White Truffle

[alrak]

Hello there, can anyone help?

I've found summer truffles before (and am still enjoying the homemade oil!), but am struggling to identify the truffle I found today and wondered if anyone new whether it is edible as research seems to suggest that white truffles aren't found in this country and have hit a brick wall on finding any white truffle identies in the UK.

It's exterior is smooth and white with a couple of conker coloured marks. The inside is marbled like summer truffles but with a light beige colour rather than grey, and the smell has a sweeter element to it.

Any ideas?

Thank you in advance, Karla (Alrak)

[flaxton]

It is early in the year but could it be Choiromyces meandriformis

Mal

[Phungus]

I think a photo might help?

You could send it to me in the mail

[alrak]

Thanks for such speedy replies, here are some photos of my find. Having researched the suggestion you gave me I feel I should point out that this was found underground and has a smooth exterior - does this change the opinion? Most importantly, can I eat it?

[Phungus]

Apart from telling you how jealous I am I have little help to offer.

Aids to identifying it would be where it was found (the sort of terrain, vegetation etc, NOT the location which if I were you I would keep very close to my chest ).
the earlier suggestion could be right but you would have to be the judge of that...
Rogers Mushrooms - Choiromyces meandriformis

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Phungus

Apart from telling you how jealous I am I have little help to offer.

Aids to identifying it would be where it was found (the sort of terrain, vegetation etc, NOT the location which if I were you I would keep very close to my chest ).
the earlier suggestion could be right but you would have to be the judge of that...
Rogers Mushrooms - Choiromyces meandriformis

it looks like Choiromyces though I'd like to see the (very distinctive) spores - but if it is I wouldn't dream of eating it

I've only ever once dried some as a herbarium specimen and the house became virtually uninhabitable . . . it smells appalling!

compared to the true white truffle - Tuber magnatum we are comparing Barcelona with Barnet FC (and that's an insult to Barnet fans); no wonder a lot of Italians consider it toxic (it isn't - it's just uneatable IMO)

so maybe it isn't Choiromyces - looks very like though

but as to eating it I - literally - wouldn't give it house room as they say up here; sadly, apart from the second rate Tuber aestivum I don't think we have hypogeous fungi worth eating in this country

but, somebody, tell me I'm wrong

cheers

Chris

[mollisia]

Hello Chris,

I'm exactly your opinion - Choiromyces maeandriformis is not a species one can recommend to eat. It is eatable well cooked - but then it tastes ugly. When given to Pasta, as is done with the blach truffles, Choiromyces can be poisonous. There have been cases of poisoning in Switzerland and Germany with Choiromyces eaten raw on Pasta.

Besides that, I don't even think that Tuber aestivum is species worth consuming. I have tried several time. Unripe aestivum are the most ugly lunch I ever had. Tasted like noodles with unripe nuts on them. When ripe and fantastic smelling, they don't have any flavour nevertheless (my experience). In good restaurants you will never get Tuber aestivum - only Tuber melanosporum or even Tuber magnatum.

best regards,
Andreas

P.S.: I can't say which species is shown here without microscopical details

[truffle hunter]

Originally Posted by alrak

Hello there, can anyone help?

I've found summer truffles before (and am still enjoying the homemade oil!), but am struggling to identify the truffle I found today and wondered if anyone new whether it is edible as research seems to suggest that white truffles aren't found in this country and have hit a brick wall on finding any white truffle identies in the UK.

It's exterior is smooth and white with a couple of conker coloured marks. The inside is marbled like summer truffles but with a light beige colour rather than grey, and the smell has a sweeter element to it.

Any ideas?

Thank you in advance, Karla (Alrak)

Just wondered if you could let me have the recipe for your truffle oil as I have not had much success with my truffles. Would love to know your secret.

[alrak]

"wondered if you could let me have the recipe for your truffle oil as I have not had much success with my truffles. Would love to know your secret"

Sorry for the slow reply!! My truffle oil doesn't really have the full on flavour as when first made, after a while it takes on a sweet smell which is not to everyones taste (I think maybe it's turned, but I add it whilst cooking anyway!).

As for finding the right way it seems impossible and even rarer than the truffles themselves. But this year after reading ingredients on some ‘top notch oil’ (contains salt, truffle& oil) I am going to put the addition of salt. Hopefully I’ll find enough to experiment various ways!!

So 1st up (only found a half eaten summer truffle today!) I have finely sliced and coated in a thin layer of salt and covered with kitchen towel, am going to leave for a day or two then wipe off excess and then place under oil. Will let you know how it goes.

If anyone else holds the key to long life truffle oil, pray de tell!!