The truffle is a strange fungus that grows from 5 to 10 centimeters below the ground. It can only be located by the peculiar smell it gives out and the best way to find it is to use a pig or a dog which has been trained in truffle hunting.

The dog or pig is taken to the place on a lead. As soon as it smells a truffle the animal is released and runs to the spot. The pig digs the truffle up with its nose; the dog uses its paws. The animals are rewarded with some thing to eat.

Some truffles are as big as a clenched fist but others are much smaller. There are two main types of truffle: the black and the white. The white truffle is much more sought after for its pungent and penetrating taste. It is a pale, dirty yellow in color.