Tuber brumale, the Latin name, is the one often used in commerce and the only one I know to be correct. Possible common names mentioned in French and Italian texts are black Piedmont truffle, Vaucluse truffle, and violet truffle, but I have not been able to confirm the accuracy of these. The only American market listings I’ve seen are “black truffle” and “black winter truffle”, which are very ambiguous, given that T. brumale shows up in season with the black truffle, T. melanosporum. Spain, France, and Italy have T. brumale in abundance, but it is generally canned or otherwise processed before it arrives in the United States. Judging from just a few fresh samples, I would like more. Although T. brumale is smaller and looser in texture than T. melanosporum, and covered with a black crust, the aroma is similar—if sharper, more woody. The very solid, smooth, and concentrated flesh is grayish, with fine white veins.
