Il Italian truffle obtains another prestigious award: the "truffle hunting and quarrying in Italy: traditional knowledge and practices ”is now registered in the Unesco list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The official announcement of the news arrived on Thursday 16 December, with the pronouncement of the Unesco Intergovernmental Committee.
The tradition of truffle hunting and quarrying
La truffle hunting and quarrying gives life to an intangible cultural heritage, a set of knowledge and practices that truffle hunters have been handed down verbally for centuries. Interesting practice from a tourist and agro-industrial point of view, it requires a deep knowledge of the territory and the ecosystem. Not only that: the truffle hunter, in addition to knowing the territory, must also know his dog. His skills must in fact meet the olfactory abilities of the dog, skilfully trained to find "treasures". And the relationship between the two must be symbiotic. Only together can they stage that search and quarrying of the truffle now recognized by Unesco. A practice that, for centuries, has been at the center of proverbs, anecdotes and stories that unite all Italian truffle territories.
"We are thrilled with this result. Eight years of commitment have been appreciated. The path gave the opportunity to all those involved to understand the importance of safeguarding knowledge and knowledge of the tradition of Italian truffle hunters. A collective heritage, also precious for future generations, which goes far beyond the value of the product itself”Commented Michele Boscagli, president of Anct (National Association of Truffle Cities). The recognition thus brings to 15 the Italian intangible assets protected by UNESCO (from the work of Sicilian puppets to transhumance).
The importance of the truffle in Italy
There are many Italian regions where the truffle grows. These are municipalities that need to be enhanced. And that they find an opportunity for redemption in the truffle. "The truffle can help enhance inland or disadvantaged rural areas”Commented the undersecretary for agricultural, food and forestry policies, Gian Marco Centinaio. And, today, the recognition of hunting and quarrying can give a further impetus to food and wine tourism. Suffice it to say that, in Italy, the art of truffle hunting involves 73.600 truffle hunters. It goes without saying that the truffle is a good to defend and celebrate in all its practices and traditions.
Fruiting body of fungi belonging to the Tuber genus, the truffle completes its entire life cycle underground (it is therefore underground). There are several Italian truffle species, black or white. The most valuable? The black truffle (To Norcia), capable of maintaining its properties unchanged even if cooked. And then the white truffle from Alba, which is the truffle par excellence. It is the most precious, the best known, the most delicate. It is in fact very rare, as it grows only in certain environmental conditions and in precise climatic conditions. A real treasure, which the whole world envies us.
Featured photo taken from the Facebook page of the National Association of Truffle Cities
