What is it?
The truffle is a sort of mushrooms, an earth-nut, living underground (it belongs to the hypogean fungus) and, like its cousin living above the ground, it can have different colours. In the big family of truffles some of them are not edible, whereas all of the Alba, Langhe and Monferrato truffles represent the maximum level of gastronomy, thanks their organoleptic composition.
It usually takes about 5 or 6 months to the truffle to mature. The most valued truffles can be white (tuber magnatum) and black (tuber melanosporum). The black ones, also called Périgord, the name coming from the part of France where they most grow, are spread also in the central part of Italy.
The white truffle, usually said "trifola d'Alba", is characterised by most valued perfumes and its composition is much better than the black one. So its quotation on the market is quite high. The "bianchetti marzuoli", which grow in spring, though often called so, must not be confused with the true "tartufo d'Alba", which matures from October to December.
In order to allow the truffles to be preserved, also for many years, the Tartufi Morra - Alba boxes them in special stew, with excellent results, and export them all over the world.
The truffles searchers know the natural places where truffles grow and dogs help them to locate them exactly.

How to preserve it
Light, dry and absorbent paper serviettes.
Since the truffle is alive, it is necessary to observe some rules in order to preserve its qualities (perfume and taste):
1)Wrap it up in paper or in a rough cloth. The paper, which must be light and absorbent, has to be changed in the morning and in the evening.
2)When they are more than one, truffles must not be put aside but separated with a sheet of paper.
3)If kept in the fridge, put it below, where the temperature is not too high, wrapped in paper to be changed twice a day. Consider that butter and cheese absorb its perfume if they are in the fridge too.
4)Before winter or in winter it can be preserved outside wrapped in paper and away from sunlight.
VERY IMPORTANT: When the truffle starts getting soft, it must be eaten immediately because it has already reached its maturing limit. Truffles in boxes, when opened, must be kept in the fridge in its own liquid, which can also be used for seasoning.

How to taste it
Alba White Truffle can be tasted with pasta , rice, polenta, meat, raw or cooked vegetables. With fonduta it is particularly delicious. We advise you not to grate the truffle with a common grater, not to cut it with knives. Truffles must be spread on your dish in very thin slices using the special truffle-cutter.