Alba is a small medieval town in the Piedmont region of Italy, and the world’s undisputed white truffle capital.
Legend has it that, on moonlit nights, the trifolao and his dog head off into the woods and wild meadows of the Langhe hills to hunt for the “lightning bolt’s daughter”, a treat that was already well-appreciated in ancient times by the Greeks and Romans.
Irregular in shape, the trifola bianca varies in colour from pink-veined white to a darker grey-brown, depending on the essence of the trees under which it grew. It has a mineralised scent that is somewhat similar to that of wild garlic. This early mushroom can generally be found in October and November, occasionally up to Christmas.