Start of the summer truffle season

If the end of winter brings with it the queen of truffles - the Black Melanosporum Truffle - the arrival of the warm weather announces the season of another delicious variety: the Summer Truffle! Today, it satisfies restaurateurs and fine gourmets, all of whom enjoy its fresh and delicate flavours, while awaiting the return of the famous Melano.

What is the season for the summer truffle?

Also known as the Tuber Aestivum or St. John's truffle (it reaches full maturity on St. John's Day, at the end of June), it is the only truffle variety that grows between spring and summer. It has the longest season of the species, being harvested fromApril/May to the end of September. The good news is that it is much less rare than the Black Truffle, which has a shorter season, and is therefore much more affordable to enhance all your summer recipes! 

What are the particularities of the Summer Truffle?

Found in the same areas as the Black Truffle of Périgord, these two varieties are often mistakenly confused. The Summer Truffle is similar in appearance but is distinguished from its cousin by its cream-coloured flesh with very fine white veins. 

Above all, its organoleptic properties are different from the Black Truffle, which is very powerful in smell and taste. The Summer Truffle has a more subtle and longer lasting flavour, with delicate aromas of wild mushroom and hazelnut. 

The Summer Truffle and the Black Truffle are not comparable, their use should only be different!

How to taste the Summer Truffle?

Because of its lighter taste, the Summer Truffle cannot be eaten in the same way as the Black Truffle. Fresh or in jars, it is preferable to eat it raw or only slightly heated to preserve its aromas. It is perfect for use in fresh summer dishes: grated in salads, shaved on meat or fish tartars or carpaccios , or simply on a slice of bread with olive oil and a little salt.

It can also be used to delicately flavour certain hot dishes, provided that it is added at the last minute. For example, it is delicious on pasta, with eggs, or as an accompaniment to meat and especially fish, with which its flavours are wonderfully balanced.

At Artisan de la Truffe, its subtle and gourmet fragrances have been selected to be part of our most popular recipes!

Find the whole range of products around the Summer Truffle on La Halle des Gourmets ! Pasta and risottos, sauces and canned truffles... for summer truffles in all their forms!

And for fresh summer truffles, visit the shops at Artisan de la Truffe in Paris and Lyon.

Anne-Emmanuelle Thion