Savoy Truffle
From Alan Richman’s fascinating tale of America’s own black truffle virtuoso—a man who grows them in Tennessee Hill Country—here’s a description of how the truffle dogs he uses come into the job:
Apparently, it’s not an innate love of truffles that entices the animals to hunt. She says that Italian breeders put truffle oil on the nipples of the mothers when the pups are nursing, and later they add truffle oil to their food. The dogs play with rags soaked in truffle oil, which are then buried so the dogs can dig them up. She adds, somewhat sorrowfully, “They are not natural-born truffle hunters. They are natural-born diggers in your yard.”
