Tuber aestivum 2–8 cm (1–3 in) across, it should be looked for in chalk beech woods, usually just under the surface but sometimes half exposed, in late summer or autumn.
Mrs Beeton has this to say in her Book of Household Management, 1861. ‘When the peasantry go to gather truffles, they take a pig with them to scent out the spot where they grow. When that is found, the pig turns up the surface with the snout, and the men then dig until they find the truffles. Good truffles are easily distinguished by their agreeable perfume; they should be light in proportion to their size, and elastic when pressed by the finger. To have them in perfection, they should be quite fresh as their aroma is considerably diminished by any conserving process.’
