The Jewel of Tubers: The White Truffle of Alba
According to age-old legends, truffles (tartuffi) grow where the light of the full moon penetrates the trees to touch the earth or where drops of stag semen have fallen. Of all truffles, none compares to the gastronomic jewel known in the Piedmontese dialect as trifola d'Alba (the white truffle of Alba).
A Polish count named De Borch first discovered the white truffle but the Turin physician Vittorio Pico bestowed its offical scientific name: Tuber Magnatum Pico. From September until December trifulau (truffle hunters) and their dogs, specially trained to detect the truffle scent, scour the hills of the Langhe south of Alba for this fungus, which grows entirely underground amid tree roots.
Every fall the Alba region celebrates its famous delicacy with festivals and an international auction where prices soar into the hundreds of thousands of Euro. Ever since the 1950s a prized truffle has been awarded to a famous person, such as an American president or a celebrity such as Sophia Loren or Luciano Pavarotti.
While popular belief is that October is truffle month, later in the season the
white truffle is far riper, and the hardened frozen ground helps to lock in the full pungent fragrance of the addictive mushroom. Another plus: once the Alba Truffle Fair has come to an end and the
tourists have gone home, prices drop.
Executive Chef Gianluca Guglielmi of A.G. Ferrari Foods offers a classic way to enjoy seasonal truffles—with polenta, a traditional of northern Italy's cuisine. The thirteen A.G. Ferrari Foods stores in northern California are importing fresh white truffles throughout December. Click here to find out more or order.
POLENTA CON GRANA PADANO E TARTUFO
Grana Padano and Truffle Polenta
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| Chef Gianluca |
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- Tbsp sea salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups Grana Padano cheese, shaved
- 1 cup Mascarpone
- 2 cups AGF Farina per Polenta Bramata
- 1 oz fresh white truffle (or 1 jar Tartuflanghe sliced black truffle)
Instructions: (6 to 8 servings)
- Bring water to a boil in a heavy pan. Add salt.
- Using a whisk, gradually stir 2 cups of polenta into the boiling water.
- Cook slowly for 60 to 70 minutes, stirring few times during this period.
- Remove from heat, add mascarpone and Grana Padano, stir well.
- Divide polenta into 6 to 8 bowls and shave some fresh white truffle on top.
- Serve immediately.
Italian Towns Catch the Christmas Spirit
This is a guest article from the award-winning subscription travel newsletter, Dream of Italy. Be sure to visit their site for a special subscription offer and a free copy of their 35-page downloadable
Christmas in Italy guide featuring Italy travel tips, Italian Christmas tradition and Italian holiday recipes.
Although Italy is a land of tradition and religious devotion throughout the year, it becomes even more so at Christmas (Il Natale). The season begins with the Festivit à della Concezione Immaculate (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) on December 8. From then on, each region unveils its unique homage to the holiday season. From the German-influenced markets in Trentino-Alto Adige in the north to the arrival of mountain shepherds playing their zampogne in southern Puglia, Christmas celebrations offer a chance to experience the variety of cultures that flourish within Italy's borders. With our guide to Christmas celebrations, we give you some insight into the best ways to enjoy Christmas outside of Italy's big cities.
Amalfi (Campania)
In this gorgeous coastal town, the locals have their own way of showing homage to the birth of the Baby Jesus. In the Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Cave), with its stalactites and colossal 10-meter stalagmites protruding up from the sea, every year on Christmas, scuba divers deliver the Holy Child to a ceramic presepe (crib) inside the cave. What a way to spend a birthday!
Bolzano (Trentino-Alto Adige)
From November 29 to December 23, this Sudtirol town hosts a charming Christmas market combining both German and Mediterranean traditions. The Mercatino di Natale (Christkindlmarkt in German) takes over the town squares with twinkling lights and the enticing aroma of vin brûlé (mulled wine). On the weekends, traditional storytellers, trumpeters and musicians gather in the Piazza Walther and in local churches. Area restaurants offer a typical Sudtirolean menu, which mixes German culinary traditions with Italian delights. The artists' market in Piazza Municipio offers unique yuletide ornaments, terracotta and ceramics.
Bressanone (Trentino-Alto Adige)
The lovely little ski town of Bressanone, hidden in the Dolomites and dating all the way back to 901 A.D., puts on the Weihnachtsmarkt (literally, votive night market, another common Christmas market found throughout Germany) from November 29 to January 6, offering equally alluring gifts and delicacies. After the market, visit the Museo di Presepi (Crèche Museum) in the Palazzo Vescovile.
Gargano (Puglia)
Christmas in this Pugliese town is truly a magical, musical celebration. The first few days of December host the arrival of the zampognari (men who play the zampogne, an instrument similar to the bagpipes) who travel to Gargano from Abruzzo or Basilicata. They arrive in groups of two or three, clad in their typical capes and regional costumes. The two "mystic" shepherds, one old and one young, surround a group of celebrating children, playing their allegre novene (joyful songs), and at night they gather in the Grotta dell'Arcangelo (Cave of the Archangel) to play traditional shepherd melodies.
Gubbio (Umbria)
Named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "world's largest Christmas tree" this albero di Natale, constructed of four thousand meters of lights upon Monte Ingino, can be seen all the way from Perugia, 18 miles away. It is first lit on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and stays lit throughout the night from Christmas through New Year's.
Prato (Tuscany)
This charming town's Christmas market starts on December 14 and is perfect for finding old books and delicate linens. Just a 10-minute train ride from Florence, a visit to Prato offers the perfect chance to get out of the hustle and bustle of la città d'arte during the holidays. Here you can snatch up some interesting (and likely less expensive) gifts to bring back to loved ones at home.
—Marielena Martone
