Opening of the black truffle season from Drôme des Collines

The Drôme des Collines Black Truffle season will be officially open at the end of November, just a little patience. The « tuber Mélanosporum »  unveil all its aromas and flavors on the plates of the most discerning gourmets. The truffle season only lasts a few months. Its rarity makes it one of the most popular flagship products for our holiday meals. Do not wait to discover this treasure of gastronomy from our region!

La Fabrique givrée et sa glace à la truffe

À l’ouverture de la saison de la truffe, la Fabrique Givrée, glacier fabricant, située à Tournon sur Rhône, propose une version givrée de la tuber Melanosporum , une autre façon originale de déguster la Truffe Noire.

Des adresses indispensables pour les amateurs de terroir et d’excellence.

Les fêtes de fin d’année, c’est l’occasion de se réunir en famille ou entre amis autour d’une grande tablée pour déguster les délicieux produits du terroir que le territoire Ardèche Hermitage nous offre. En attendant Noël, l’Office de Tourisme Ardèche Hermitage et ses partenaires vous gâtent : participez dès le 1 Décembre au Grand Jeu du Calendrier de l’Avent sur nos pages Facebook et Instagram.

 Glace à truffes noires de la Drôme des Collines
Truffes noire de la Drôme des Collines

The opening of the truffle season

The most secret of mushrooms needs very special conditions to unveil all of its mysteries. It is at the foot of an oak that the Black Diamond will mature. It is the truffle farmer, often accompanied by his loyal truffle dog, who will do the rest with the digging for a short period.

The Black Truffle from Drôme des Colline, also called Tuber Melanosporom, is harvested during a very specific season: 4 and a half months from the opening ceremony of the truffle season which takes place in mid-November until the end of March. It is during this time that the star of the winter season is at its peak. The Black Truffle from the Drôme des Collines must be earned, it is with patience and passion that the truffle grower will delicately seek this precious dish renowned for its great culinary values.

The opening of the Black Truffle season from Drôme des Collines will not be long, the harvest will begin. It still lacks its beautiful black color which refers to its nickname "the Black Diamond". Patience! It will be showing all of its character soon. Such a gastronomic treasure must be earned and the capricious weather of the last few months has surely had something to do with it. Each season, the land must be cultivated carefully and the irrigation monitored. It should be remembered that the first truffles rarely appear before the 10th year of planting a truffle oak. Truffles are demanding and need a lot of water: with the drought of summer, the truffle growers have pampered their crops by watering their oaks and the rain of recent days should give this culinary treasure all the benefits it needs. So, will 2020 be “a truffle year”? On the occasion of the opening of the Drôme des Collines Black Truffle season, the truffle growers seemed rather positive. What we already know is that the Black Truffle from Drôme des Colline promises to be as tasty and fragrant as ever and will complement our holiday dishes with perfection.

ouverture saison truffes
Cavage avec Bruno Chartron

La Drôme is the leading truffle producing department

The black truffle is renowned for its captivating and wild fragrance. This special mushroom needs an exceptional terroir. Each year, no less than 20 tonnes of black truffles are harvested in the Drôme, making it the leading producing department. Drôme des Collines (north Drôme) is in second place after Tricastin thanks to the famous Black Truffle from Drôme des Collines which has nothing to envy to its neighbor. The climate of Drôme des Collines is very favorable to the growth of the Black Truffle: land of sand and light molasse (sand stone), this fungus will easily form in this environment. The Black Truffle from Drôme des Collines will then reveal a beautiful roundness which makes its reputation and the difference with that of the South of Drôme.

cavage de truffes

La Truffe in Drôme des Collines

The production of the Black Truffle from the Drôme des Collines represents around 7 tonnes of truffles per year, or 1400 hectares of plantation.

The « Confrérie de la Truffe Noire de la Drôme des Collines » was founded in 2007 by truffle growers passionate about black diamonds. Its role is to promote the Black Truffle through events in France and even abroad. It is supported, for the technical side, by the Drôme des Collines truffle farmers' union. These specialists and fervent defenders of the Black Truffle of the Drôme des Collines have taken steps to obtain a protected geographical indication (IGP) to continue to promote this exceptional product. At the end of 2019, a truffle map of the Drôme des Collines has been published.

 

The Course of the Truffle

The Black Truffle from Drôme des Collines is a precious product, it is part of the gastronomic heritage of Drôme des Collines. Due to all these qualities, its price can be high. It is determined by several parameters such as the species of the truffle, the market and the volume of production. We always talk about the price of the Truffle per kilo which can give rather high sums for the consumer but remember that the Black Truffle from Drôme des Collines has intense aromas and that a few grams, 5 to 7 gr per person and per dish according to specialists, sufficient to flavor your plates. So why not let yourself be tempted by a small amount that will not detract from its taste quality and will adapt to all wallets. On the occasion of the opening of the Drôme des Collines Black Truffle season, the first seasonal truffles sold for € 60 per 100g, but the price should change over the weeks and especially during the Christmas holidays. The black truffle, Tuber Melanosporum at a price that varies approximately between 500 to 1000 euros per kg at the peak of the season. Truffle lovers will buy it during the first fifteen days of January because the price of the truffle will have fallen and the maturity of the black diamond will be at its peak.

 

Brouillade truffé de la maison Chartron

Where to taste truffles in Ardèche Hermitage region.

The Drôme is the leading truffle-producing department, a chance for chefs who have an exceptional dish in their expert hands to offer gastronomy lovers exceptional and refined dishes. The Black Truffle from Drôme des Collines will enjoy your taste buds with the great classics such as, a brouillade of truffled fresh eggs, truffled duck foie gras, but also in more sophisticated dishes which give Black Diamond all its flavors.

La Maison Chabran

La « Grande Table Michel Chabran » is one of the must-see places to taste Drôme truffles. Defender of noble and authentic products, the starred chef Michel Chabran cooks the Diamant Noir to perfection, around his great specialties such as fingerling potatoes mashed with Drôme truffles or scallops and risotto garnished with strips of truffles.

The Chartron Restaurant

Bruno Charton and now his son Mathieu have made truffles the specialty of their family restaurant. Lovers of Black Truffle from Drôme des Collines will be delighted to taste the "Black Diamond" menu, a subtle composition of whole truffles in a flaky pastry or cooked in a salt crust accompanied by a cardoon gratin with marrow. Not to mention the specialty of chef Bruno Chartron for 25 years: the potato and pork truffle pancake with truffle, a treat.

 

The Auberge du Pont du Chalon

L'Auberge du Pont du Chalon is the story of a century-old house that has seen a succession of nearly four generations over the years, offering traditional and refined cuisine. In season, enjoy the special truffle menu around this good table in a refined setting. From December 25 to January 01, celebrate the end of the year celebrations with a gourmet menu featuring the famous brouillade of truffled fresh eggs.

restaurant proposant de la truffe
restaurant proposant de la truffe

Indispensable addresses for lovers of excellent terroir.

With the end of the year celebrations arriving, it is an opportunity to share and taste the delicious local products that the Ardèche Hermitage region offers us.

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