Alba Truffle Festival

My attachment to truffles has been well documented in this forum. And for a truffle lover, there is no greater event than the International Alba White Truffle Fair-- a 7 week celebration of this small Italian town's claim to fame. The Alba white truffle is generally considered to be the king of truffles. Truffles come in various shapes and sizes, but the white truffle of Alba tends to be the smallest and the most delicate both in terms of flavor and durability. Now in its 82^nd year, the festival highlights all the best of Piedmonte cuisine-- to include Barolo wine, charcuterie, cheese, oils and of course the truffle-- to the world. 

 

Events are held throughout the small town, and include lectures, movies, book readings, hikes, parades, and sporting events. The heart of the festival, however, is the truffle market. A huge covered event space where one can get up close and personal with truffles, as well as the other local delicacies. To say it was complete sensory overload does not do justice to the experience. And much like going grocery shopping on an empty stomach, I knew I would accomplish nothing until I got something to eat. Happily, on offer was a very basic selection of pasta and eggs for a very reasonable price, unless of course you elected to add a heaping mound of freshly shaved truffles for an additional 40 euro. Which naturally I did, because really, why drive all the way to a truffle festival if you aren't going to eat truffles? Paired with a glass of Barolo, my simple bowl of miniature sausage stuffed ravioli in a simple butter sauce was elevated to new heights by the impressive blanket of truffle which adorned it. My traveling companion elected to have his truffles atop sunny side up eggs. We found a free spot at a standing table and did not speak for a good 20 minutes.

Our case of truffle fever momentarily abated, we wandered the aisles. The array of food was truly dizzying; all local small producers of their wares. A specific local cheese, Testun al Barolo a white sheeps milk cheese cured in local Barolo wine took my breathe away. Numerous small vineyards whose wine you wouldn't have a prayer of finding outside Italy provided samples of their labors. 

But the main attraction is the truffle hunters selling that mornings find by the gram. Each morning the Truffle Commission inspects and approves all truffles sold at the Alba truffle market, so the buyer can be assured of the quality. And you will pay for that quality. But never fret, there is an ATM conveniently located to help facilitate your cash only transaction. After prodding and sniffing truffle after truffle, I selected two small black truffles and one small white truffle to accompany me back to America. And while they did not last long, they did help to enrich numerous meals!