What are Truffles?

A truffle is, in the simplest terms, a fungus or mushroom of the genus Tuber. It grows underground, typically near or right beneath the roots of trees, particularly oak, beech, birch, poplars and pine trees. They form a symbiotic relationship – meaning the tree and the truffles both get something out of the relationship, sugars and nutrients. Chefs who use truffles usually shave or slice them raw over dishes, including pastas, rice, salads, eggs, and meats. They can also be infused into sauces, soups, cheese, butters, and oils.Do not put truffles in sealed plastic bags. If you do they will mold, get slimy, and smell bad! Never eat any truffle or other fungus unless it is identified by an expert. You might confuse the button stage of a poisonous mushroom with a truffle, or be allergic.

The Organic Truffle

It is several years since Villa Magna farm obtained the organic certification for its production according to the Community and National regulations. Moreover our farm is submitted to the “Suolo and Salute” monitoring organization.
In the truffle world the organic certification is highly regarded as fresh truffle is “organic” in itself and also the truffle bed zone has to be taken into account. Moreover, being a hypogeous (underground) fungus, it manages to absorb several kinds of substances from the soil (like a sponge), therefore some producers have experienced problems relating to the origin of the truffles and the possible risk of contamination.
Over the last few years there have been cases of truffle found in contaminated areas, both in Italy and abroad.
Due to the fact that, even nowadays, there could be a potential contamination risk, in order to guarantee the quality of our truffles, Villa Magna farm has adopted the method of organic production for its own farm. We sell products of which it is possible to track the production chain.