Truffles 101: What Are Truffles & How To Use Them

Curious about truffles? They don't just taste delicious, they're good for you too! Find out what are truffles and why they're the magic ingredient that can take your favourite dish to the next level - hello truffle fries, black truffle pastas, and more!  

Truffles seem to be everywhere nowadays, from chips to sauces to restaurant dishes, but what even are truffles? As food fanatics, we can’t live without our truffles. And, if you’re here that means that you’ve either tasted truffles or you are thinking about it. If you’ve tasted truffles, then it's likely that you’ve been to heaven and back. If you haven’t, then you’re in for the meal of your life! Just to be clear, we’re not talking about the dessert truffle, but rather the earthy ingredient that makes any meal a divine experience. As passionate foodies, we can’t let you go another day without enjoying truffles, so here’s everything that you need to know about truffles and how to use them!

What Are Truffles?

Believe it or not, truffles are fungi or mushrooms. The difference between other fungi and truffles is that truffles may be partially related to vampires. We’re kidding of course, what we mean is that truffles grow under the soil attached to a tree root, so they (like vampires) don’t really like sunlight. Other than their preference for an underground environment, truffles also grow their family a little bit different than regular mushrooms. All fungi grow their family by producing spores, which are kind of like a seed. The spore is what allows another fungi to be born and is typically spread by the wind and other natural causes. On the other hand, truffles spread their spores by attracting small truffle-fanatic mammals through their scent. Once the animal eats the truffle, it passes through their digestive system mainly intact and through natural processes (if you know what we mean), returns to the soil in a nearby area. Then, the baby truffle marches its way to the motherland and returns to its host tree. It is essential for baby truffles to return to its host tree as truffles can not carry out photosynthesis, the process that converts sunlight into food. So, truffles rely on their host tree to feed them. 

What Are the Types of Truffles?

There are 4 types of known truffles in the world, and although they’re perceived as luxurious, truffles are not typically praised for their looks. Truffles often have an odd shape and can be any size, from the size of a nut to a human’s fist. Truffles come in three colours white, black and burgundy, and all except for black truffles grow in one season, winter. The prime truffle growing time is typically from September to May. However, unlike the other types of truffles, black truffles grow in both winter or summer. The different growing seasons create two types of black truffles. Together, the 4 types of truffles are white truffles, summer black truffles, winter black truffles, and burgundy truffles. 

Truffles may also be categorized by their country of origin. Truffles mainly come from the Eastern world--they were initially grown in France and have since spread to places like Sweden, Italy, South Africa, Australia, North America and Chile to name a few. 

What Do Truffles Taste Like?

Now, you must be thinking that an ingredient that is so praised must have an absolutely to-die for flavour, but truffles are actually not the kind of food that you eat out of a jar. In general, truffles taste like mushrooms but with a very pungent earthy flavour. The taste of truffles may also resemble a subtly woody, nutty and chocolatey flavour. But, the taste of truffles is dependent on the place of origin, the type of truffle and its aroma. For example, white truffles have a more garlicky flavour, similar to shallots, and a strong musky aroma, whereas black truffles are more sweet and earthy like nuts. Burgundy truffles’ flavour resembles hazelnuts with accents of garlic with an accompanying mild musky aroma. This description may not sound appetizing to you now, but when paired with sweet or savoury dishes truffles have the ability to take your tastebuds to new places. All you need is a little sprinkle of truffles to transform your dish from entry level to gourmet!

What Are The Health Benefits of Truffles?

Don’t get it twisted, this luxurious ingredient is not all looks and flavour, it's definitely got some health benefits too! First of all, since it is in the mushroom family, truffles are nutritionally dense. Truffles contain lots of unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins and minerals. Most notable, truffles are a good source of plant-based protein, and unlike other vegan proteins they may be able to provide your body with all the essential amino acids. Truffles are also rich in antioxidants which can protect your body against inflammation, disease and chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer. Additionally, truffles also have antibacterial properties that can prevent infections. 

Why Are Truffles So Expensive?

Truffles vary in pricing with white truffles being the most expensive, followed by winter black, burgundy and summer black. Truffles can run up quite the bill, which may seem rather odd considering that mushrooms are very affordable. However, truffles are very reasonably priced when you take into account the amount of labour and the circumstances required to cultivate them. 

Like diamonds, truffles are rare and grow only under prime conditions that only a handful of people are lucky enough to encounter. Since truffles grow underground, you can imagine that finding truffles isn’t your typical “Where’s Waldo?” game. To find truffles you need animals such as dogs or pigs, trained to specifically sniff them out. And, unfortunately we haven’t quite figured out how to grow them liberally since they’re quite the picky fungus, so finding them in the wild is sort of like hitting the jackpot. Additionally, if not cultivated at the right time or correctly, you won’t get the correct flavour and your truffle goes to waste. Lastly, the flavour profile of truffles is very unique, so you can imagine what people are willing to pay to get their hands on these! But, worry not! Since with truffles a little goes a long way, many companies produce truffle-infused products that give you a little taste of the good stuff without the super hefty price tag. 

How to Find Truffles?

As mentioned above, finding truffles is not an easy task. It takes a knowledgeable person and a whole team to get it just right. If you’re hoping to find truffles in the wild in Canada, you might strike a jackpot as there has been no documentation of truffle sightings in Canada. The closest known places where you could search for truffles are in Oregon and Texas. Since truffles grow underground, you’ll need to search at the base of conifer trees. A handy trick is to look for small holes at the base of the trees, this may indicate that a small animal may have found truffles. However, we advise you to search at your own risk as there are many truffle imposters that are poisonous. 

How to Use Truffles?

Truffles are a highly versatile ingredient! They work for all kinds of dishes from breakfast to dessert to luxurious drinks! However, keep in mind that truffles have a more intense flavour than mushrooms, so a little goes a long way. You can try to sprinkle some truffles on eggs, potatoes, pasta or poultry. Truffles also pair well with sauces, soups, fish, rice and even souffles! If you’re not ready to commit to buying the full truffle, you can always opt for truffle-infused products like truffle-infused hot sauce, pasta sauce, and other condiments. You could even enjoy a little nibble of truffles in snacks like truffle chips, and popcorn!

Final Notes

Truffles are no ordinary mushroom, they’re an ingredient that creates an unforgettable dining experience! From sweet to savoury dishes, truffles can do it all! Truffles are a rare kind of mushroom that are carefully and expertly harvested to bring your taste buds the time of their life! Although, truffles are considered a luxurious ingredient, thanks to many brands we are able to offer you the best selection of truffle-infused products and truffle seasonings in Canada to help you enjoy one of food’s most fine delicacies. So, treat yourself to a truffle product! Life is too short not to have truffles! Shop here!