Truffle salt is a special kind of salt that contains a lot of the same ingredients as the delicious, aromatic truffles that are produced in France. This salt has been used for several years in Europe for seasoning food and as a decorative item. It is also commonly used as a substitute for real truffles, although the real thing is usually much pricier than the generic variety. So, how can you prepare for this special salt?
First of all, it's important to understand what a truffle fungus actually is: an aspergillus. An aspergillus fungus is a single-celled organism that lives both inside and outside of a plant or animal. They are typically green in color and grow on the surface of leaves and mushrooms. They thrive in damp, dark places, including dark, shady areas. The name "truffle" is actually derived from the Greek word "tricieus", which means "moss".
In order for an aspergillus to produce a black or brown truffle, they have to feed on another type of fungus called a mycelium. Mycelium is a network of cells that grow together to form a "root". This route then releases a type of resin that helps the fungi grow and reproduce, and allows them to travel through the plant. The longer the mycelium travels through the plant, the darker the truffles will be.
Now, most of us probably know what an aspergillus fungus looks like, but we've never actually seen them. They're not a particularly large group of organisms about the size of a pinhead and they tend to live inside of soil, decaying organic matter, decaying plants and roots, or decaying animal matter. If you take a large pinch of black truffle sea salt and spread it out on a piece of paper, you'll notice that the seeds that are inside the seed powder are transparent, or nearly transparent.
When the black truffles are growing inside of the truffle salt, they are actually covered in a protective coating of mycelium the protective coating that keeps the truffle fungi from growing and reproducing. Mycelium is generally found on the exterior of black truffles and on their edges. The outer layer of mycelium also provides a natural barrier that helps protect the seeds from the elements, including rain, moisture, temperature, light, and temperature. This natural barrier also gives the salt substance a very rich and flavorful taste.
Although the black truffles are eaten fresh, they can also be prepared in a number of different ways. Some people serve them raw with some olive oil, salt, and a little water, while others add some fresh herbs and seasonings to the paste.
One of the more traditional ways of preparing truffle salt is to mix it with some lemon juice and a little white vinegar, or, even better, to mix it with some black sesame seed extract and salt. This mixture can be spread on crackers or baked-on crackers. In any case, you will find that the best way to enjoy the delicious taste is to sprinkle a bit of it on just about anything that needs a little something to eat.
The taste of these unique, tasty salts comes from the truffling fungi themselves. While the taste is definitely unique, it doesn't taste like a regular fungus would taste it's a little more exotic, a little more unique. For this reason, many people call it "truffles," which is another way to describe the flavor.
Truffles are grown on vines that produce the mushrooms, called Aspergillus fungi. These mushrooms are native to Italy, France, and the Near East, where they were used as food for hundreds of years. As the name suggests, Aspergillus fungi reproduce by spores. When the spores land on the outside of truffle, they multiply and the truffle will turn into a truffle.
It's important to note that Aspergillus fungi don't actually have any color they appear to be gray or brown when they are growing. However, when they grow on the truffles, the outer layer of mycelium is colored. The protective coating of mycelium begins to change. In order to maintain the integrity of the protective coating, the fungi release mycelia spores into the air.
When the spores land on the surface of the truffle, the mycelia become airborne and are carried in the air, so if you leave the truffle alone and let it sit out in the sun for a day or two, the mycelium will dry out, creating black, smoky-looking areas of a silvery gray or silver color. When the fungus is exposed to the air for a period of time, it changes its color to a red, or yellow color that resembles the color of licorice. You may find that as soon as you begin to eat the truffle, the aspergillus in the truffle changes color.
