Health and Fitness

Black Truffle Salt Not Just For Valentine’s Day

Black truffle is actually the underground reproductive body of black ascomycete fungi, primarily one of the numerous species of this genus Tuber. Among these fungi, Geocarpus has a longer history. In fact, it was considered a kind of fungi in the Ascomycota phylum or "earth-loving" fungi. This family includes such famous members as goldenseal and spider mites.

It has been known that Tuber did not possess any seeds, so it was not considered a true mushroom. In fact, there are several species of Tuber with a single cell intact. Only the outer layer of this single-cell layer is colored, while the inside is an earthy brown color. Thus, the term black truffle sea salt refers to the outer layer only. The brown coloring is due to the fact that the earthy brown is mixed with melanase, which darkens and gives colors to the cells of the fungi. While there is a debate over how long ago this salt was discovered, some experts place the age between 1860 and 1870, while others think it was well known in Europe since ancient times.

What kind of people could have used black truffle salt? One of the most probable individuals is the Medieval Duke of Sicily, who was known for his great taste in food. He constantly sought out new cuisines and enjoyed trying new dishes, including those that were rich in spices, hence the name of this dish.

Another story suggests that it was during the Later Middle Ages when black truffle salt first came into use. Some legend says that during this period, a lady lost her ring on a desert island and so she demanded that whoever finds the ring must cure her of agoraphobia (fear of being lost). This ring was supposedly found by sea voyagers and given to the woman who was suffering from agoraphobia, which according to one story, made her realize that she really loved her husband, thus curing her of her fear.

Another account of how black truffle salt came to be popular is also associated with the famous pirate Captain William Cook in the late seventeen hundreds. Among his favorite dishes were truffles. It is also said that he purchased huge bags of sea salt from France in order to have enough salt on hand for his various journeys. Although this seems unlikely, because sea salt and black truffle salt are not commonly found together, it cannot be ruled out that at least some amount of sea salt was used for flavorsome dishes.

In 1791, after years of traveling to Paris, France, William Cook came back to his beloved country. Here he opened an exotic store in the Hotel de Crillon, where, according to one story, truffle salt was first sold. Many people who tasted black summer truffles from this shop became hooked and began buying them for themselves. Soon, the popularity of truffle salt spread to countries all over Europe, including America, and today there are many restaurants in various cities across the world that serve delicious black truffle salt.

There are many varieties of truffles available on the market today. Truffle connoisseurs can distinguish the subtle flavors of these little treasures by sniffing or tasting the fluid. Some of these salts have very slight aromas and others have very strong scents. Some of these truffles are made with real vanilla, while others are made from fake "vanilla" and other synthetic chemicals. However they are made, almost all of them are highly flavored and sweet.

If you taste any black truffle salt, you will undoubtedly notice the exquisite aroma that comes from it. This aroma has a distinctly French flavor, it is buttery and musky. This buttery aroma is not the only thing that gives the salt its unique appeal, though. The texture of these truffles tends to be somewhat dense, it's also not a smooth and soft powder, but rather a textured hay-like substance. It can have a somewhat bitter taste when it is fully aged, but the flavor of this salty confection is beyond compare.