Tartuffi is the Italian word for Truffle. And in Italy the prized possession is the white truffle or tartuffi bianchi. I was lucky enough to attend the San Miniato 35th Annual Truffle Festival. The event was more like a paparazzi party than an important food tasting event. Fancy Food Show look out…

We were invited by the local government of Pisa, I as a journalist and my travel companion a food and wine connoisseur. This was a famous truffle ceremony for the whole town, promoted by area tour services, the local Mayor, and tourism bureau of the Province of Pisa. People from nearby provinces attended as well. The Italians were making speeches, tourism had blossomed.

Italian Police 👮‍♀️ or Carabinieri were socializing and watching those in attendance. The atmosphere was of all importance. Laborious speeches were given with seriousness and an air of importance.

Waiting outdoors in the crisp autumn sun on the cobblestone square, we listened to serious speeches with hushed anticipation. After an hour of being seen and photographed the committee started admitting the crowd indoors in four different groups all crowded into the large festival hall.

Years of ceremony and waiting through

Listening to political niceties and thanks from all,committee members seated and serious, wearing navy blue suits and ties

In a way it’s out of their hands. The weather determines the course of their tourism and truffle season. The whole community is involved in promoting the truffle industry. Members of the Tourism Board for the Pisan province are scholarly looking and professional. For them, tourism is hanging on one small ounce of the elusive tartuffi. 

Four weeks ago we were summoned to fly to Italy 🇮🇹 to take part in this fabled event. This big ceremony is based around ounces of a mystical musty precious truffle worth its weight in gold or silver.

The President of the Truffle Society appeared and took over the microphone. Very long Italian sentences were diluted into one statement interpretations by the interpreters on hand. He spoke about Tartuffi in Tuscana and how their lives have been affected by it throughout the year. Very serious, the crowd listened with an air of anticipation. Their dark suits, ties, and serious nature made it apparent that truffle season is their livelihood.

At the start of the Truffle Market it is decided which method will be used to promote the resource of truffles. Provinces from where white truffles come to this territory are promoted too.

From mid-October until the end of November, they have a short window of opportunity. We were there to help promote this significant event. It was an atypical year with many large and heavy truffles which are sold by weight.

Competitors and corruption from Croatia 🇭🇷 and China 🇨🇳 make a tale of truffle intrigue. Albanian truffle. Versus the black truffle from France 🇫🇷.The French it is said, deny completely that the white truffle even exists.

Fierce rivalry between the provinces to prove/defend who has the best and biggest truffles – San Miniato has proven themselves, by printing a documentation of the world’s largest truffle from their own turf, combined with a confirmation by the Guinness book of world records. To settle the score and prove, at least to themselves… Tonight also an international panel of experts will confirm that as well. 

Alba truffle is most known, due to the most publicity and promotion.

Collection of Truffles 

Special grounds for cultivation of truffles. Spores are injected, into the roots of trees 30 years ago.

Summoned within 3 weeks all were invited. Phone calls were made to the local restaurants known to serve truffle dishes to verify that there were truffles this year… fate of this fungus is so tied to the weather.

Last year 2023 with record heat waves throughout Europe killed this crop and only a handful of restaurants bought truffles as risk was too high to ensure what they were getting.

Already a high risk industry where the truffle only lasts on the high end from 4 purists to 10 days from the time it is dug up and unearthed. Then it must be shipped air transported and stored, delivered.

People whose lives frantically switch course as the season announces itself. Over the years run by the truffle. How announced, first one each year

Which is how my truffle tale begins…