The truffle is a fruit of the earth known since ancient Greece. The Greeks called it Idra; the Latins referred to it as Tuber, which is derived from the word tumere (to swell) to indicate its globous form. The Arabs called it ramech alchamech tufus, tomer and kemas; while the Spanish called it turma di tierra or cadilla di tierra. The English word is truffle; and in Germany, it’s hirstbrunst or truffel. In France, it is called truffe (fraud) by Moliere’s comedy “Tartuffe”. There are many definitions for the truffle, all connected its strangeness. The truffle moved many poets to sing its praises. Plutarch believed that they arose from the autumn thunder and rain. Pliny the Elder underlined that the truffle is a thing that come up, but it can’t sow!!! There were many disputes between Pliny, Juvenal, Galen, but without any result. Scientific studies and popular beliefs had the truffle was once a plant, another time an animal or a degenerative growth. In the end it was defined like a devil or witches food, because of poisons that take to the death. The first treaty, only dedicated to the truffle dates back to the 1564, when Alfonso Ciccarelli, an Umbrian doctor, written it. According to the ancient Romans (Pliny), truffles were found in Greece and in Libya. In Europe, the best truffles were considered to be those of the dauphinage of Provence, of the Perigord and of Burgundy. In Germany, truffles were gathered in the area of Brandenburg and Saxony, where they first became known at the beginning of the 18th century.

Tuber Magnatum Pico (white Truffle)

The highly prized white truffle, is considered to be the truffle par excellence because of its noteworthy commercial importance. It is also known as the Truffle of Alba or of Piedmont because it is particularly abundant in this region but it is also found, to a much lesser extent, in some areas of Central Italy and in the South of France. It is of globular shaper with many depressions on the rind that make it irregular. The outer surface is smooth and slightly velvety. The colour varies from pale ochre and dark cream to greenish. The flesh or gleba is unmistakable and is white or greyish yellow with thin white veins. Its pleasantly fragrant aroma, different from the garlicky flavour of the other truffles, makes it unique. It lives in symbiosis with oaks, limes, poplars and willows and is seldom found together with other truffles. To grow and develop, the white truffle needs particular types of soil and equally particular climatic conditions. The soil must be soft and humid for most of the year, it must be rich in calcium and well ventilated. Obviously not all soils are able to guarantee these characteristics and it is these environmental factors that make the white truffle a rare and highly-prized fruit of the earth.

Tuber Melanosporum

Globular, sometimes lobate in shape with a brown-black rind and tightly-spaced warts with a depression at their summit and lengthwise grooves. The gleba or pulp is grey-brown or purplish-black in colour and marbled with thin white veins. The spores are spinulate. It may be as big or even bigger than a large apple. It is gathered during the winter in particular at the beginning of the year especially under oaks, hazels and black hornbeams. With its specific flavour and fragrant odour, it is highly appreciated for culinary purposes and is considered by the French as the best for this purpose and is therefore the most prized of the "black truffles". It is eaten preferably after a short period of cooking.

Tuber Aestivum (Summer Black Truffle)

Has variable largeness from a walnut, until also to a large orange, has inside of brown color that it obtains with the maturation. It is recognizable by its black, rough, warted peridium. The warts are almost like pyramids and the gleba has a yellow-brownish colouring with numerous light veins. Inside it has numerous clear irregular lines that confer it a particular aspect, and god taste but less valuable of the Melanosporum and has approximately a quarter of its value trades them. The quality of the summer black truffle is good even if its aroma is more delicate than the fine black truffle aroma. For this reason and for its taste similar to traditional mushrooms, its price is lower. .

Tuber Uncinatum

it's called uncinate truffle or winter scorzone or black truffle from Fragno. It's similar to Tuber aestivum but it has smaller warts, its gleba is darker and aroma is stronger.

Tuber Albidum Pico

Globular in shape but often flattened and very irregular with pale yellow or pale grey rind or even ochreous with red-brown blotches, smooth or with a very fine down more readily found in the younger truffles. The flesh is characterised by many clear highly branched veins and varies from a pale flesh colour to red-brown. The spores are reticulate. It may grow as large as a tennis ball but is usually the size of a walnut or hazelnut. It can be found all year round but is gathered most frequently in the first months of the year under pines, larches, oaks, hazels, poplars. Its garlicky odour, sometimes particularly penetrating when it is ripe, tends to exclude it from the most prized species.

Tuber Brunale (Black Winter Truflle)

it's called the winter truffle. Usually globular or not very pronounced lobate shape with black or dark purplish rind and very tightly-spaced warts, clearly evident with a depression at the summit and lengthwise grooves. The flesh is dark brown or blackish-grey with extensive white marbling. The spores are spinulate. Its size may exceed that of a hen's egg. It is found in the autumn and at the start of the winter under oaks and hazels. It is common throughout Central and Southern Europe. Its aroma and flavour are quite strong but pleasant.

Tuber Brunale Moscatum de Ferry

Commonly known as "Truffle muscat", "black truffle field," which reach a maximum size of those of a hen's egg. E 'similar to Tuber brumale from which it differs in the lighter color of the glebe and the strong smell of moss. Couple in the months of January to March.

Tuber Macrosporum

Its pleasantly fragrant aroma, different from the garlicky flavour of the other truffles, makes it unique. The outer surface is smooth and slightly velvety. It lives in symbiosis with oaks, limes, poplars, willows and hazels.

Tuber masentericum

It's similar to “scorzone”, but it aroma is stronger. Globular, sometimes lobate in shape with a brown-black rind and tightly-spaced warts with a depression at their summit and lengthwise grooves. The gleba is characterised by many clear highly branched veins. It lives in symbiosis with oaks, hazels, poplars and is seldom found together with other truffles. It is common throughout Central and Southern Italy.