Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Summer Truffle along with all the Summer Truffle containing recipes presented on this site, with 3 recipes in total.

This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.

These recipes, all contain Summer Truffle as a major wild food ingredient.

Summer truffle, Tuber aestivum (syn Tuber uncinatum) (also known as Burgundy truffle) is an edible species of mycorrhizal fungus (fungi that are symbiotic with the roots of the host plant, deciduous trees in this case) and is a member of the Tuberaceae (Truffle) family of fungi with a blackish-brown spore print. It is widespread across Europe from Spain to eastern Europe and from Sweden to North Africa. It is always associated with deciduous forests (most especially beech) growing in alkaline soil (typically on a chalk substratum). Typically it fruits from May to December (but is most commonest in late summer and autumn) and can be locally very common in the appropriate woodland (several hundred kilograms can be harvested at a time). The mushroom is medium sized (growing maximally to about 7cm in diameter). It is a single fruitbody, about the size of a squash ball with a dark brown outer surface and a covering of pyramidal warts (on the ground it can look very similar to an old pine cone). It is typically found buried in the ground, sometimes just poking above the surface (and this can make finding them by eye very difficult). When you cut them open, the flesh has a marbled appearance and is pale brown and white in appearance (the brown regions are where the spores are held). In young specimens the flesh is pale, but this matures brown. The summer truffle has a strong but pleasant smell and a nutty taste. The flavour intensifies as the seasons move on.

In culinary terms, the summer truffle (Tuber aestivum) is distinguished from the Burgundy truffle (Tuber uncinatum) in that the summer truffle has a milder aroma and flavour and is found from May to August (however recent molecular evolutionary studies have shown that they are actually the same species, they just develop differentially due to environmental factors). The Burgundy truffle has a stronger taste and is found from September to December. However, recent molecular genetic analysis have found that they are the same species and they are treated as thus here. The differences are related only to maturity and possibly environment. During Victorian times, the Summer Truffle was frequently hunted for and was common in markets all over the country (just not the number of Victorian recipes that call for truffle in them (this would have been the native summer truffle). In parts of France and Italy this truffle is still a large feature of the economy (though not as sought after as the black or Périgord truffle). However, the last professional truffle hunters in the UK ended their trade some 60 years ago. In recent years, however, there has been a resurgence in truffle hunting and there have been some spectacular findings of summer truffles. Currently, a summer truffle will sell for about about £185 per kg (or £10 each) [compare with the Périgord truffle that sells for £1 000 a kilo].



The summer truffle is much milder that other truffles, but it is still considered a 'choice' edible fungus. It can be used in any recipe that calls for truffle as an ingredient and should be shaved thinly and used as a garnish. Like other truffles it can be preserved in oil, but looses much of its character this way.

In Britain, the only similar fungus is Tuber brumale, the Winter Truffle which matures in early winter and has blue-grey marbled flesh. This is also an excellent eating truffle.

For other edible mushrooms, see the guide to edible mushrooms

References:

[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants