Truffles are a product of the earth, known since ancient times and celebrated over the centuries by poets and writers. Pliny the Elder, for instance, considered it a “miracle of nature,” while Cicero called it the “child of the earth.” For a long time, truffles were found only on the tables of nobles and the wealthy. The birth of Idnology (the science that studies truffles and other subterranean fungi) is credited to the publication in 1831 of the “Monographia tuberacearum” by the Italian Vittadini, who described the majority of truffle species based on scientific criteria. Truffles are composed primarily of water and mineral salts absorbed from the soil through the roots of trees (oak, poplar, willow, black hornbeam, and linden) with which they live in symbiosis. They thrive in unique environmental conditions, where soil characteristics play a crucial role in their formation. The color, taste, and aroma of truffles are also influenced by the types of trees near which they grow.

On the right bank of the Po River, along an extensive riverine strip, lies the Mantuan Truffle Valley. This area, characterized by sandy and alluvial soils with a mild and rainy climate, stretches from Quistello to Felonica and is home to various types of truffles, including the “trifulin” mushroom. However, the most prized is undoubtedly the white truffle of Lower Mantua (Tuber Magnatum Pico), celebrated for its extraordinary aroma that enhances numerous local recipes.

The black truffle, which can grow to the size of a large apple, prefers the soil of the hilly areas of Upper Mantua. Other varieties, such as the “scorzone” (found in both summer and winter and also called hooked truffle), the “precious black truffle,” the “smooth black” (an autumn truffle), and the “marzuolo” (a spring truffle), can be found across almost the entire province. The most important truffle events in the region take place in the first week of September in Borgofranco Po and in October in Bonizzo, coinciding with the largest regional fair.