The Secret Art of Foraging for Food

 

 (This article first appeared in the 29th May 2021 issue of Business Line newspaper's BLink section online https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/takeaway/the-secret-art-of-foraging-for-food/article34674064.ece )

Raw Beauties!

Showing us that there’s a whole lot more to raw fish dishes than plain old Japanese sashimi are a host of interesting and exotic preparations from as far as Peru to the Philippines. Smart Life introduces you to a few such edible wonders.  

By Raul Dias

It’s safe to say that most of the world’s love affair with raw fish is rather recent. And one that is in its embryonic stages as far the average Indian diner is concerned. Once looked upon as freakishly alien and best left to where it belonged, the raw fish wonder that is Japanese sashimi has ensnared the entire world with its fresh, clean taste and healthy diet appeal. 

Today, sushi bars are an ubiquitous site the world over, with patrons hungry for a piece of that freshly sliced amberjack or for a portion of those gossamer thin slivers of yellowfin tuna—all anointed with a dab of wasabi and a splash of shoyu (soy sauce). And while smoked salmon too has made its way around the world via Scandinavia in the form of gravlax and New York (where it is known as lox), our notion of raw fish preparations is still woefully confined to the above-mentioned two. Not anymore! 

Digging a little deeper into the vast sphere of world cuisine shows us the existence of a whole smorgasbord (pun intended!) of raw fish dish iterations from a diverse number of places that have been enjoyed for centuries in various forms and styles.

Here are a few such raw revelations: 

Poké from Hawaii

Pronounced poh-kay and meaning to “cut crosswise into pieces” this supremely healthy and tasty one bowl Hawaiian origin dish is a very simple preparation that sees short grain sushi rice that has been pre-vinegared as the base. This rice is then topped with diced raw fish and other seafood that can range from salmon and tuna to octopus and sea urchin. A splash of soy, a squirt of Japanese mayonnaise, a dusting of the Japanese spice blend called furikake, sesame seeds and dried flakes of nori (seaweed) finish off this dish that is criminally addictive and clean tasting. Interestingly, very similar to poké is the Korean dish called hoedeopbap that consists of marinated raw tuna served over rice.

Ceviche from Peru

Over the last decade or so the popularity of this paradoxically raw, yet ‘cooked’ fish dish from Peru has reached dizzying heights. This seemingly simple dish is a complex preparation made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with ají chillies and other seasonings including chopped onions, salt, and coriander. It is the all-important citrus that cooks the fish, turning its translucent flesh into a milky opaque. Ceviche is usually accompanied by side dishes that complement its flavours such as sweet potato, lettuce, roasted corn kernels called cancha and the current hipster chic craze—avocado!

Kokoda from Fiji

Coming to us straight from the swaying coconut trees and cool waters of the lush Fijian islands, this raw fish dish celebrates two of the island’s greatest resources—coconuts and its abundant seafood. Pronounced ko-kon-da, kokoda is a refreshing salad-appetizer that’s perfect after a day swimming the cerulean ocean. Just like a ceviche, cubed white fish like snapper, walu or mahi mahi is first marinated in a citrus mixture so that it cures and cooks and then a splash of cooling coconut cream is added to give the dish its creamy consistency. Diced tomatoes and a few fronds of coriander finish off this dish that is always served in a hollowed-out coconut shell.  

Crudo and Carpaccio from Italy

Literally meaning ‘crude’ or ‘raw’ in Italian, crudo is a super popular and versatile raw fish dish from Italy that can be anything from slices of raw fish drizzled over with olive oil and seasoning, to a chopped version just like a steak tartare that’s always topped with an egg yolk. Similarly, fish carpaccio is the pescatarian version of the thinly sliced raw beef dish of the same name that was invented in 1950 by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice and named in honour of Vittore Carpaccio, the Venetian painter known for his characteristic red and white tones.  

Yusheng from China

Literally meaning “raw fish” the dish is basically a Cantonese-style raw fish salad consisting of strips of raw fish mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. Also known as the “prosperity toss”, yusheng has been a Cantonese favourite for decades with the most common form being the qicai yusheng (seven-coloured raw fish salad) served in local restaurants during the Chinese New Year period. And although versions of it are thought to have existed in ancient China, the contemporary version was created and popularised in the 1960s.

Kinilaw from the Philippines

An interesting raw fish dish that is closely related to not one but two dishes on this list, kinilaw from the Philippines borrows elements from both a ceviche and a kokoda. Hailing from the Visayan region of the archipelago, the name kinilaw is derived from the word, “kilaw”, which means raw or uncooked. Just like a ceviche, the seafood is ‘cooked’ without the application of heat but is rather cured in vinegar. Additional souring agents like the native calamansi (a lime-orange like fruit), tamarind, or green mangoes are added to enhance its tartness. To complete the dish, black pepper, onions, ginger, seaweed and sliced chilies are also added. And in some parts of the country, just like a kokoda, a dash of coconut milk or cream is added to give the dish a creamy, sweetish send-off! 

(A differently edited version of this piece was first published in the November 2020 issue of The Week's Smart Life magazine)

The Learning Vacation

Travel these days is much more than simply ticking off those all-important boxes of must-visit sites and must-do activities. Enter the learning vacation where picking up a new skill or craft while immersing yourself in the local culture of the place you visit is the latest buzz word in travel. Raul Dias shows you just how to go about that!

By Raul Dias

Not content with merely sitting around sipping fruity cocktails by the beach on your next summer holiday? We hear you. For most of us these days, the idea of the vacation has evolved from the one of the past where sight-seeing and picking up souvenirs was all we ever wanted out of it. And one the greatest agents of this evolution is the learning vacation. A popular trend in the west, the learning vacation is now one of the top ways we Indians travel. More and more of us are choosing this style of seeing the world, while taking back something less material and more life enriching.   
Today’s holiday is all about getting more bang for one’s buck by partaking in more immersive (and dare-we-say, ‘Insta-friendly’) experiences while we pick up skills and hobbies that will not just be with us forever, but skills that may come in handy later. The learning vacation seeks to be the conduit to all this and much, much more.
Imagine picking up a skill like pottery while embracing Mother Nature in all her glory! You can very much do that. Regarded as India’s pottery capital, the bucolic village of Andretta set against the mighty Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh is where all you pottery enthusiasts should head to. Here, the Andretta Pottery and Craft Society in Kangra is THE place to get an immersive experience by staying at a potter’s collective where you will participate in daily hands-on classes to make your own bowls, jugs and other earthenware under the guidance of an expert (andrettapottery.com).
For those with a sportier inclination why not learn to surf in some of India’s best beaches? Located 10km north of the union territory of Puducherry, near the village of Tandryankupam, Serenity Beach is home to the Kallialay Surf School run by two expat Spanish brothers. Here you can channel your inner (hidden!?) surfer as you learn the watersport’s finer nuances by signing up for their five-day surfing course that teaches you all you need to know about cruising the waves (surfschoolindia.com).
The learning vacation shouldn’t be just limited to your domestic travel. Expand your horizons and do things you’ve never done before. For example, the Northern Thailand region of Lanna is well-known as a place, not just for learning and its amazing culture, but also as a bastion of exquisite food. So, on your next Thailand vacation take some time and head up country to the arts capital of Chiang Mai to include some skill-gathering? Sign up for a four-hours long, hands-on cookery class with Chef Chanrat Karatna who will teach you to whip up from scratch local dishes like the Northern Thailand version of the ubiquitous somtamthai papaya and prawn salad and more, all served with sticky black rice that is a specialty of the Lanna region (airthaikitchen.com).
Fancy something a bit fancier? Simple. Learn all there is to truffle hunting when in Italy! A mere 15 minutes outside the Renaissance-rich city of Florence, the forested hills of Bagno a Ripoli are said to be rich with that magical, perfumed haute cuisine ingredient called black truffles. Sign up for a day foraging for and learning about all there is to know about the delicious fungus with truffle hunting expert Giulio Benuzzi and his specially trained sniffer dog named Eda. You will explore the forest near their home and follow Eda’s keen sense of smell and instincts on the track to truffles. And that’s not all. Once you unearth a few delicious truffles, you will be treated to a lunch made from them (giuliothetrufflehunter.com).
While we’ve kept this list to a minimum in adherence to brevity, the possibilities for a learning vacation are excitingly limitless. Learn a new language or hone those salsa dancing skills. Remember that the world is your oyster and it’s never too late to add value to your next vacation.    

Tips To Keep In Mind
1. Choose an activity that really interests you and don’t just do it because the rest of your family or travel group is enthused by it. Let’s be honest; kite-boarding isn’t for everyone!
2. Don’t feel the pressure to pack in too many learning activities into your vacation. Remember it is a holiday after all, not an offsite skills course.
3. Do ample research before signing up and make sure that the place or the person from whom you are learning from has the right credentials and is truly an expert in their field.
4. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t seem very good at that particular skill or craft. Give yourself some time and practice. It’s worth remembering that clichéd phrase: “Rome wasn’t built in a day!”   

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the April 2019 issue of  Purple Hues magazine of Sterling Holidays https://www.sterlingholidays.com/content/dam/sterlingholidays/footer/files/sterlingworld/purple-hues-magazine-apr-2019.pdf)

4 Reasons Why Ticino is Switzerland’s Best Kept Secret

With its sunny, almost-Mediterranean climate and relaxed, laid-back vibe, the Italian-speaking Canton of Ticino in the south of Switzerland is a hidden jewel waiting to be discovered. Raul Dias shows you another facet of this perennial tourist favourite!  

Ascona (pic courtesy: Switzerland Tourism)

By Raul Dias

1. Ascona on Lake Maggiore
Lying at the delta of the River Maggia in a unique, sun-drenched bay, the pretty town of Ascona is often described as “the pearl of Lake Maggiore”. Although popular with local Swiss travellers as a top-quality holiday resort, not much is known about Ascona on the global travel scene. Not anymore, we say! With the motto here being “l’arte di vivere” or “the art of living”, Ascona puts on a mighty show with its irresistible waterfront on the Piazza Giuseppe Motta that is home to numerous restaurants, cafés and bars that stay open until the wee hours. Yet Ascona is more than just a chic party place: this picturesque resort town has a rich cultural and historical heritage. Especially impressive are the Baroque façades of the Casa Serodine and the neighbouring parish church of Santi Pietro e Paolo, a pillared basilica dating from the 16th century, of which the high bell-tower or campanile is the symbol of Ascona. Lake Maggiore is another one of its calling cards. As the largest lake in Southern Switzerland, with its shoreline divided between the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy and the Italian-speaking Swiss canton of Ticino, the lake is perfect for a leisurely afternoon sail down its placid waters.

2. Monte Verità: Europe’s Only Tea Plantation
Monte Verità, also known as ‘The Mountain of Truth’—that sits mighty above Ascona—is a unique place. Not only is it the spot where revolutionists, artists and philosophers once used to experiment new ways of life, but it is also the place that has mainland Europe’s only tea plantation. This botanic miracle has become a reality, on the one hand because of the unique microclimate, and on the other thanks to Peter Oppliger an expert in medicinal plants who calls himself a “tea philosopher”. After years of experimentation, it was only in the autumn of 2005 that the first harvest could successfully be made into a small amount of green tea. Oppliger’s aim, it is said, is not commercial cultivation, but to show those who are interested the working of tea cultivation and production. “Il sentiero del tè” (The Tea Way) is a course which has been built according to Japanese philosophy. Along this free-to-all path built into the slopes of Monte Verità, visitors can experience every aspect of the culture of tea from its production to its appreciation.

3. The Quaint Little Village of Gandria
Few places in Ticino are photographed as much as the beautiful little village of Gandria on Lake Lugano. As the last village of Switzerland before the border with neighbouring Italy, Gandria has a distinct Italian look and feel to it. And the best way to get a pulse of the magic of this former fishing village is to roam its narrow streets on foot. However, it is said that the lake is the best vantage point to see the terraced houses rising up the hillside below the Baroque San Vigilio Church. You can also reach the town of Lugano by boat in a matter of minutes. The alternative is to walk along the olive path, which meanders through woods and olive groves on the lake shore. Don’t miss checking out the information boards along the seven-kilometer route that offer valuable insights into the history, botany, cultivation, and oil made from the olive fruit.

4. Fall for Lugano’s Charms
As the largest town in Ticino, Lugano is not only Switzerland’s third most important financial center, but also a town of parks and flowers, villas and sacred buildings. With an unmissable Mediterranean flair, Lugano offers all the advantages of an excellent city, combined with the cachet of a small town. Located in a bay on the northern side of Lake Lugano, surrounded by the mounts San Salvatore and Brè, any side you look will reward you with splendid views. The traffic-free historic town center, the famous exclusive-shopping street of Via Nassa or the gourmet-street Via Pessina, the numerous buildings in Lombardy style, the exclusive museums, the mountains, lake and a packed calendar of events all suggest the decidedly Italian-inspired good life or “dolce vita”. By the lakeside promenade, don’t miss the Belvedere Garden, where the parkland boasts not only of camellias and magnolias but also of countless sub-tropical plants and modern works of art and sculptures.

(An edited version of this article appeared on 25 July 2018 in Travel + Leisure, India and South Asia http://travelandleisureindia.in/ticino-is-a-swiss-secret-canton/)

Less Pros, More Cins!

By Raul Dias

Claiming to be modelled on the lines of a typical Venitian bacaro, where the homestyle food is fast and the conversation rough, Cin Cin couldn’t be more different. A well-lit, sophisticated space that was crammed full of a mix of the BKC corporate and the ladies-who-lunch crowd the afternoon we visited, the restaurant exudes a hip, stylish vibe. It also intelligently divests itself of the usual tropes one has come to expect of a casual dining, Italian restaurant in India.
This means that thankfully, clichés like terracotta wall/floor/counter top tiles and the ubiquitous, on-display wood-fired pizza oven find no place here. But sadly, Italian restaurant requisites like the all-important bread basket (complimentary or otherwise) and the olive oil-balsamic beakers too are missing and fail to show up at our table, despite requesting for them.
It’s the same story with the serving cutlery that the staff very reluctantly supplied us with after much coaxing. Apparently, the food here is designed for individual portions we are told, thus debunking the whole ‘family-style dining’ philosophy that Cin Cin proclaims is its USP. With the focus on Italian home cooking, pasta dishes feature prominently on the menu, including staples such as bucatini all’amatriciana, garganelli and other classic home-cooked dishes such as risotto and gnocchi.
Almost an hour into placing our order, our table finally saw some food action. The well-made ricotta and parmesan stuffed cappelletti pasta doused with an intensely meaty pork ragu was spot on perfect, though we could have done with a more generous portion of it. Intrigued by its rather verbose name, we called for the Filipa goes foraging pizza. The twinning of the portobello and porcini mushrooms with roasted garlic, sitting atop a pliant, not-too-thin crust base made this 12-inch pie a winner all the way.
One sip of to-my-Tina, the watered down, insipid tomato juice-based gin cocktail was enough to send it back to where it came from. Our free replacement of the high on tequila, low on taste tegroni Aperol cocktail had us abandon the idea of having a drink here completely. We finally settled for the alcohol-free fennel and dill fizz that was ho-hum at its very best.
Suitably al dente Arborio rice spiked with orange zest, holding within it fresh, succulent prawns with a drizzle of lemon olive oil, was the risotto gamberi e agrumi that passed the good risotto test with flying colours. However, once again disappointment made its presence felt as we took a bite out of the tre latti con berries dessert. The mushy sum of its crumbly vanilla sponge and thin, runny milk custard parts with a sad duo of frozen blueberries garnishing it, this one fell flat, both literally and figuratively!
Ditch the drinks and desserts and concentrate on the food. Now, that is one mantra we’d do well to chant the next time we find ourselves at Cin Cin. If ever.


WHAT: Cin Cin
RATING: ** (2 out of 5)
WHERE: Ground Floor, Raheja Towers, Near Dena Bank, BKC, Bandra East
WHEN: 12 pm to 1 am
COST: Around Rs 3,800 for two, with one cocktail each
CALL: 6995-6666

(An edited version of this review appeared in the 28th April 2018 issue of the Hindustan Times newspaper, India on page 15 https://m.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/a-hit-and-miss-italian-job-raul-dias-reviews-cin-cin/story-QjjOtAb21pFOjrlNXWqn4M_amp.html) 

Book to Book!

In an increasingly digital world, it is these iconic brick and mortar bookshops around the world that still hold great promise and hope for die-hard bibliophiles and serve as sanctuaries where they can lose themselves in the sight, smell and feel of crisp pages.

By Raul Dias

Shakespeare and Company, Paris
Since 1951, 37 Rue de la Bûcherie on Paris’ Left Bank has seen the legendary Shakespeare and Company cater to millions of book lovers. Offering them not just juicy morsels in the form of their favourite reads—which they are free to peruse through—but also a place to bed down for the night for free! Yes, this bookshop has several beds interspersed between its bookshelves and truly lives up to its motto of “Be Not Inhospitable to Strangers Lest They Be Angels in Disguise,” that’s even emblazoned above the entry way to the reading section. And while you’re leafing thr uoough the works of the greats like Hugo, Balzac and of course Shakespeare, take a moment to go through the bookshop’s very own coffee table book titled Shakespeare and Company, Paris: A History of the Rag & Bone Shop of the Heart that came out in 2016.
37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris, France
+33 1 43 25 40 93
shakespeareandcompany.com

Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice
Literally meaning ‘High Water Bookstore’, Libreria Acqua Alta is housed on the Calle Longa Santa Maria Formosa, next to Venice’s Piazza San Giovanni e Paolo and has a decidedly shabby chic feel to it—what with its flea market-meets-wacky bookshop appearance. But despite this, it is often referred to as the world’s most beautiful bookshop and is a repository for books like old editions of the works of greats like Dante to modern fiction of the Dan Brown kind. Interestingly, paying the ultimate tribute to the ‘water wonderland’ that is Venice, this quirky bookshop houses its books in everything from bathtubs and washbasins to… get this, a life-size gondola!
Calle Longa S. Maria Formosa, 5176/b, 30122 Castello, Venice, Italy
+39 041 296 0841

The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles
This bookshop with a rather ominous name, may not have a rich legacy to rely on, what with it having been established only in 2005. But what it lacks in years, it more than makes up for in prowess. All of 22,000 sq. ft. in downtown LA, this store is actually a collection of small stores within the main space. So, while you will find 250,000 new and second-hand books on the first two floors, including the new Arts & Rare Book Annex, it also has a shared space that house vinyl records and graphic novels. In addition to this, it also has a mammoth mezzanine level that includes The Labyrinth Above the Last Bookstore, Gather Yarn Shop, and the Spring Arts Collective gallery shops. What’s interesting about The Labyrinth is that it features a maze-like space that stocks over 100,000 used books that are all sold at $1 each!
453 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA
+1 213-488-0599
lastbookstorela.com

Livraria Lello, Porto
Though we’re loathe to pick favourites on a selection of such wonderful bookshops around the world, this stunning bookshop in the portside city of Porto in Portugal is worthy of every single hyperbole! Rua das Carmelitas, a short walk from the city center is where this store that resembles the inside of an old wooden ship has been housed since 1906 (it opened at another location in 1869). A winding mahogany double staircase leads you up to the higher floors where you will find a treasure trove of books—both in Portuguese and other languages—on shelves that are set between pillars that are decorated with bronze bas-reliefs of Portuguese literature figures. Don’t miss checking out the tiny tracks on the floor that are used by the staff for sliding ladders and carts laden with books.
R. das Carmelitas 144, 4050-161 Porto, Portugal
+351 22 200 2037
livrarialello.pt


Powell’s City of Books, Portland
Besides it’s moniker of ‘America’s Weirdest City’, Portland also has one other calling card that gives it some serious street cred as a bibliophile’s paradise—Powell’s City of Books. Located in downtown Portland’s Pearl District, this bookstore is the largest second-hand and new bookstore in the world, occupying an entire city block and housing approximately one million books. Established in 1971, it has a plethora of titles ranging from vintage cookery to indigenous native American history. The store is so large that every Sunday, there is a free public tour offered. On this 45-minute tour, one is given a brief history of the gargantuan bookstore, from the Pillar of Signatude to a sneak peek into their Rare Book room.
1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209, USA
+1 800-878-7323
powells.com


The Indian Quintet
While we’re still coming to grips the recent shutting down of one of the country’s most revered bookshops—Mumbai’s Strand Book Stall, here’s a list of five other iconic Indian bookshops.
1. Dasgupta & Co, Kolkata: A virtual institution that’s part of the College Street posse of bookshops, this historic bookstore was established in 1886 and is still the go-to place to procure the first editions of various rare publications.
2. The Book Shop, New Delhi: Simply called ‘Book Shop’ this spartan, yet treasure trove of amazing reads in New Delhi’s Jor Bagh truly lives up to its name. Opened in 1970, this store may be a tad cramped and crowded, but you’ll always find whatever you are looking for here!
3. Kitab Khana, Mumbai: Located in a historic building in the city’s culture and arts hub of Fort, this large, airy bookshop stocks books not just in English and Hindi, but also in other regional and international languages.
4. Literati Book Shop and Café, Goa: Housed in a picturesque cottage in Calangute, this bookstore-cum-café is the perfect place to leaf through both second-hand and new books while tucking into a scrumptious lemon tea cake.
5. Leaping Windows, Bengaluru: A slight departure from the other bookshops on this list, in that it is comic bookstore and library, this Indiranagar shop makes the cut thanks to its mindboggling collection of comic book and magazine titles available for purchase or rent.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the April 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

Foraging for Black Gold!

In perfect harmony with the “ultra-regional and ultra-seasonal” milieu of today’s forage-friendly dining scene, a summer truffle hunt in the hills surrounding Florence, guided by one of Italy’s best truffle hunters and his coffee-quaffing dog is a great primer in harvesting the earth’s ‘black gold’.

Giulio explaining the black truffle foraging process with Eda in the background

By Raul Dias

Perched upon the mist-shrouded hills, a little south of Florence, is a beige limestone home in the tiny village of Bagno a Ripoli. It’s one that’s filled with character and embellished by the patina of time. And that’s not just limited to the dusty bric-a-brac haphazardly strewn about the place. Or to the worn-out furnishings that bestow upon it a craggy, coarse countenance, well-offsetting it from the neighbouring homes on the Via di Terzano with their manicured gardens and staid facades.
Its inhabitants, Eda and Giulio Benuzzi, are a dynamic, truffle hunting duo blessed with unsurmountable amounts of vim and vigour, along with the appropriately heightened olfactory senses one would expect from them. And, as I was soon to discover that cold May morning, they are staunch sticklers for routines as well.
Up at a quarter to six every morning, the coffeed-up twosome set out for their morning walk, all bleary eyed and tousled salt-n-pepper hair, ready to eke out their existence in the undulating hills they both so love. With some of the ‘greatest hits’ of the Renaissance in full view on most days, they have very little to complain about. Vista-wise, that is. But today seems to be an aberration.
The fog is so thick that one can barely see the glistening concave top of Brunelleschi’s Duomo in Florence down below. “Let’s hope the truffle gods aren’t colluding with the weather gods today!” laughs Giulio, as Eda walks stealthily ahead. “She’s upset with me today because I’ve started limiting her coffee intake to a few drops in her bowl, instead of the usual half cup.”

Eda, the Lagotto Romagnolo breed truffle hunting dog

As you might have gathered by now, Eda is Giulio’s six-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo breed of truffle hunting dog, with a predilection for coffee, the occasional sliver of truffle, and on this occasion, moping! As for me, I was at the very early morning start of a four-hour truffle hunt with Giulio—often regarded as one of Florence’s…nay, Italy’s greatest truffle hunters—as part of the recently launched Airbnb Trips initiative that helps pairs travellers like myself with people like Giulio for curated, immersive experiences, for a fee of around Rs 4,500 in this instance. Expensive, yes. But then again, with a kilogram of black truffles selling for as much as Rs 573,000 at gourmet stores the world over, this doesn’t seem like a bad deal at all. Especially, not if you throw in the post-hunt, all-truffle brunch I was promised and greedily looking forward to.  
“Even dogs trained for work, like Eda, can tell you that truffles—or tartufo as we call them in Italian—are an expensive delicacy and love to eat them,” says Giulio, debunking the myth that dogs have an aversion to truffles, which was believed to have been the reason why they have now replaced pigs as truffle sniffing out animals. “It’s just that pigs are extremely unyielding when it comes to trying to retrieve the freshly dug-up truffles from their mouths. In fact, you often come across older truffle hunters with missing fingers that have been bitten off by their pigs. In the case of the Lagotto Romagnolo breed of dogs, being retrievers, they are perfect for foraging and more so the females as they have better concentration powers.” 
And just like that our hunt begins with Eda suddenly picking up a scent and making a dash towards a thickly wooded area behind the house. Rich, as Giulio points out, with lime-saturated, well-drained soil, that he then goes on to pick up and sniff. “This area is known for its black summer truffles called Scorzone whose spores prefer to anchor themselves in soil such as this, where the underlying geology is chalk or limestone. You will find truffles in the shade of oaks, hazelnut, chestnut, elm and poplar trees,” he says, as Eda starts furiously digging the loose soil under a juvenile oak tree that seems to have been recently foraged. “More often than not, newly grown truffles are found in spots where you last foraged. This is because the new truffle spores from the previous ones. But there’s no guaranteeing that. Which is why one can ever grow or cultivate truffles. They are the masters of their own whim and fancy.” 

Handfulls of black gold--truffles! 

As if on cue, Eda’s forepaws make contact with a knobbly, coal-like black truffle that Giulio is quick to dig up with his bare hands, blowing away errant specks of dirt that cling to it. Deceptively heavier in weight than it seems, the truffle’s aroma, or “noble funk” as Giulio prefers to call it permeates the air, with its earthy, musty scent triggering a hitherto absent, sudden hunger in me for it.
This brings things back to the now redundant truffle hunting pigs. Interestingly, when truffles are ripe, I’m told, they produce a chemical almost identical to a type of pheromone found in a male pig’s saliva. And that is also why right up until 1970, sows, more than pigs, were used to hunt the stuff. It’s nuggets of information like this and a whole lot more that’s part of the curriculum one needs to cram in order to obtain the Italian Truffle (hunting) License that Giulio got in 2003. This, four years after he gave up his managerial job in Milan at the famed e Api restaurant on a sudden whim to become a truffle hunter, where knowing what to forage for and when, is of utmost importance.
“These ones are similar to the French Périgord truffle—the most expensive truffle variety along with our very own Italian white specimen called Piedmont or Alba truffles. Though these black ones don’t smell as strong as the Périgord truffle, as we age them for a few days, the aroma does get intensified,” Giulio says, his affection for the elusive fungi irresistibly infectious, as he fishes out a tissue paper that will ensconce our debut truffle find. But there will be many more to come in the following months, as summer truffles start to ripen in May and continue fruiting right up to beginning of September. These then give way to the autumn and winter varieties like Nero Pregiato and Invernale respectively, that can be foraged till the end of January.
Back home at Casa Benuzzi, this time with a neat little cache of five, decent-sized tartufi nestled in the front pocket of Giulio’s fishing vest, both man and beast settle down for some well-earned mangiare time! Sadly, our quintet of ‘black gold’ will have to wait till they mature before eating I’m told, as Giulio deftly slices some cheese from a block.
But, in keeping with the truffle-centric leitmotif of the morning, this is no ordinary cheese that I’m ravenously chowing down upon, a flute of effervescent prosecco at hand. With its Venetian underpinning firmly in place, the pale yellow Sottocenere is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese to which slices of truffles are added when setting. When close to maturity, the cheese is rubbed with various herbs and spices and then covered with a light layer of ash which is what gives it its rather mellifluous name Sottocenere—which in Italian means “under ash.”

The simple 'cucina rustica' meal enhanced by freshly shaved truffles back at Giulio's home

Suitably al dente spaghetti carbonara made with an unctuous emulsion of heavy cream, egg yolks, pancetta lardons and olive oil (truffle-infused, of course) is what constitutes our pasta course. Quickly anointed with a halo of black truffle shavings that cascade on to the plate, the humble dish made in the ‘cucina rustica’ home-style of Italian cooking is elevated to the gastronomic equivalent of high heaven. Each bite releasing a surge of umami je ne sais quoi.
And it’s that very same, indescribable allure of the truffle that has made it so very prized and sought after for centuries. Truly worth risking bitten off appendages…and yes, brutal, early morning wake up calls for!

Pics Rebecca Marshall

One Truffle at a Time!

·         While the elusive white truffles are mainly found in Northern and Central Italy, especially Piedmont, Tuscany and Marches, one can also find white truffles in Croatia.

·         There are also two types of Asian truffles known as the Chinese Black Truffle and the Mid-Eastern Terfez. The Chinese Black Truffle s also known as the Himalayan truffle and is found in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and the Szechwan and Yunnan provinces in China. On the other hand, the Terfez Truffle is also known as ‘black kame’ and it is found in the semi-arid regions of North Africa and Middle East, from Morocco to Iraq.

·         Though truffles are best eaten freshly shaved over pasta, risotto or even plain old scrambled eggs, there have been various iterations of the truffle-infused dessert such as a truffle panna cotta and a truffle sundae.

·         A fresh truffle can last for up to two weeks once wrapped in absorbent paper napkins. However, truffles preserved in olive oil can last up to three months.

·         Most bottled varieties of ‘truffle’ oil are merely oils to which a truffle identical flavouring agent such as 2,4-dithiapentane has been added.

·         While people have been eating truffles for almost 4,000 years, it’s value only increased after World War II as truffle groves planted in the 19th century stopped being productive due to soil saturation.

·         On an average, most truffles weigh between 100 to 150 grams a piece, but according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest truffle in the world is a 1.31 kilograms white truffle found by Giancarlo Zigante of Pototoska in 1999 near Buje in Croatia.

·         Probably India’s most expensive truffle-infused dish is the Tagliatelle with Fresh Truffles that’s available at No Vacancy restaurant and bar in Mumbai for Rs 4,450 plus taxes per serving.

(A shorter, differently edited version of this article appeared in the 19th August 2017 issue of the Mint Lounge newspaper, India http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/5RXPNbJuL1IJd2v1x9ARsI/Truffle-hunt-Foraging-for-black-gold.html)

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Black Summer Truffles

By Raul Dias

The enchanted realm that the elusive and expensive black summer truffle inhabits is one that is filled with all the things I am obsessed with. Gamboling through the woods on a nippy morning. Canine company. And that unmatched feeling of serendipity deliciously lurking somewhere near…
So, spurred on by the Scandinavia-driven foraging craze that has ensnared the culinary world, on my recent summer holiday to Italy I donned my hiking boots and set off on a black summer truffle hunt in the fog-saturated hills of Bagno a Ripoli, a little south of Florence. I had signed up for an Airbnb Trips’ immersive truffle hunting experience, guided by one of Italy’s best truffle hunters Giulio Benuzzi and his six-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo breed of truffle sniffing dog called Eda.
Over the course of the next three hours as Eda sniffed, scratched and dug her way through an impressive find of five knobbly black truffles that morning, I got a crash course in all things deliciously truffle or tartufi as they are called in Italian. Being the start of summer truffle hunting season in Italy, May sees the foraging for the Scorzone variety of the black truffle. The dormant spores of which prefer to anchor themselves in limestone-rich soil that this region of Italy is blessed with.
Lesson number one: dogs are the best truffle hunters and this is due to their strong olfactory senses to sniff out the buried truffle. And more so the Lagotto Romagnolo breed who are retrievers by nature. Right up to 1970, sows were used to hunt truffles because truffles apparently, when ripe, produce a chemical almost identical to a type of pheromone found in a male pig’s saliva! But as pigs love to eat truffles, and dogs not so much, the latter’s skills have come to the fore now.
The topography too is very important, as the Scorzone truffle will most often than not be found in the shade of hazelnut, chestnut, elm and poplar trees. But in this case, it was an oak tree beneath which our bounty lay. Interestingly, I also learnt that truffles can’t be farmed or cultivated in any way or form. Newly grown truffles are often found in spots where one last foraged from. This is because the new truffle spores from the previous ones.
No wonder then that a kilogram of black truffles sells for as much as Rs 573,000 at gourmet stores the world over. Thus, making the Scorzone truffle second only to the French Périgord truffle—the world’s most expensive truffle variety along with the Italian white called the Piedmont or Alba truffle. How’s that for extravagant tastes?


(This column first appeared in the 23rd July 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/black-summer-truffles/article19325638.ece)