Truffle fair in Piedmont
Food fairs in Italy are a treat, and this truffle fair in Piedmont makes no exception with lots of people, performances and local produce.
Every year the second Sunday in November the town Canelli in the Asti province celebrate Fiera Regionale del Tartufo. A typical truffle fair in Piedmont attracting thousands of people who enjoy a day out with the family. There are balloons, sweets, doughnuts, street food and rides for the kids. Processions and people in costumes. And an almost obsessive veneration for artisan foods and local produce.
A selection of sweets
Passionate and special
Walking among the stalls you can talk to farmers, passionate about their produce. We heard about the ‘mais otto file’, a particular local sort of corn, where the intensely red cobs have only eight lines of ears, which should make it superior for use in polenta, grissini and pasta. People were queuing to try the fried Friciule bread with lardo. There were all kinds of cheeses with ample taste samplings, not to mention the porchetta, the sausages, the torrone, the dried mushrooms and the kind of them all – the white truffle.
Hunting for truffles at the truffle fair in Piedmont
Guarded Treasures
The white truffles were displayed beneath glass domes and heavily guarded thanks to their exorbitant prices. There was also a demonstration of how dogs are trained to hunt for truffle by spraying some truffle scent on a sponge and hiding it under stones in a sand pit. The dogs went berserk and it only took them about two minutes or so to track down all the traces. Like us they seem to have a thoroughly enjoyable time at the truffle fair in Piedmont.
Goods made with truffle and dried mushrooms.
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I’ve never been to a truffle fair and this looks fun and festive. Never mind that I’m not that much of a truffle fan. It would be cool to see those dogs go hunting.
I’m not that keen on truffles either. But I like all the hype surrounding them:)
I’m getting a glimpse of Italy (the culture, people and places) through your blog.
That’s the idea:)
Sounds like it must have been an amazing place to visit!
It’s really lovely. And so much to see and taste.
Very interesting. Nothing like a food fair in Italy. I seem to remember having read (or heard) that pigs are also used for truffle hunting…
I’ve heard that too – though I haven’t seen any. Maybe the pigs are not so presentable?
Interesting… I wish to visit someday :)
You should – it is very generally worth while:)
Sounds like so much fun! I love the idea of learning from farmers passionate about their trade! Beautiful idea – and great photos to boot!
Thanks – In Italy food is really a passion everyone seems eager to share.
So how much do truffles cost? Amazing that they have to be guarded. I just dined on freshly picked wild pine mushrooms from British Columbia – and are they ever a sight to behold. They are huge and delicious.
According to Wikipedia a white truffle like the one on the photo costs 14,203.50 USD per kilogram. I didn’t ask the price as I had absolutely no intention of buying.