Marzuolo or Bianchetto Truffle
The bianchetto or marzuolo truffle (scientific name: Tuber Borchii Vitt.) is a variety of truffle that differs from the prized white truffle for its intense aroma and its strong, penetrating flavor, which tends to be spicy and, even more than the prized white truffle, recalls the scent of garlic.
This variety is often found in symbiosis with plants such as pine, cedar, downy oak, and hazelnut, but it is also not uncommon to find it in symbiosis with truffle trees such as stone pine and maritime pine. This type of truffle is very versatile and prefers a variety of habitats, as well as different soils (sometimes very dry); it can be found in both flat and hilly areas, and sometimes even at altitudes exceeding 1,000 meters above sea level.
The Marzuolo truffle is widespread throughout Italy: harvested in regions ranging from Emilia Romagna to Marche and Abruzzo, from Umbria to Lazio; but the Bianchetto truffle is also very popular in Campania, Molise, Basilicata, Puglia, and, above all, Tuscany. Indeed, festivals featuring it are not uncommon in this area, such as the Marzuolo truffle festival in Cigoli (San Miniato) or the one in Certaldo.
