White Truffle Season Hampered by Unfavorable Weather in Italy

Weather conditions in Italy have not been ideal for harvesting white truffles and have pushed the season back. The supply is extremely limited due to hot weather and a lack of rain in September.

White truffles from Italy are the world’s most expensive truffles, fetching as much as $350 per ounce. Even in ideal weather conditions, the extreme scarcity of white truffles plays a significant role in their cost. White truffles are much scarcer than any other type of truffle, and because they are impossible to cultivate, those that do exist must be found in the wild. Fresh white truffles can only be hunted and harvested during a very short season, typically beginning in October and extending only through December.

According to Mirepoix USA, a leading online purveyor of specialty gourmet foods and traditional French foods, white truffles are typically imported to the United States from Italy beginning in late September or early October. Because of unfavorable weather conditions, large, ripe white truffle specimens will not be available until mid-October or later. 

White truffles have an intense earthy, musky aroma that can perfume an entire room and a flavor somewhat reminiscent of shallots with hints of garlic and pepper on the palate. According to Mirepoix USA, white truffles are best served raw because the intense flavor and fragrance are lost during the cooking process. Raw white truffles can be shaved on pasta, risotto, potatoes, eggs, sauces or had with poultry or other white meats such as rabbit or veal. White truffles also pair well with hard Italian cheeses, prosciutto and salami.

All truffles grow in random locations as much as a foot below ground in the root system of the host trees and therefore must be discovered by the trained nose of a pig or dog. Dogs are more commonly used for truffle hunting today, as they can be more easily trained to simply find the truffles and not eat them.