Le cavage de la truffe de Bourgogne

Scavenging: searching for truffles with the dog

Truffle hunting is the search and extraction of truffles. The truffle dog locates ripe truffles using his sense of smell, then guides the caver to gently remove them from the ground.

This research can be done in a natural truffle grove or in a plantation, always respecting the soil, the tree and the maturity of the truffle.

Birth of

the Burgundy truffle

The Bourgogne truffle is born from an underground encounter between the mycelium of the mushroom and the roots of trees such as oak, hazel or hornbeam.

It forms at the beginning of the year, grows with the spring and summer rains, then gradually matures until it develops its aromas of undergrowth and hazelnut.

It is a hypogeal mushroom (development underground).

The truffle grows just as well on the edge of the woods as in the middle of the forests. You will always find it at the foot of hazel trees, oaks, hornbeams, black pines and sometimes even under lime trees.

Digging and collection

the Burgundy truffle

The cleaning period depends on the maturity of the truffles. In Bourgogne, it generally begins around September 15 and continues until winter, depending on climatic conditions.

• Flying is prohibited on the Côte d'Or by prefectural decree (because of the resulting picking, see below).

• The pig is too imposing, unpleasant and much less manageable than our four-legged companion, the chien.

• The chien is today the best solution for collecting this mushroom, the most effective in fact. It is the quickest and most practical way to detect the truffle of good maturity. The truffle, despite its discretion and its few centimeters underground, cannot deceive our faithful friend, who, thanks to his own nose, finds them easily.

This last method therefore has a number of advantages:

• A sample of only perfectly ripe specimens,

• Truffles and truffle fields that remain in perfect condition,

• Added to this is the special bond that is established between the collector and his dog.

 

Size and maturity

Il en faut pour tout le monde et pour tous les goûts. Les caveurs ramassent aussi bien les petites truffes (quelques grammes), que de belles et grosses truffes (plusieurs centaines de grammes). La taille ne fait pas la maturité. Elles devront, par contre, être de couleurs marron à l’intérieur et dégager une bonne odeur de noisette

Season and purchase

Le prix varie selon la variété, la saison, la maturité et la disponibilité. Pendant la saison, les truffes fraîches sont proposées en boutique selon les arrivages.

The Bourgogne truffle season generally runs from mid-September to mid-January. During this period, the sale in store is assured according to arrivals.

The truffle hunting respects local regulations and the preservation of truffle groves. Blind picking or picking is prohibited, because it damages the soil and compromises future harvests.