HARD CORE ...Truffling

Well what can I say, what an Aaaaammmmmmaaaaaazzzzzzzing experience....
Exhausting .... but truly unforgettable and who better to take me out on my first truffle trip is my Italian best friend Doriano.

Doriano and I left early this morning with Pepe his beautiful two year old dog.
For those of you who know me, know that I'm terrified of dogs. After Doriano introduced us we were mates. Pepe was so cute and bounced around like most two year olds do.....mind you he did like to lick me most of the time .....unlike most 2 year olds I know.

So all dressed in camaflarge outfits looking more like we are heading into battle than truffling, but it seams to be the outfits of choice in dem dar hills. It's also hunting season here and I can hear the blasts of rifles in the distance so hoping that we blend into the bush enough so that we are not the gun fodder.
Doriano assures me that the hunters are after birds of flight so we "should" be OK.
Hmmmm well at least I think that is what he was trying to tell me as we translate between his little bit of English and my lot of bad Italian.

So its lots of slow words, eye contact, two bello brains trying to work out what the other is saying and with heads tilted to the side for a please explain.....
So with many, many a hand gestures by the end of the day with huge beaming smiles from ear to ear we look more like two naught little boys that have been playing in the woods and rolling in the mud all day and not truffle hunters and gathers. It's was a huge blast .... my best day in Italy .... Sadly Sandy couldn't be there to share it with us!!!

We headed down into the great unknown for me but a well explored route for  Doriano as this time of year is Autumn and in and around Piobbico its truffling season.
This was NOT for the faint hearted thats for sure ... this was hard core truffling for the white truffle ... the good stuff .... the real good stuff ... Food Gold ...

We parked Doriano's 4 wheel drive well hidden away from where we entered into the forrest so as to not alert other truffle people of his secret places. They are very protective of were they truffle and it is like secret men's business back in town to show off your stash. Apart from his son Gieseppie I'm the only other person that he has ever truffled with, how special am I?

We entered the pretty cool forrest from a lush green field and within moments we quickly dropped over a soft soil cliff face and slide and weaved our way to the white clay muddy creek far below.
Not what I was expecting but wow wow wow and more wow.
The smell of the early morning dew, the filtered sun fighting hard to put any light on the forrest floor and the smell of the earth ... hmmmm ... was unforgettable.

The smell was musky and so heavy yet so sweet and for me from such a dry climate a real treat to my nose. It's was so organic with the freshly falling autumn leaf litter covering the ground under foot and under hand as we crawl and slide our way to the creek far below at times on all fours.

Once we reach the narrow creek I look up at where we came from and wondering how we will get back??? but that's not a problem for now.

It's a narrow stream with clear cold water and in places so narrow and steep the banks make you feel like you are in a cave, with a slit of light overhead as the banks almost together to greet each other and you.
So it's one foot over the other and at times with hands out stretch touching the banks on either side of you for support as you pull your feet out to the mud. It's Oh so beautiful and I can't wipe the smile my face, if only I could get the iPad out of my back pack to take a picture but at this stage I'm just trying
to stay upright so my written words will have to do.

After some time when the banks start to ease off we scramble our way out the other side of the creek and the forrest is now turning into a blackberry scrub. This is becoming more like a severe case of boot camp than a walk in the forrest!!!!!
Back on all fours then down to tummies on the ground as we slide our way under mossy fallen trees and Dorriano looks behind at me with a huge smile and tells me we are like Marines ... hmmmm "great" but where are the truffles I'm thinking to myself. It is magic and if I was in Australia with all our wildlife NOT A CHANCE I WOULD BE DOING THIS .......

Finally back on two feet on the very steeply sloping ground I'm am upright with the aid of a stick that I found. I am so grateful for the gardening gloves (that I packed) so I can pull the brambles away as I walk. We come across our first area for Pepe to look for the illusive white truffle. Now I know why they are so expensive.....

Hmmmm don't think hiding the 4 wheel drive is so important as I don't think many other people could get here let alone know how to get out!!!!!!!

OMG ... if Dorriano was to hurt himself I would add to the decomposing smells of the forrest.