March 2014 “Unscrupulous” French chefs are spraying cheap Chinese truffles with synthetic aromas to make them smell like the more expensive and upmarket Black French variety. According to AFR, French growers are frustrated with chefs that are “doping” truffles from China and the Himalayan foothills, worth €30 ($40) per kilo, to make them look like [...]
Dr. Paul Thomas [In April], we were in Morocco presenting data at two academic conferences on underground fungi. The first report presented investigates the climatic impact on the distribution of three key truffle species and the second is a large study (343 data points) on the impact of tree growth and development on truffle production. [...]
ATC is investigating the feasibility of truffle cultivation as a form of a riparian buffer that can provide landowners with an agricultural commodity that simultaneously provides an array of ecosystem services... To start, ATC is working with a landowner (Traina Property) on a truffle orchard that is within the Napa River Restoration Oakville to Oak [...]
A highlight of the recent Napa Truffle Festival were the truffle dog training programs led by the Truffle Dog Company (TDC). Dogs are an integral part of harvesting truffles. There is no better machine to sniff out mature truffles... than the highly sensitive nose and the extreme mobility of a properly trained dog. Just like [...]
If you missed this year's (fourth annual) Napa Truffle Festival, you'll have an opportunity to join us for the fifth annual in January 2015. Highlights from 2014 included two new signature programs... a Scientific Grower Truffle Cultivation Seminar to provide growers with a detailed technical overview of the science and methodology of truffle cultivation, and [...]
Dr. Paul Thomas explains... Throughout history, the origin and growth of truffles has been subject of many myths and legends. In arid regions, its often been claimed that when lightening hits the ground it causes truffles to form. The Bedouins of the Negev still refer to desert truffles as ‘the thunder fungus’. The Greek physician [...]
Designed for potential truffle growers, this in-depth session with Robert Chang and Dr. Paul Thomas provides an overview of the science and methodology involved in truffle cultivation (includes buffet lunch and Saturday truffle orchard tour at Sinskey Vineyards). Friday, January 17, 2014 View the full schedule and read more about the festival at www.napatrufflefestival.com.
Join us for adventures in science, fun and the culinary pursuit of the rare and delectable black Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum, aka black diamond), which will be discussed, examined, probed, demonstrated and, finally, paired with wines and feasted upon for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
