Day 6 Umbrian Appetites: The Truffle Hunters!

Only 13km from Spoleto, 1000m above sea level you can find Italy's very first Agriturismo of the Bartoli family. The views speak for themselves.

We lucky souls wandered the hills of Mount Fionchi, to the bell chimes around the necks of horses. It was almost right out of the movie set of The Sound of Music. I could almost hear the yodelling to The Lonely Goatherd!

But seriously this was one of those one off experiences; truffle hunting with a hunter and his 2 special assistants.

We set off with two hungry dogs and a stick. I can't remember if the stick was to steady us on the uneven ground, fight off vipers (very venomous snakes), just to look the part or all the above. The chosen dogs were very happy to accompany us, leaving their eager pals behind. Within 5 minutes a dog came strutting back with the first truffle in her mouth. They are trained to return truffles to the hand in order to receive a treat from the hand. They easily scratch out truffles close to the surface, but as in the picture below, sometimes some help is required to dig deeper and avoid damage to the prize. Can you see the emerging truffle in the photo below?

Truffles can be found almost all year long, but not when there is snow on the ground. The area we went to has the perfect combination of elements for truffles to flourish, such as, the presence of oak trees, Elderberry plants, wild rose bushes, moisture, warmth, etc. The dogs can only detect ripe truffles so there is no danger that they will dig up unripe ones. A hunter can return to the same area on the next day to find truffles that have since ripened. The scent of the truffles causes the dogs to tear around, noses down and tails up in the air. They come galloping back proudly with their prizes. It is a sight to behold. When the scents diminish the dogs lose concentration and come back looking for food.

The 'hunt' is over and this is our bounty:

And it even smells like the real thing ....

Whilst at the Agriturismo we were fortunate to see Pecorino cheese being made. At the end of this process, the leftover product is made into ricotta.

This family is almost self sufficient, producing meat, salami, cheese, truffle products, mushrooms, organic olive oil, jams and honeys.

We were honoured to enjoy lunch at the family table, alongside other guests who were staying there. A delicious truffle pasta was indeed the highlight of the lunch.

In true Italian style, this was only part of the meal but I shall resist the detail for once.

For me I'd love to return to Italy, hire a car and drive the countryside, enjoying the hospitality of the family Agriturismos. This for me, is the heart of Italy! Love on a plate!