Truffles
Truffle production is widespread in Abruzzo and there is also a general presence of spontaneous varieties, with a concentration of various species in different environments, depending on tree species and on the territory’s soil and climate characteristics. There are several types in Abruzzo: Tuber Melanosporum, the prized black truffle, Tuber Magnatum, the prized white truffle, Tuber Brumale, the winter or Muscat truffle, and Tuber Aestivum, the summer truffle or “Scorzone”. Truffles are picked with the use of a truffle hound, specially trained to sniff them out, but in the past sows were also used as they are more resistant and less distracted than dogs by other odours left by wildfowl. Nevertheless, the sow is difficult to control and caused damage to the truffle area, so several regions, including Abruzzo, prohibit the use of pigs for truffle harvesting. Over the years a retriever called a “Lagotto” has emerged as the quintessential truffle hound as it is docile, tireless and will ignore wildfowl traces |