Beneath the soils of the southern hemisphere, truffles are quietly plotting a gastronomic uprising. South America is a fascinating blend of scientific discovery, European species introduction, and bold agronomic experimentation, especially in Argentina and Brazil. Which truffle species are found or cultivated in South America? Introduced European species for commercial cultivation […]
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Historical Background & Key Developments Early 20th century – wild harvestingIn Spain, truffles had been collected traditionally for centuries, but commercial-scale harvesting and export (especially to France) really took off in the mid-20th century (1950s), particularly in Catalonia and Aragon. 1960s–1970s – decline of wild harvests and start of researchFrom the 1970s onwards, researchers
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Italy has a long tradition of truffle knowledge (with taxonomic works going back centuries), but modern experimental truffle cultivation (using inoculated seedlings to establish “tartufaie” / truffle orchards) took off in the second half of the 20th century, especially for the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum). Cultivation of the white truffle (T. magnatum) proved far more
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A short summary of 20th-century French truffle research and cultivation—covering the decline of natural habitats and the rise of artificial plantations—along with names of key researchers and works. Overview (20th century → today) In the late 19th–early 20th century “golden age”, French truffle production exceeded ~1000 tons per year; more than half of French départements
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Cultivation & Agricultural Development The 19th century saw the systematization of truffle cultivation (trufficulture), particularly in France: Joseph Talon (early 1800s, Apt, Provence) is credited with pioneering truffle cultivation by planting acorns from truffle-producing oaks, thus encouraging mycorrhizal growth. Pierre II Mauléon (ca. 1790s) explored similar methods, observing the oak–truffle symbiosis. Auguste Rousseau (1847)
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Truffles in Renaissance Europe: use, hunting, and cultural significance France Use: During the Renaissance, truffles were mainly collected in southern regions such as Provence and Périgord. They became particularly prized at the French court, especially toward the end of the Renaissance under Louis XIV. Truffles were served in meat dishes, pies, and as part
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In the Middle Ages, truffles were already known and consumed, but they were not equally widespread or appreciated everywhere. The knowledge was passed down from the ancient Roman Empire, but was often obscured or distorted. Monasteries, especially Benedictine monasteries, played an important role in preserving knowledge of natural remedies and foods, including the use of
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The history of truffle (Tuber) collection in Europe dates back to ancient times and is uniquely linked to gastronomy, herbalism and mysticism. Below is an overview of the most important historical milestones and the first written records. Truffles were already known to the Sumerians and Babylonians between 3000 and 1000 BC, mainly as a natural
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