It’s fair to say that if an ingredient was banned by the Catholic Church hundreds of years ago for being so seductively delicious that it must be the devil’s work, it’s worth seeking out. And while everyone of every religious persuasion is free to eat as many truffles as they want today, it can be difficult – and pretty pricey – to get your hands on some. Unless you live in Umbria, a small, rural region in central Italy.
Known as the ‘green heart’ of Italy, Umbria is a place full of rolling hills, vast dense forests and beautiful medieval towns. While some visit the region for the scenery, most come for the food – tucking into the country’s best salumi, incredible game dishes, world-class olive oil and washing it down with local wines. But the height of any Umbrian meal has to involve lots and lots of fresh truffle.
Truffles are more abundant in Umbria than in any other part of Italy, and black truffles can often be hunted for year-round. Every Umbrian either hunts truffles themselves or knows someone who does, but that doesn’t mean they’ll happily talk about their successes on a particular day; hunting spots are fiercely guarded secrets, passed down through families over hundreds of years. Truffle hunters will often double back on themselves and take long, confusing routes to their patches just to ensure anyone watching or following them is thrown off the scent.
