White Truffles

This morning we set off in Lincoln's car for the nearby town of Alba where the International White Truffle Festival takes place - this year from 12th October to 17th November. 


Alba is also the home of the huge Ferrero Rocher factory and as we opened the car doors at the car park, we were struck by the overwhelming aroma of chocolate and roasted hazelnuts!  Saturday morning is also market day in Alba, so the whole town was a full of market stalls, music, fantastic aromas and millions of people, half of whom had a dog.  We made our way slowly around the market stalls as Lincoln and Anka shopped for produce for tonight's dinner, and then headed into the centre of the village for brunch.

What a beautiful town Alba is.  Gorgeous little cobble-stone streets, beautiful buildings and sophisticated shops and such a fantastic atmosphere.  Then into a pizzeria for coffee and pizzas before heading off to the Truffle Market - a huge pavilion full of fantastic products including wine, cheese and truffles galore.  We could actually smell the truffle market before we entered it - the aroma of truffles is very powerful and takes your breath away.  And the white truffles are all treated like gold - under atmospherically controlled glass domes, sold by the ounce, and there is a quality control station where you can have the authenticity of a truffle verified before you buy it.

Brian and Lincoln each bought a white truffle (the woman from whom they bought them took a photo of Brian and me with a truffle about 20 times bigger than ours) and then participated in a wine-tasting - where they bought 2 large wine glasses (in glass holders that hung around their necks) and tasted some of the fabulous wines from the Barolo region, while Anka, Oscar and I enjoyed wondering around the pavilion, buying fresh pasta and fabulous cheese on the way.

Then back home to our cottages just in time for Suzie & Andy's arrival from London via Milan followed by a walk around the village and/or an afternoon rest.  And then this evening, we all assembled at Anka, LIncoln and Oscar's cottage for antipasto and then fresh pasta with olive oil and freshly shaved white truffle, followed by the freshest gorgonzola with truffle honey - and some fantastic Barolo wines of course.  What a treat - and what great fun we had today.