Sniffer dog identifies black truffle
The Mirandês Plateau – specifically in the regions between the municipalities of Vimioso and Miranda do Douro – has a natural appetite for the appearance of black winter truffles, the fungus with the greatest known gastronomic value.
To February two “black diamonds” recently arrived in Portugal, after the discovery of .
The discovery was made by a 12-year-old boy, when he was walking with his father in the countryside, in Alenquer.
Now, it has been discovered new truffle paradise winter black (Tuber melanospores), but to the north.
O Mirandese Plateau currently has a natural appetite for the appearance of Tuber melanospores – the fungus with the greatest known gastronomic value.
“In the Planalto Mirandês region, between the municipalities of Vimioso and Miranda do Dourothere is a limestone area, suitable for the development of winter truffles, (…) given the characteristics of the subsoil, as is the case in the Santo Adrião mining area”, he told Lusa Manuel Moredopresident of the mycological association (which studies fungi) “A Pantorra”.
According to the mycologist, there have already been experiments in prospecting for truffles in the district of Bragança, using a Spanish specialist, who brought dogs trained to sniff out areas with potential for black truffles.
“This fungus is buried underground at varying depths until about 20 centimeters and the dog detected it and some truffles were found in small areas. In the case of the municipalities of Vimioso and Miranda do Douro, the area is very large and this fungus could appear given the characteristics of the subsoil”, he indicated.
Truffles are available in calcareous soils and need humidity.They can also be clayey soils and where there are conditions for rainfall e shading of another type of vegetation.
According to Manuel Moredo, the ideal period to find black truffles is between November and Marchwhere these fungi could fetch several thousand euros: “This is the period when black truffles, also known as winter truffles, are in a position to be harvested”, he said.
In addition to being a delicacy used in gastronomy, it also has properties medicinal for being anti-inflammatorypromote the body’s well-being and stimulate the immune system.
Lack of legislation to end “anarchy”
Despite the economic value and all the gastronomic or medicinal potential of wild mushrooms, There is still no legislation regulating the sectorin Portugal, and this “legal void” does not allow the “certification” of the most varied species so that they become an economic added value.
“For more than 25 years, the association A Pantorra, based in Mogadouro, has been fighting for a code of conduct for the harvesting of wild mushrooms. There has to be legislation that puts an end to the anarchy that has beenand there is, in terms of harvesting these unique fungi”, reiterated Manuel Moredo.
Pantorra has already identified more than a thousand species of wild mushrooms in the Northeast of Trás-os-Montes over the last 24 years.
“It is impossible to identify all species of mushrooms. The last one we built was three years ago, in the Fornos de Algodres area, in the Guarda district. But there are millions of species spread throughout the world”, highlighted this specialist in wild mycology.
This time of year marshes, forests, chestnut trees and pine forestsideal places for harvesting, and are explored inch by inch at this time of year by wild mushroom collectors, some of whom do it for pleasure and others because they found this activity a form of sustenance.
Sanchas or setas, boletes, repolgas, cow’s tongues, friars or miscaros are, among other species at this time of year, some of the most sought after fungi by connoisseurs and collectors in the Northern Interior region.
The prices of the most varied species of fresh wild mushrooms may vary between R$ 12 per kilo in the case of bills and four euros in the case of pine arrows.
Manuel Moredo, also added that it is a good season for mushroom harvesting, because there is heat and humidity At this time of year, conditions are considered good for harvesting edible fungi.
