Edible. Eat it cooked. Never eat a wild mushroom identified only from photos.
- Season in Mexico
- HabitatCalcareous soil with trees
- FamilyTuberaceae
How do you identify black truffle?
Can you eat black truffle?
It is edible and used in cooking. Verify the identity of what you eat: Tuber indicum closely resembles this species and has been used in commercial substitutions.[13][6]
How do you cook black truffle?
It flavors meat, fish, soups, cheeses, and risotto. You can shave it over a dish or infuse it into olive oil or butter. Heat and contact with salt change its aroma profile.[2][10]
Where and when does black truffle grow?
It grows in calcareous or neutral soils and forms ectomycorrhizas with tree roots, including oaks and hazels. This association connects the fungus with its host; a study using a hazel tree showed that the tree supplies carbon to developing truffles.[11][4]
It is a winter truffle in its European range. In Teruel, Spain, the official harvesting season runs from November 15 to March 15.[11][12]
It is native to southern Europe, with productive areas in Spain, France, and Italy. It is also cultivated outside its native range, including Australia.[11]
Fun facts
- Italian naturalist Carlo Vittadini described the species in 1831.[2]
- Its genome sequence was published in the journal Nature in 2010.[3]
- The fungus can contribute to vegetation-free areas around its associated trees. These areas are called brûlés, and its volatile compounds help drive their formation.[8]
- The species is heterothallic: sexual reproduction requires compatible mating types. This condition matters when establishing cultivated truffle grounds.[9][3]
