THE COMPANY
“We like to think to our company as a neverending young one, who, with an intellectual curiosity works every day to update it without forget its roots. T&C was born from dedication, energy and commitment to our principle mission: truffle.”
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“No doubt our company is a family run company which thanks to a strong team and to our modern technologies, during the last decades, it has improved and diversified the offer. Today T&C is a competitive and modern company, which exports our truffle based products all over the world.
Lidia and Lorenza are the real protagonists of this new phase of the company founded by their father Ulderico. They were born and growned up between the production department and the offices, they follow the complete chain from the truffle hunting, to production and to the sale of the fresh truffle.
A feminine run company, who manages an ancient and modern product “the truffle” that is luxurious but not for happy few, on the contrary, really very affordable when it becomes T&C truffle based products .
Today these two entrepreneurs run the company T&C in Italy and abroad. They know the row material that is transformed to offer good and quality products and therefore highly digestible to the market all year around.”
Ulderico
The company was born approximately 30 years ago in Acqualagna, a little village surrounded by un uncontaminated countryside of the Appennini mountains in Marche region at the center of Italy.
Everything comes up from the curiosity of Ulderico Marchetti who, when he was a kid, was used to observe the truffle hunters going inside the wood together with their dogs. His memories became a job and a company, he run the company with passion, dedication and an accurate choice of row material. The philosophy of the company joins tradition with innovation, offering during all the year, the highest level of products, thanks to technology of new machinery. Ulderico has transmitted his love for this job to his two daughters, Lidia and Lorenza, who go on meticulously with the company taking care of any aspects.
Lorenza
Lorenza is the brand ambassador of the company, she manages with passion, precision and attention the row material quality of fresh truffle and sells t all over the world. Her job needs big attention on choices and details during the chain, from the the purchase, the selection and the selling of fresh truffle. The passing of baton of his father to her on fresh truffle activity, brings Lorenza to the highest level of professionality.
Lidia
Lidia is Communication, Safety and Enviroment Manager. She is in charge of website management, worker safety and Certifications subject. She is passionated with communication tyed with the company brands, labels and sustainable packaging.
Lidia is also involved in marketing relationship with distributors about merchandising and staff training.
TERRITORY
Our truffle: from local to glocal, organic and green.
Among oaks, holms and hazelnuts woods , on the slopes of the Nerone mountain, our truffles are born.
T&C was born in Acqualagna, in Marche region, (in the center of Italy) where our company is based in the hearth of Appennini mountain: surrounded by a magnificent environment, the ground and the climate are the best to facilitate the growing of truffle. Truffle grow in this incontaminated area and it is famous all over the world for centuries.
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Marche region has the variety from the point of view of the territory and the culture, and also the seasonalilty.
The special position of the production area, so near to the seaside, to the mountains and to the hillside tells an history of quality and uniqueness.
That’s the reason why it is different and unique.
Recently it has been nominated as the second best area in the world.
TRUFFLE HUNTING
First of all truffle hunting is a fascinating and suggestive activity through which our truffle hunters live in contact with nature.
Truffle hunting means constancy, determination and passion and, last but not least, a huge mastery of techniques.
It is also essential the knowledge of the hunting areas and a faithful dog trained for hunting this precious treasure of the earth.
THE CERTIFICATIONS
SUSTAINABILITY
We are conscious about the impact that our company T&C truffles can have on the planet .
Day by day we are committed to achieving concrete actions to guarantee a decent future to next generation, according to sustainable development.
September 2015, 193 different countries members of UN , have undersigned the 2030 agenda for a sustainable development , a call to action for people , planet and prosperity .
This action contains 17 goals for a sustainable development -SDG-inside a wider program to indicate the way to go and reach the SDGs by 2030.
Within this global frame, T&C is committed to finding the right solutions to answer the planet challenges: poverty, climatic changes, degradation of the environment and sanitary crisis.
Going deeper, the SDG N°15 in 2030 Agenda, point out the eco systems protection and restoration and also invites everybody to a forest sustainable use, to stop earth desertification, territory degradation saving bio diversity.
In this sense, truffle cultivation has an high content of sustainability activity to protect environment: truffle must be protected, areas dedicated to truffle must be left to rest and not exploited for long.
Truffle is a spontaneous gift by the earth, with no need of pesticides, fertilizers or artificial irrigation.
Truffle grounds artificially created by the Man have typical and same aspects you can find inside spontaneous eco system truffle grounds, eg: long lasting gestation time, low harvest expectation. They start from planting trees that help the symbiotic exchange of microspore between truffle and tree roots, following a natural law without any human intervention.
Truffle only grows in protected, healthy and uncontaminated ecosystems.
Environmental sustainability contains all the activities that let the earth to regenerate itself and at the same time, to limit the impact of companies and human activities made on the earth. Respecting the time of nature is what the truffle needs to born, grow, found and collected by man.
T&C truffles company, both on the wood and inside the company, always tries to move itself respecting nature, we are committed to answering this international challenge:satisfy needs of present generation without compromising the realization of the future generation ones.
What do we do to work in a sustainable way?
- reusing of waste from different production processus e.g. :water we use in semifinished-products (the sterilized in brine truffle)is reused to produce “truffle juice” after having added salt , flavors and a second sterilization
- using of the least possibly amount of energy to reach the goal:T&C is studying a new process based on digital technologies through a very complicated software about collecting and managing data .This activity will lead to reduce the cooking time and accelerate the cooling phase .in this way , T&C manages to optimize energetic sources, decreasing dramatically consumption.
- minimal using of natural sources to combat deforestation of the earth: T&C packaging and label are made with FSC certified paper
- using renewable energy:T&C will install photovoltaic panels in his new production factory, all the new plant respects all the sustainability rules.
FAQ
What is truffle?
The truffle is a hypogeum mushroom that grows and matures at about twenty-thirty centimeters under the ground near some species of trees (holm-oaks, hazels, oaks) and in natural and particularly healthy habitats. In order to grow, the truffle needs specific friendly plants with which it establishes a close, special relationship, a symbiosis that, thanks to the exchange of spores between the plant and the truffle, allows the development of the precious tuber.
Where does the truffle grow?
In Italy, the truffle can be found in the Marches, in Tuscany, in Emilia-Romagna, in Umbria and along the Apennine ridge with completely different truffle species and market quotations. The surrounding environment must be very healthy, calcareous, without water stagnation and ventilated. The truffle has a very slow growth and it can take years before it can be collected.
How do you find truffles? What is needed to search and find truffles?
Searching for and collecting truffles requires a certain amount of experience on the part of the truffle hunter, who knows the different qualities of truffles and dedicates time and resources to searching for them in the areas where they grow. It is necessary to have a license issued by the local authorities. Since the end of 2021, truffle hunting and gathering has been included in the list of intangible heritage activities of UNESCO.
When do you look for truffles?
There is a national calendar that according to the maturation of the various species must be followed in Italy and differs between the various regions. The two most prized ones, the white and the black grow and are gathered mainly in autumn and winter.
How is it preserved in cooking?
Fresh truffle is a perishable product, it should be wrapped in kitchen paper and/or put in a glass or plastic jar and put in the refrigerator. The white truffle can be kept up to 5/7 days as it is more perishable, while the black truffle can be kept even 7/10 days from when it was purchased. The important thing is that it is still hard and well preserved.
Are there different types of truffles? What are the differences?
There are more than 100 qualities, but in reality there are about 9 edible ones. The differences are visible externally, the peridium (external part), changes in color and shape, as well as the inside, called gleba, varies according to the quality and consequently the taste, flavor and aroma change. Prices can vary enormously. The law of supply and demand determines the price of white truffles, the rarest, even daily.
Which are the most important and known truffles?
In Italy 4 types of truffles are mostly sold: White Truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico), Black Truffle (Tuber Melanosporum), Bianchetto Truffle (Tuber Borchii Vitt.) and Summer Truffle (Tuber aestivum Vitt.).
The white truffle is the most prized and sought after species due to its intense aroma. It is very rare and, due to dry weather conditions, can reach very high prices, up to 4/6 thousand euros per kg. It can be found above all in Marche, and in Piedmont.
Its harvesting period goes from September/October until December. It is recommended to slice it in thin slices and always raw on the plate.
The prized black truffle is well known in France as Perigord, in Italy it is found especially in Umbria with the denomination Nero di Norcia or Nero pregiato. The harvesting period goes from December to February.
Bianchetto or marzuolo truffle can be found in different Italian regions, it has a lower cost than white truffle and harvesting period is from February to April. It differs from the white truffle for its very strong garlic smell and for its greyish coloration. The summer truffle, whose harvesting starts in June and lasts until August, is quite delicate in taste and it is advisable to use it in two ways, as for all black truffles: lightly cooked and sliced raw during the serving. For its characteristics and its price it is among the most used truffles for preserved truffle products.
What are truffle grounds?
The definition: natural truffle ground indicates a land where there is the spontaneous presence of truffles, and the collection is free if you have a license. The cultivated truffle ground is a private property where new mycorrhized plants have been planted under the roots of which the truffle can grow, and is therefore called cultivated truffle. This process is very long and the result, despite the right natural habitat, is difficult to achieve.
Which is the most expensive truffle?
Usually the most expensive is the white truffle Tuber Magnatum, because it is the rarest to find.
How is the truffle used in cooking?
The use of fresh truffle is very simple. It also depends on the different qualities. The white truffle is always used raw, cut into thin slices with the appropriate truffle slicer. Black truffle Tuber Melanosporum is to be used cooked and sliced raw, as well as summer truffle.
What are preserved truffles?
Given the lack of availability of the truffle in all seasons and its perishability, have been created over time by companies, truffle-based products to be enjoyed all year round products of high quality to be combined with fresh truffle or even replace it. The truffle in brine, the truffle carpaccio in oil, the creams in purity that have percentages of truffle up to 70%, the truffle sauces ready to use easy to use as well as creams, condiments such as truffle oils and butter, up to almonds and truffle honey. These products allow consumers and restaurants to bring to the table truffle dishes throughout the year at prices absolutely affordable and democratic.
How are ready to use sauces?
The “ready to use” truffle sauces are easy to use in the kitchen, you just need to heat them for a few minutes, or after diluting them with vegetable or meat broth, or combined with fresh truffles or other types of preserved truffle products such as slices in oil. Creams in the preparation phase are mixed with oil and therefore they retain aromas very well, it is necessary not to heat them and cook them too much in order to avoid the dispersion of truffle’s aroma. Suggested doses are 1 tablespoon per person (20/30gr for creams 10/15 g.) Once the sauce is used and put in the refrigerator covered with olive oil, it will keep open for a maximum of 30 days.
What are the most appreciated dishes with truffle?
Generally very simple dishes of the Italian culinary tradition, such as fried eggs, an omelette or an omelette are very appreciated by true truffle lovers. Risotto and tagliatella are the most appreciated first courses, as well as roasted white meat with flakes in oil and truffle sauce. White pizza and focaccia are very tasty and gourmet with truffle sauce. The new fusion cuisine sees everything sushi well paired with truffles.
What are the most popular national events where you can buy truffles? During the year where can you buy them?
There are several fairs and local events related to truffles in Italy in the regions where the truffle is present. The most important are those of Acqualagna in the Marche and Alba in Piedmont linked to the white truffle period from the end of October to the end of November. During the year, companies that produce preserved truffles, such as T&C in Acqualagna, sell the fresh truffle to restaurants and high-end retail outlets specializing in food.
Where can a retail store, caterer or company buy T&C truffle products? Where can we find T&C truffle products if we are a retail store? (shop/company) If we are catering ? (shop/company) If we are an industry (company are customized according to the needs)
If you are a Retailer / Catering / Industry contact us at info@truffle.it
If you want to buy our products, there is the T&C online shop www.tectartufi.it: available of the end customer, T&C is always available for any requests by telephone or by mail. The industry sector has a research and development office at its disposal for semi-finished truffle products designed according to specific needs.
