CHRONICLE OF A TRUFFLE HUNTING DAY
On Saturday the 12th of December I had the good fortune of taking part in a truffle hunting day. Despite the bitter cold that accompanied us on the journey from Madrid to Guadalajara, the day turned out to be truly magnificent.
We met at 11:00 in the morning at a forest track leading to the woodland where our adventure would begin, guided by the wonderfully knowledgeable and passionate experts of Trufamania.
Once everyone had arrived, the day got underway. The sun was with us throughout, making the three-hour outing all the more enjoyable.
As we made our way through the holm oaks, we came across what could only be described as a textbook truffle burn — one that simply could not be missed.
And that is where it all began. The dog Isis, sniffing the burn methodically, came to a halt and marked the exact spot of what would be our first find of the morning — buried just over 15 cm underground and perfectly camouflaged. At first, none of us could quite detect the scent, but gradually our noses tuned in, and before long we were picking it up from several metres away. We even discovered that the soil covering the truffles is itself deeply impregnated with that distinctive aroma.
Throughout the rest of the morning, the two indispensable dogs — Isis and Duna — continued to mark spot after spot, each one yielding truffles with perfect accuracy.
The day was wonderfully complete: we saw firsthand just how essential the dogs are for finding these prized fungi, and we were also lucky enough to observe the famous Truffle Fly in full flight, circling in its characteristic drunken manner.
The truffle grounds are also shared with grazing and hunting activities, which are by no means incompatible. In fact, grazing plays a key role in keeping unchecked vegetation growth under control, and the sheep's browsing of the lower branches of the holm oaks allows more sunlight to reach the ground.
The success of the day was a testament to Trufamania's careful management of these natural truffle grounds, and to the two dogs whose very different hunting styles both prove absolutely indispensable. The people behind the Trufamania group are Amparo, Encarna, Andrés, Antonio, and the dogs Isis and Duna.
If I close my eyes and concentrate, I can still perfectly recall the scent of truffle — though the first thing that comes to mind is actually the smell of the roast we enjoyed at the Palacio de Atienza to round off the day.
It was an experience I would gladly repeat. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it more than lived up to everything I had hoped for.
 |
Oscar Rico oscarlepiota@hotmail.es |