Casina Rossa Black Truffle Sea Salt from Italy

Size: 3.5 ounces

Location: Hand made in Italy

It’s hard to believe that one of the rarest and most expensive foods in the world is located by pigs and dogs. This exceptional fungus grows 3 to 12 inches underground near the roots of trees (usually oak but also chestnut, hazel and beech), never beyond the range of the branches. The difficult-to-find truffle is routed out by animals that have been specially trained for several years. Pigs have keener noses, but dogs are less inclined to gobble up the prize.

Once the truffle is found, the farmer (trufficulteur) scrapes back the earth, being careful not to touch the truffle with his hands (which will cause the fungus to rot). If the truffle isn’t ripe, it’s carefully reburied for future harvesting. This methodically slow and labor-intensive harvesting method is what makes truffles so extremely expensive.

Truffles have been prized by gourmets for centuries and were credited by the ancient Greeks and Romans with both therapeutic and aphrodisiac powers. A truffle has a rather unappealing appearance — round and irregularly shaped with a thick, rough, wrinkled skin that varies in color from almost black to off-white.

Use a scant ¼ teaspoon per pound for seasoning poultry and meats.