Every year on the first Thursday in December, the truffle growers of the Var department in southern France post up in a circle on the small market square for the opening of the truffle season. Some sell directly from the trunks of their cars, others set up stalls in elegant black. Kitchen scales are placed, small baskets covered with a cloth stand ready. You don’t see any price tags. Who is allowed to sell here, to whom and at what price has been regulated by the syndicate for over 50 years. Aups is thus the first European truffle market to be organized and one of three places in all of France where truffles are sold directly to end consumers. More and more prospective buyers fill the marketplace. Everyone seems to be waiting for a sign. It is not until the opening speech by syndicate head Philippe de Santos that the current price per kilo for black winter truffle, Tuber Melanosporum, is announced. The price is 600 euros at the start of the season and could almost double by Christmas. From when the black winter truffle reaches its best aroma, I learn from a truffle grower behind closed doors.
Material
Our works are inspired by human encounters and always culinary discoveries. What format do you need? A newsworthy report, an entertaining reportage, a short travel tip or a picture gallery? At the international photo agency Alamy you can see all the photos of Georg Berg on the subject of truffles / start of season in Aups / truffle market / truffle search with sniffer dog / truffles in further processing / truffles in the kitchen. Clicking on one of the pictures below will take you directly to the agency picture.
Photos about truffle, black, Tuber Melanosporum
The truffle market of Aups, one of three markets in the whole of France where truffles are sold directly to final consumers. Every Thursday morning between December and March. Each week, the Truffle Syndicate sets the current price per kilo, verifies the quality of the product and the origin of the black truffles. Move the cursor over a photo and more information will appear.
Texts about truffle, black, Tuber Melanosporum
On the topic of black truffle, winter truffle, Tuber Melanosporum we offer extensive photo material and texts from a trip at the beginning of the truffle season to the region Rhone – Alpes – Cote Azur in the department Var in France. The theme can be expanded in content to include the following aspects:
- Truffle cultivation (host plant, cycle, truffle cultivation on a plantation)
- Truffle hunting with fly, dog or pig
- Culinary aspects (traditional truffle dishes, truffle processing)
- Truffle – visit to a global player on the international truffle market
The research trip was partly supported on site by the French Tourism Federation
