Mushroom Series: Truffle Mushrooms

This is our last article in this series! I hope you’ve been enjoying it. Read on to find out more information on those little tasty weirdos that exist underground called Truffles!

So, Truffle mushrooms. These are one of the most difficult of mushrooms to find and gather - but they’re so fuckin’ worth it! I mean, people have trained pigs and dogs to go hunt these little gems of yumminess throughout time.

I mean, not only are they hiding underground, they also don’t even bother to look like mushrooms!

What do you think of when you hear or read the word “truffle”?

I believe that most of us think about those tasty shavings over risotto or pasta when we go out for one of those fancy dinners, right? Personally, I have a truffle salt (that also has chaga mushrooms in it) that’s my all time favorite seasoning! I put that even on french fries (but I’m not bougie… at least, not much)!

But, did you know that even though most of us think of those shavings when talking about truffles, that they’re from the genus called Tuber which includes those famous black and white truffles? Truffles are a whole group of fungi that produces their fruiting bodies underground… in the darkest of darkness. They don’t even come up to reproduce!!

Do you know how they reproduce then if they can’t send their spores into the air? Animals! Yep, they rely on animals to find them, eat them, and then… you know… poop them out, lol.

As they mature, they emit incredibly powerful and distinctive aromas which attract animals such as wild pigs, rodents, and a variety of other mammals. Then — the reproductive process begins!

And have you seen how much one truffle can go for in the store?? Imagine these wild animals are having these gourmet meals for free! But, they are helping the fungi to spread so we’ll forgive them.

Also, like last week’s mushroom, porcini, truffles are considered mycorrhizal which means that they partner with the trees to provide water and nutrients to them while receiving compounds it can manufacture from photosynthesis. Would you look at that? Nature working in harmony and balance!

Commercially, truffles aren’t easy to grow because they’re so damn picky. The cultivator needs to make sure that they find suitable host trees, that they give those trees the appropriate soil and environmental conditions and yet, even then, it can take years to produce a truffle.

They’ve even found evidence that some of the Tuber species can actually change the soil around the host trees and create an area where the vegetation becomes reduced. These areas are called (of course by the French), brûlés. This is the truffles making accommodations for themselves in order to create a stronger dependence on them by the host tree, or at least that’s the theory.

So, what makes truffles so special in the kitchen?

Ok, did I mention the aroma?? So, there’s that. But, depending on which species of truffle, their scents can be described as earthy, musky, garlicky, nutty, forest-like, or even (dare I say) funky. And, you all know what I mean by “funky”, right? It’s almost like a pheromone.

Fresh truffles are generally used in small amounts because their flavor and aroma are so concentrated. They’re often shaved thinly over finished dishes rather than treated like an ordinary ingredient that you throw into a pot and forget about.

And if you’ve ever had real truffle before, you probably know exactly what I mean because it’s definitely not subtle.

Nutrients?

Well, yes, they’re jam-packed just like most mushrooms! Though, these are really considered culinary mushrooms they still provide our bodies with things like antioxidants, vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and iron. They’re also considered anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. They’ve even been seeing that these fungi also supply us with anticancerous bioactive molecules!

But, did you know they’re also a good source of protein? Though, you’d have to eat a lot of them (challenge accepted!!!) but dehydrated truffles actually provide a lot more per weight, approximately 25 to 35 grams of digestible protein per 100 grams of dried truffles. Still, yes… not significant enough but it’s something, right?

Now, for the witchiness of truffles!

Earlier I mentioned that truffles like to grow in the “darkest of darkness” — I can’t think of anything more witch-like, to be honest. They’re perfect for partnering in witchcraft for a variety of reasons, not the least about growing in the dark. Think about working with them during the dark moon or even the full moon when we ask the moon to show us the unseen? These baddies are pretty unseen, right? You can use them for rituals to show you hidden knowledge, or develop your “sight”, shadow work, etc.

Their ability to grow deeply in the earth also makes them excellent to help you ground. Think about that the next time you have some truffle shavings on your food “may these truffle shavings help me be grounded”.

But, don’t go cuckoo crazy using these fungi for witchcraft because, honestly, they’re pretty expensive sometimes which also makes them perfect for abundance or money rituals.

Wrap Up

Have you had the chance to go on a truffle hunt? I had the opportunity last year as we have a local person who has trained her dog to hunt for truffles in our local forests. I was so excited that I came home and told my husband that I want a dog to train to hunt for truffles — he turned me down, lol. But, I might just do it without him knowing, lol.

Have you ever had a fresh truffle? How about shaved truffle on a dish?

And, last question: If you would work with truffles magically, what kind of energy would you think they’d be associated with?