Common Sources of Truffles: Where to Find Them

History has it that truffles trace their roots to France. Others say that truffles had been part of Roman and Greek civilizations, mainly as a delicacy, medicine, or even an aphrodisiac. Regardless of where the very first truffle fungus sprouted, this mushroom is found practically everywhere in the world, albeit in different amounts. Most truffles are harvested between September and May. If you’re interested in making a hobby out of hunting truffles, then you should start with learning the sources of truffles. 

If you think your first stop for finding truffles is in France, think again. In fact, you can find truffles in different parts of North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and North Africa. Are you based somewhere in Europe? Then you’re in luck because commercially significant truffles are more abundant in European countries than in America. If you are located in California, the most popular and abundant truffle variety there is the Oregon truffle, whose popularity is comparable to that of the Italian truffle. The Oregon truffle is less expensive than other truffle types, as it usually costs about $150 per pound. This makes it a great alternative to European truffles.

The ideal environment for growing truffles is where the climate is warm and humid. But they can grow in deserts, too. In Middle Eastern countries, people gather various truffles after rainfall. These include the brown kame, black kame, Terfezia claveryi, and Terfezia bouderi. 

The sad news about truffles is that they are dwindling in quantity. Recently, only 25 to 150 tons of truffles are harvested every year. Many decades ago, harvest of truffles total to hundreds or even thousands. Why is that so? A truffle starts to grow only after about seven years, and the tree where a truffle grows can produce them for only 15 to 30 years. That explains why truffles come with hefty price tags. These days, however, there is a concerted effort to replenish truffle-bearing trees to increase truffle production. 

However, you should be wary of the false truffles, which are not edible because of their poison. You can barely tell them apart from genuine or edible truffles, as they strongly resemble each other, not to mention that false truffles outnumber the real ones. That being said, you must be extra careful when locating and collecting edible truffles.

What makes truffle hunting all the more difficult is the fact that this mushroom variety grows underground. You can dig truffles from as deep as 15 inches from the ground. That is why you enlist the help of a trained dog or pig when scouring different sources of truffles in the wild. Your hunting buddy must have the ability to detect the pungent smell of truffles. For this task, the female pig can sniff out truffles that smell like the one emitted by a male pig. With a pig, however, you run the risk of it eating anything that’s edible.

The next best thing is a trained dog that can also detect truffle smell without devouring the mushroom it finds. 
