Truffles are a type of earthy, garlicky mushroom that grow in the Piedmont region where Barolo is located. Many of the species are highly prized as food, with just an ounce of the particularly hard to find white truffles going for as much as $168 (the black truffles go for around $95 per ounce). The high price is due to the fact that truffles cannot be cultivated, and can only grow in the wild at the base of certain types of trees. Instead, professional truffle hunters with trained dogs search for these hard to find delicacies.
When you’re visiting Barolo, it’s very worthwhile to go on a truffle hunting tour and have a truffle hunter lead you on a search for these delicious mushrooms. Many of these tours even let you taste the truffles and pair them with Barolo! For the true truffle afficionados, there is also the International Alba White Truffle Fair every Fall, though keep in mind that this is one of the busiest times to visit Barolo.
