Day 1

AM: Seminar: Knowing Your Tubers

Different types of truffles grow in different areas and during different seasons. Not all are edible or palatable. You need to know which truffles grow in your area and which you want your dog to get excited about and look for. Whilst edible truffles grow throughout many territories of Europe, not all are edible or palatable.

There are 10 different types of edible truffles in Italy and growing areas different according to soil conditions, geographical locations, altitude, humidity, temperatures and, above all, seasons. During our truffle hunting excursions and dog training sessions, we will focus on the edible types including Black summer Truffles, The precious White Truffle, Fine Black Winter Truffles, and various others depending on the current season. 

Nevertheless, truffle hunting is a rewarding past-time for owner and dog and make for hours of quality time spent with your dog in beautiful and healthy surroundings. So, whether you are intending on hunting for truffles to eat or to sell, or just want to enjoy the activity as a past-time. It is a wonderfully rewarding experience for owner and dog if you know where to look and what to look for.

PM: Free time to explore local area

Day 2

Truffle Dog Training

Choosing your truffle dog puppy.

Whilst many different dog breeds are suitable, specific breeds have been preferred for centuries for their high number of olfactors, ability to dig and how they are suited as a working dog. The relationship between a truffle hunter and its dog is a special bond that grows during training and is decisive as to how successful you will be as a team.

Familiarizing your puppy with truffles

Developing your puppy’s interest for truffle hunting starts with the early feeds. Some dog trainers get puppies already used to the truffle flavour with its maternal milk, others start when puppies go onto solids. Whilst initial training is done through food and fun play, you don’t want your puppy to eat the truffles it finds or run off with it in a catch-me if you can game.

Learning essential transition techniques and reward methods as well as avoiding behavioral pitfalls, that may be difficult to iron out later.

Becoming a successful team with your dog

Once a truffle hunter, always a truffle hunter. Though with time, skills can get a little rusty and your dog can lose interest if he doesn’t keep actively engaged in truffle searches. Learn how to keep your furry buddy focused and enjoy truffle hunting as a labour of love for life.

PM: Practical Truffle Dog Excercises

Day 3

Truffle Plants and Truffle Plantations

Planting a ‘tartufaia’, requires a good understanding of the soil characteristics, irrigation, and maintenance of your plot of land. It can but can be immensely rewarding if you get it right.

With careful planning and necessary preparation work, you can grow truffles successfully in many parts of the world. Once your trees are established, at around 4 years after planting your trees, you will be able to get a good yield of seasonal truffles. The perfect time to have your truffle dog trained and rearing to go. We will help you establishing your soil properties, what you need to know to get started and source your truffles spore impregnated trees for you from local growers, who for generations have prepared suitable tree and shrub varieties to grow successful yields.

Afternoon Visit to a Tartufaia and Truffle Tree Vivao (Grower) followed by an excursion to Ascoli Piceno and Truffle Dinner in Osteria.

Day 4

Truffle Hunting

 

Morning Truffle Hunt

Knowing how to respectfully truffle hunt is one of the most important rules. The symbiosis between tree and truffle is a delicate network of roots that can easily be destroyed, stopping truffles from growing in the future. Understanding the right techniques, permitted tools and knowing local regulations is key to hunting truffles sustainably. On our practical outings you will learn to not only locate truffles with the help of your dog, but also understand where to even look, and once located, how to excavate truffles properly. Not destroying the precious tuber in the excavation process and ensuring truffles will be able to continue to grow in the spot in the future, is a truffle hunter’s responsibility and future investment into his hunting ground.

The course is structured into various seminars, truffle hunting outings, visit to truffle plantations and truffle meals prepared by us, or enjoyed in local trattorias. The program may be adapted seasonally according to truffle season specific aspects and the weather.

Afternoon Truffle Cooking Class

Cooking with Truffles

Ever wondered about what to do with truffles or have you already sampled it but don’t know how to use this aromatic tuber to add a touch of class and exquisite to your culinary repertoire? In this half-day class, you will learn how to cook with this
aromatic tuber. Known as ‘the diamond of the table’, white and black seasonal truffles are native to the southern area of Le Marche and have been used as a stable ingredient in cooking since Roman times. Following an introduction to the different types of truffles, you will learn how to create a variety of locally inspired dishes from
fresh truffles and quality truffle preserves. As well as learning what to look out for when purchasing truffles or preserved truffles products, you will learn the tips of how to preserve fresh truffles for later uses, as a little goes a long way with this precious ingredient.

You will learn to prepare the following menu:

Antipasti

Crostini alla spoletina

Zuppa di patate con tartufo e crema di acciughe

or

Crema di fagioli al tartufo

Primo piatto

Risotto al tartufo

Secondo

Tournedos (Filetto alla Rossini)

vegetarian option

Polenta alla griglia con ragù di funghi e tartufo