The black truffle (Tuberculinum Vulgare) is a type of mushroom that can be found in the mountains of France and Italy. In fact, it is one of only four mushrooms in the world that grow underground (others being the more common Amanita muscaria) and is grown as a crop of mushrooms in the soil below houses and buildings.
Black truffle is a fruiting body of an ascomycete mushroom, mostly one of the three genera of this genus, Tuberculinum. All other species are referred to as black truffles, although they are not actually truffles at all. There are seven sub-genera of this genus. Among these are Geopora and Peziza and a further twelve species. This species is highly prized for use in cooking and for medicinal purposes.
Truffles have been used for centuries to provide a variety of culinary dishes, including stuffing and as a garnish. They were also discovered in Italian wine as far back as the thirteenth century and were believed to help prevent stomach disorders, particularly intestinal cramps.
In the United States, the most well-known type of black truffle salt is probably the "truffle salt" produced by a company in New Zealand. It has a distinctive flavor that is difficult to describe unless you know what you're tasting. While many people think of black truffles when they hear the word "salad", this is not actually the case; truffles are not typically used as a food ingredient.
A truffle is essentially a seed, although it can have a soft white center that is covered in a silky powder. The name comes from the Latin "trusses", which means "rope". The name came from an Italian story where the Pope ordered the monks to cut the shell of an ascomycus (which is what the truffle looks like) in half and then tie them together to form a garland, but instead of tying them together, they cut the flesh on the outside of the shell and tied the flesh to a stick.
These truffles are often harvested from the caves beneath a mountain and are then dried and ground to a fine powder. The best way to find these types of truffles is to look through old newspapers or cookbooks that are printed on wood since they tend to smell a little less than they would if sold in a packet.
The process of drying and grinding truffles can be time consuming and expensive, but when done properly, it can produce a great product. There are several ways to do it, including steam drying, which can be real art. and can be done either in a bathtub (which can be more expensive) or a refrigerator or using an oven or stove. Other ways of drying are drying by microwave ovens, dehydrators, or under high pressure in a water bath. There is also an option to make the black truffles by hand and then freeze them in liquid nitrogen.
Black truffle salt can be used as a cooking salt (although it does not make a great substitute for other forms of sea salt), but since it is a highly sought after product in Italian cuisine, it is often used as a garnish. In addition to being a culinary treat, it can also be used as a preservative for meats and cheeses, desserts, ice cream, and even some fruits and vegetables. It also has medicinal uses, since many people think of salt as a health food. Many cultures believe that using too much salt can cause blood pressure problems and arthritis, so using black truffles as a garnish is a healthy way to help counteract these problems.