TRUFFLES

What are truffles?
Truffles are tubers. There are several varieties — mainly white and black — that change based on the season. White truffles are typically harvested from the end of September to the beginning of January, while black truffles vary in season depending on the specific variety.

Where do they grow?
Revered as rare culinary gold, truffles cannot be planted or tamed. They only grow underground in wild forests a few months each year. The tubers are only found in areas with a certain terroir, typically moist with warmer days and cooler nights. For this reason, northern and central Italy are known for a wealth of truffles.

How do you eat them?
As we said, the truffle is a type of fungus; however, don’t confuse it with the mushrooms that you can fry, boil, or bake. The cooking process destroys the truffle’s characteristic flavor and aroma that render it a delicacy. Our chefs love to shave fresh truffle over pasta, risotto, or even egg dishes for an elegant twist.

However, when fresh truffles aren’t in season, we turn to year-round pantry products, such as truffle butters, salts, and sauces. Select Italian producers have mastered the art of preserving the truffle.

How do they taste?
The earthy flavors — even aromas — of truffles are renowned across the world. White winter truffles are especially prized for the pungent flavors with notes of shallot.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAGIC TRUFFLES AND MAGIC MUSHROOMS?
Magic mushrooms and magic truffles of course look different from the outside but what are other differences? Find out how magic truffles differ from magic mushrooms.

What’s The Difference Between Magic Truffles And Magic Mushrooms?

While some fundamental differences may exist, magic truffles and magic mushrooms are very similar. This is because both of them contain the same psychoactive compounds responsible for inducing a psychedelic and euphoric high.

Let’s cut to the chase: apart from the visual appearance, there are no major differences between magic mushrooms and magic truffles. The so-called truffles are, in fact, not really truffles at all, as those belong to the genus Tuber. They are sclerotia that grow under the ground; Magic truffles are essentially the subterranean part of a mushroom, ready to be utilised as food reserves by the rest of the organism. However, when it comes to getting high, truffles are just as potent and intense as mushrooms.

PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES
Physical Differences Magic Truffles And Magic Mushrooms
The differences between magic mushrooms and truffles begin at the growth stage. Each must be harvested differently since they grow in different places. Mushrooms can be harvested by hand, for example if you grown your own with a grow kit, as they grow above the ground. Truffles, however, must first be dug up since they grow beneath the ground, adjacent to the mushrooms. Truffles have a lower water content, so they are a little easier to dry. However, for the most part, truffles and mushrooms are both dried and stored in the exact same way.

Once the truffles are harvested and dried, the biggest difference between them and mushrooms is their shape and size. Whereas mushrooms can grow to various sizes, truffles retain a small, condensed shape. As they are further dried, they tend to shrivel up even more.

Mushrooms and truffles significantly differ in their moisture content. Truffles have a meagre moisture level of between 5–10%. This makes them much quicker to dry. Additionally, this is why truffles have a hard and rugged feel to them, whereas mushrooms tend to be more soft and flexible, even after drying.

You may find that using a specialised truffle grinder will help you to better manage the size and shape of your truffles. These grinders can break truffles up into easy-to-swallow bits, making consumption a more simple affair.
NON-PSYCHEDELIC TRUFFLES
Not all truffles are psychedelic. Of the hundreds of species of fungi that produce truffles, fewer than a dozen also have psychedelic properties. Magic truffles are only magic because they contain the psychoactive molecules psilocybin and psilocin.

Some non-psychoactive truffles are a culinary delicacy: but the few species that are actually tasty are also very hard to farm, and have to be searched for in the wild. Often pigs or dogs are used to sniff them out, and a large truffle can sell for thousands of dollars.

Psychedelic truffles are easier to grow and harvest than culinary truffles. Unlike culinary truffles, which are delicate and require very specific environmental conditions to grow, psychedelic truffles can be farmed and harvested in artificial environments.

PSYCHOACTIVE TRUFFLES
Several species of truffles are psychoactive. That is, they contain the psychoactive molecule psilocybin. These psychoactive truffles are known as magic truffles, or psychedelic truffles. The known species of psychoactive truffles include Psilocybe tampanensis, Psilocybe mexicana, Psilocybe atlantis and Psilocybe galindoii.

ARE MAGIC TRUFFLES LEGAL?
In the Netherlands, magic mushrooms have been illegal since 2007. However, the government only outlawed the mature mushroom stage of psychedelic fungi, meaning that truffles containing psilocybin are still legal to buy and consume.

Since then, fresh and dried magic truffles have been sold in head shops across the country. Truffles are especially popular in Amsterdam, and a number of legal psychedelic retreats near the city (including Synthesis) have adopted these truffles as the substance of choice for transformational experiences.