For most gourmands, not only in Croatia but also throughout the world, just the mention of mouth-watering truffles whets the appetites and brings a twinkle to the eye. Truffles are one of the world’s favourite delicacies, not only on account of their heavenly flavour, but also because of the mystery surrounding them – the “incontestable culinary kings†as the people of Istria refer to them.
There are numerous dilemmas related to the truffle. The first pertains to the method whereby they are gathered, as the truffle is hidden under the ground. Regardless of the fact that they are characterised by an exceptionally intensive scent it is impossible to locate them out of doors without the help of specially trained dogs.
Also, the truffle only grows in certain types of soil. In Croatia they can only be found on the Istrian peninsula where they flourish in the grey, clayish soil found in the Istrian interior, more precisely in the oak forest surrounding the town of Motovun and from Motovun northwards to LaniÅ¡ce, along the RaÅ¡a River heading southeast and in the environs of Pazin to the south of the peninsula. The people of Istria value in particular the white truffle, which is gathered in the autumn and is prepared as soon as possible upon its extraction from the soil. And that is why autumn in Istria and its small, specialised restaurants and rural farmsteads exude a special mood and atmosphere. This is true especially of the period from mid October to mid November when the Truffle days are held across all of Istria, a cornucopia of events that all have the same goal – to celebrate the unique Istrian truffle. During those thirty days the scent of truffles wafts from many plates, and visitors from all across Croatia and the world come to Istria to revel in the flavours of the world’s most famous aphrodisiac. The Truffle Days kicked off October 7th with a folk festivity in Sovinjak, a picturesque settlement in the Istrian interior from whose walls a striking view of the surrounding hills shoots out. The 14th incarnation of the popular “Tuberfestâ€, as the white truffle fair is known started that same day in the settlement of Livade, part of which is the selection of the largest and best looking truffle. The events in Livade continued over the coming days with agricultural products fairs, olive oil sampling and a truffle culinary festival. In November the Truffle Days move to the town of Buzet where on the 3rd and 4th the Flavours of the Buzet Region truffle weekend / gastro gathering is staged – an exhibition of truffles and other local products, an ethno and gastro offer, a course in preparing truffle-based dishes and a truffle “hunt†with accompanying cultural program. The Days will close in Livade where November 12th will see a festivity at the Zigante Restaurant to mark the 8th anniversary of the uncovering of the largest ever white truffle, which made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. For those who, in spite of it all, do not manage to come to the Truffle Days, here are a few restaurants whose quality the Istria County Tourist Board recommends: Zigante in Livade, San Rocco and Morgan in Brtonigla, Marino in Momjan, Igor and Malo selo in Buje, Pod voltom in Motovun and the Stara OÅ¡tarija, Toklarija and Vrh in Buzet.
Source: ?Croatia Tourist Board?
