Truffle hog
Encyclopedia
The truffle hog or truffle pig is a domestic pig
used for locating and extracting a type of fungus known as truffles from temperate forest
s in Europe
and North America
. The pigs have a good sense of smell and are able to identify truffles from as low as three feet underground. It is thought that the natural sex hormones of the male pig are similar to the smell of the truffles and also pigs have a natural affinity for rooting in the earth for food. They are trained to hunt truffles by walking on a leash through suitable groves with a keeper.
, but the first well-documented use comes from Bartolomeo Platina
in the 15th century. Later references to truffle pigs include John Ray
in the 17th century.
In 1875, a truffle hog could cost up to $200 . A skilled truffler could more than make up for this investment due to the high price of truffles on the gourmet food market. Today it is common for dog
s (known as "Truffle hounds") as well as truffle hogs to be used in the gathering of truffles because hogs have been known to eat too many truffles in the field. However, traditionalists argue that the swine have more sensitive noses and their particular taste for truffles leads to a more devoted beast. It is frequent for the hog to be a family pet of the truffler.
Domestic pig
The domestic pig is a domesticated animal that traces its ancestry to the wild boar, and is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. It is likely the wild boar was domesticated as early as 13,000 BC in the Tigris River basin...
used for locating and extracting a type of fungus known as truffles from temperate forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The pigs have a good sense of smell and are able to identify truffles from as low as three feet underground. It is thought that the natural sex hormones of the male pig are similar to the smell of the truffles and also pigs have a natural affinity for rooting in the earth for food. They are trained to hunt truffles by walking on a leash through suitable groves with a keeper.
History
The use of the pig to hunt truffles is said to date back to the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, but the first well-documented use comes from Bartolomeo Platina
Bartolomeo Platina
Bartolomeo Platina, originally named Sacchi was an Italian Renaissance writer.-Biography:Platina was born at Piadena , near Cremona....
in the 15th century. Later references to truffle pigs include John Ray
John Ray
John Ray was an English naturalist, sometimes referred to as the father of English natural history. Until 1670, he wrote his name as John Wray. From then on, he used 'Ray', after "having ascertained that such had been the practice of his family before him".He published important works on botany,...
in the 17th century.
In 1875, a truffle hog could cost up to $200 . A skilled truffler could more than make up for this investment due to the high price of truffles on the gourmet food market. Today it is common for dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s (known as "Truffle hounds") as well as truffle hogs to be used in the gathering of truffles because hogs have been known to eat too many truffles in the field. However, traditionalists argue that the swine have more sensitive noses and their particular taste for truffles leads to a more devoted beast. It is frequent for the hog to be a family pet of the truffler.