The White Truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico) is the most highly prized of the truffles. It is an underground fungus that lives in symbiosis with the roots of many types of tree, including cornel trees, maples, oaks, willows, limes and poplars. It is very rich in water and mineral salts and varies in dimension, from the size of a walnut to that of an orange. On very rare occasions, however, exceptionally large specimens have been found. Maturity: from October to December. Form: round in shape with a smooth skin and greyish-white colouring. Inside: very pale chestnut-colour fading to white, with white streaks.

The variations in tone depend on the degree of ripeness and the symbiotic tree. Smell: intense and fragrant. Taste: subtle and delicate. There are specialized businesses which concern themselves with preserving, processing and marketing truffles. The prized Black Truffle (Tuber Melanosporum Vittadini) This is an underground fungus which lives in symbiosis with the roots of many types of tree, including cornel trees, maples, oaks, willows, hazelnuts, ilexes and poplars. It is rich in water and mineral salts and can be of various dimensions, from the size of a walnut to that of an orange.

On very rare occasions, however, exceptionally large specimens have been found. Maturity: from November to March. Forma: round shape with rough, black skin. Inside: purplish-black colour veined with a dense web of whitish streaks. Smell: subtle. Taste: delicate. In addition to the prized Black Truffle, other varieties are also collected: the Tuber Aestivum (Summer Truffle), found from June to August; the Tuber Uncinatum (Winter Truffle), collected from October to December, and the Tuber Albidum (Spring White Truffle), found between January and March. There are specialized businesses which concern themselves with preserving, processing and marketing truffles.