tuber uncinatum is very common from May to August and it ranges in size from 2 to 9 cm (¾–4 in.) but occasionally even much larger. It has intense earthy – hazelnut like taste. Tuber aestivum can be found mainly in Mediterranean climate country like Croatia.
Quality soil in Istria is ideal place for black truffle. Tuber aestivum can be seen and harvest during summer days on numerous places across the forests.
Did you know that Croatians love to mix black truffle, especially Tuber aestivum with cheese or sausage. Few slices of truffle are added during production stages of cheese, preferably goat one but can be mixed with cow cheese too. Pure food delicacy! How about truffle pizza? Famous and popular dish in Istria as in the whole Croatia. Slices of black truffle are usually add on top of the pizza with a drop of truffle oil. Istrian sausage with black truffles can be perfect pizza companion too or you can mix it with omelet or just eat it directly as a snack.
Black truffle oil is what every kitchen usually needs in order to transform even simple meal to tasty unforgettable experience.
Reference
(1) Wells, P. (2011). Simply Truffles. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.