Tuscan Truffles: San Miniato
San Miniato is a splendid Medieval town set in the heart of Tuscany between Florence and Pisa and is one of the most productive truffle areas in Europe. The white truffle, native here, with its pale ochre colour, is one of the most valued types.
Truffles are hunted for just three months – October, November and December – and they are not easy to find. Dogs are used to help sniff out this delicacy and then very carefully the truffle is dug out and the hole refilled to encourage further truffle growth.
For over thirty years, during the last three weeks of November, the Mostra Mercato Nazionale del Tartufo Bianco di San Miniato (the San Miniato National White Truffle Market), transforms this lovely town into an internationally recognized gastronomic festival. This unique, open-air tasting event also hosts many cultural events in the historical Piazza del Duomo. Tuscany is home to other smaller truffle fairs, for example the Corazzano Festival and the Balconevisi Festival. The latter is usually held on the 3rd weekend of October, together with the Truffle and Mushroom Fair (Sagra del Tartufo e del Fungo).
Not to be forgotten is Volterra. This famous town of Etruscan art, hosts a truffle fair between the last weekend of October and the first weekend of November.
In March, Cigoli dedicates a fair to the less prestigous white-truffle called the early Marzuolo.
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