New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-01-26

The French truff1es, however, he
says s, are decidedly superior to those of
and other country, but they vary in
favor according to locality. In the
northeast of France they are grayish in
color and nearly tasteless; further south,
in the Isere and the Gard, they have
musky taste, which is stronger in those
grown in Savoy; in Burgundy they are
smaller, dry and have a flavor of rosin;
but the Quercy or Perigord truff1e,
somewhat angular in form, firm, and
marked with yellowish streaks, is the
kind dear to Commands.
The trutfle season begins in October
and lasts about three months. Tho
French use regularly trained dogs, bar
bets being the best, which hunt the
truff1e as a pointer or setter does game.
The method of breaking them is to give
them, for a short time, pieces of truffles
every morning before they are allowed
to partake of any other food. After a
certain period, when their appetite for
truiIles increases, pieces are hidden in
the ground and they are made to find
them. Thus they are gradually taught
their business, though It often takes as
long as eighteen months before dog
becomes skilled in the practical art. A
first-rate truffle-hunting dog will bring
twenty-five or thirty dollars. In Poito1
and Perigord, pigs are trained for the
purpose and having very fine noses and
a keen appetite for the truff1es, besides
being lasted at work, prove quite az
useful as dogs.
In England the three or four regu-
lar truffle hunters that are known en-
ploy dogs, the hunter digging up the
ground with a rod or spade when the
animal begins to scratch at it eagerly.
MIR. Ralph Banks says, in letter: II
tried everywhere for three years to get
a genuine dog and when 1 did so it was
only through the kindness of friend
who lives where truffies abound, and
the truf11e hunter there had young
dog to spare. The dog is almost a poo
die and will never miss ripe truff1e
within forty yards. Sometimes in the
case of small one or pig-nut, he will
scratch and leave the place, coming
back to me with small bark for his
piece of bread, which should always be
given after finding truffle.''
In the Penny Magazine for 1883 there
is a large wood-engraving of Sussex
truffle-hunter with his two little dogs.
In the accompanying letterpress he is
described as ga celebrated trainer OF
truffle-dogs, and his method of train
ing them is given, together with much
more information on the subject. ''The
dog which is usually selected for the
purpose of training is either a poodle
or French barbet."
According to writer in the Journal
des Debats truf11es were esteemed way
back in the days of Moses, when at
Pharaonic banquets monstrous tubers
weighing thirty-six kilogrammes, and
even more were served up. The Athe-
Man epicures were acquainted with
them and a story is told of bon
viviant who manumitted a whole
family of slaves for having invented q
delicious mode of preparing them. A
favorite way was to cook them in hot
ashes with slice of bacon and moisten
them with China wine. The Romans, at
least in their latter days, were not ill.,
sensible to their astronomical charms.
They got them from Africa and classed
them as a luxury among ortolans'
tongues, peacocks' brains and Humphreys
fed on slaves and in Lucullus' days a
little dinner at villa at Baia would
not have been considered perfect with
out them in some form or other. One
way of preparing them seems to have
been to slice them like sausages, season
them with salt and pepper and cook
them in Oil or butter. Truffles are
mentioned by Juvenal, Pliny, Plutarch
and Martial.
In scarce seasons truff1es have realized
two guineas per pound and therefore
that cautious pietist, the late DR..
Edward Smith, may well say, "they
are very costly in relation to the nutri,
ment supplied" Still he has good
word for them, and admits they are
aromatic, agreeable and fashionable
food" He does not, however, add, as
might have been expected, that they are
rather difficult of digestion.