If Venice is a city torn from the pages of a fairy tale, then Montone sets the scene for a Hollywood movie script. Montone very well could be the cutest village on the whole entire earth. Not even Spokane can beat it. ;) Nestled into a hillside near Perugia, it's easy to miss, but if you're lucky enough to stumble upon its existence, it's almost impossible to leave. Montone is that perfect.
I already mentioned the adorable boutique hotel where we had the pleasure of staying and its celebrity chef owner Giancarlo, in this post. Giancarlo's passion for his hotel's image is a direct reflection of the pride the villagers take in preserving their beloved Montone. Every front door welcomed outsiders with a potted plant or climbing vine, and lifelong friends could be seen linking arms on their evening walk.
The inlaid brick streets were bare of trash and debris but littered with friendly cats that slinked behind us as we photographed their neighborhoods. A few of them actually preferred to be in front of the camera.
One of my favorite memories from Italy is truffle hunting in Montone. Sergio, an older gentleman with a silver push broom mustache, invited our group to his home and small farm to hunt for black truffles. Sergio farms grapes and kiwis and is a trifolau, or truffle hunter, which means he also farms oak trees since black truffles grow exclusively with oak.
The secret to unearthing a truffle is easy: his name is Napo. Napo is Sergio's truffle hunting dog, trained to retrieve truffles instead of fowl or crack cocaine. In France, they use pigs to truffle hunt, but because pigs have a tendency to eat the truffles (they are pigs after all), a dog is a much wiser investment. And a truffle hunting dog truly is an investment; our guide said they could cost about $1,200 USD, and some breeders here in the United States charge $12,500 for a fully trained pooch. That seems like a high price to pay, but when one black truffle sells for $300 at market, it doesn't take long for the dog to pay for itself.
We traipsed through the oaks chasing Napo as he raced from tree to tree after the truffle scent. By the time we caught up, he was usually pawing at the ground, digging for Italian gold. It didn't hurt that Napo was rewarded with prosciutto every time he sniffed out a truffle; methinks truffle hunting is a doggie dream job.
Truffles smell exactly how one would imagine a truffle to smell--like dirt and fungus. So why anyone dared to actually eat a truffle in the first place is beyond me, but it paid off. They have a unique earthy flavor but are still tasty.
Like real hunting, we returned to Sergio's home with our limit to clean and prepare our catch. I ate more black tartufi in one meal than any normal person could afford to eat in a lifetime. Is it any surprise that truffle butter was my favorite?
be beautiful
About Me
- Nicole
- Life is not meant to be safe. It's only in our mistakes, our errors, and our faults that we grow and truly live.
If I was rewarded with prosciutto every time I sniffed out a truffle, I'm pretty sure I'd be right there with the pooch! I need to go to this place, by the way. :)