Truffles...everywhere!



Sunday, October 3rd marked the start of the 80th Annual Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba (International Festival of the White Truffle of Alba). For those of you that don't know anything about what a truffle is, and it's not a candy, please go to the link and check out the info. It's basically a type of underground funghi that 'truffle hunters' use dogs to sniff out in the woods. My town, Alba, is obsessed with them. This festival is well-known throughout Europe and people have come here from everywhere. Every Sunday in October (and into November) there are events, markets, parades, shows, and all kinds of food. The town is packed to the brim with tourists from all over the world. It's quite crazy, but I'm loving hearing some more English speakers come to town. :) 
The first Sunday, I ventured out on my bicycle into town and, after navigating through an entire main street that was shut down due to the market, I ran straight into the Renaissance Parade. This was no ordinary parade. It was everywhere. Various parades through all the different streets in the main center of town hosted by different 'borgs'. There are 9 borgs here in Alba (which are like different neighborhoods or sections of town) and they each have their own names, traditions, colors, foods, etc. So the whole day was a competition between the borgs - who had the best costumes...who gave the best parade...who showed the most entertaining exhibition...and lastly, whose donkey won the race. That's right, at the end of the afternoon was the 'Palio degli Asini' (aka...the donkey race). It was one of the most ridiculous things I've seen the Italian people do. A bunch of men dressed as jockeys and riding these extremely slow and stubborn animals who proceed to stop and go the opposite direction, or better yet to jump over the hay bail barriers or buck their riders off. Yet, this is what the people of Alba live for each year. The winner of the Palio degli Asini is a very big deal.  

Most importantly...how to eat the truffle. I am not an expert on this yet, but I have just been informed that Sara and Luca have purchased a white truffle so I will finally get to taste this famed food. The festival does not give out any kind of free samples because they are so expensive, in fact you have to pay just to get into the certified 'truffle market' to make a purchase. One truffle, about the size of my fist, can cost several hundred euro. You do not wash the truffle and you keep in enclosed at all times in order to preserve the very pungent odor (because that's what you're paying for). After brushing it off, you use a very special truffle slicing contraption measured for just the right thickness of slice you desire. Generally the shavings are very thin and eaten over egg noodles, eggs, or raw meat also from this region. I think our big dinner is tomorrow night, so I'll let you guys know how it goes. I hear they are an acquired taste!  

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Lori
Alba, Piedmont, Italy
My life has taken some interesting turns lately, forcing me out of my comfort zone and allowing me the opportunity to follow where I think God is leading me next. I know that I'm not alone when I say that I fear the unknown, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Let's see what happens next...
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