We have our first trip to Italy coming up in mid Oct and will be visiting Alba during the first weekend of the truffle festival. I don’t have any experience buying truffles….but what’s the best way to transport home to Texas? I was thinking I might get one to have my birthday weekend Nov 8th, will they last that long?
Also, Alba will be at the beginning of the Italy trip, so I’ll be carrying it around the country for another week before flying home.
I wouldn’t bother. Splurge for your birthday while there and eat them everyday; won’t find any better.
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In short, no it won’t last that long. However you can get some jarred truffle products that can be enjoyed weeks / months after your trip.
Fresher is always best, so if you want it close to that, have a truffle meal or two in the region, and use it as an early celebration. I’d recommend trying it with an egg dish (e.g. eggs coquette, or even simple fried eggs), plus maybe a simple pasta dish. Also good on meats, but I always like the simplest of dishes with truffles, so the truffle is the star.
If preserving for a few days, keeping it cool and dry is paramount e.g. get a glass jar / food container, wrap the truffle in a thick paper towel (e.g. kitchen roll), place it in the container, seal it, and put it in the fridge. Then… every day change the paper to delay it rotting.
Alba has shops that display tartufi in the window like jewelry or pastries. Cool place.
Enjoy
p.s. If going on a saturday, do expect it to be very busy in Alba. On the upside, if they’ve got the big street market on as well that day, there’s a vast array of stalls, with some amazing stuff on offer. So although the indoor truffle market will rightly be a focus, set time aside to wander around the street market as well.
I’d expect essenzialmente (see, the Italians like their puns as well) to be there again, and they have all manner of products that use the mint they grow in (IIRC) Pancalieri. Also I’ll recommend the local hazelnuts (nocciola tonda gentile), which I’ve yet to taste anything better than. Should be a few stalls selling them loose or packaged.
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Appreciate the insights and recommendations! We are excited for this trip and really don’t know what to expect.
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p.s. the langhe, roero and monferrato tourist office based in Alba, is possibly the best I’ve encountered in Italy. They get very busy that time of year, yet seemed to retain wonderful energy. Their website is a fantastically rich resource of info, including other things to do in the region.
Can you even personally bring back truffles from Italy to the USA? I think the agriculture dogs will get you. Also, they won’t last that long.
They last a few days max with noticeable drop in taste and smell each day. The reason they are so great in Alba is because they are fresh. Eat your fill while you are there.
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I went on a truffle hunt one morning in the area. Great time! Didn’t include the truffles you find but the hunter will sell you some at a better price than I could get elsewhere, so I bought a good amount for immediate consumption.
Then I went to a restaurant that was byo truffle and we all had more truffle than ever before.
With the smell the damn CBP officer will flag you, no need for a dog haha!
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We actually have a truffle hunt planned the Monday after we arrive and after the market. I didn’t think about buying from the farmer–but as everyone has pointed out, saving and shipping home for use in 2-3wks doesn’t seem like it’s worth the cost and hassle.
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I used to have a Piedmont supplier that gifted me truffles every holiday season. He would pack them in glass jar. They were wrapped in a paper towel before they were put in the jar. Wouldn’t do it if you won’t be using them for several weeks.
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Eat them there!
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