Truffle hunting with tasting among the woods of Monferrato

Put away your magnifying glass: here, the detective has four legs and an unerring sense of smell!

Join a truffle hunt in Lu and Cuccaro Monferrato, in Piedmont: you’ll accompany a truffle hunter and his friendly dogs in search of the ‘gold of the woods’.

And, after the hunt, a sumptuous tasting featuring local produce will be the even more coveted treasure!

What we will do

We’ll meet at 9. 00 am at the meeting point in Lu and Cuccaro Monferrato (AL). Waiting for us there will be the truffle hunter ( or the truffle-hunting team! ) and their dogs, who will accompany us on this adventure!

After the usual introductions, we’ll get into our vehicles and drive to Cuccaro in just a few minutes. Once we’ve left the cars behind, we’ll head into the woods to begin the hunt, following the exceptional sense of smell of the ‘tabui’, as truffle-hunting dogs are known in these parts.

During the walk, the guide will give us a brief introduction to this ancient craft: from the tools used to the rules governing truffle harvesting. Our role won’t be that of mere observers; we’ll be able to take an active part in the hunt. When the dogs uncover the treasure, we’ll be able to try extracting the truffle from the ground with our own hands. Every hunt is authentic, and what we find depends on a bit of luck: we might come across white truffles, prized black truffles or autumn black truffles.

Once the hunt is over – which will last around 2 hours – we’ll return to base to relax and enjoy a tasting featuring local produce, with truffles and mushrooms taking centre stage. The menu (subject to seasonal variations) includes:

• Starters: savoury profiteroles filled with robiola, Parmesan and truffle cream; small polenta taragna florets with sautéed porcini mushrooms; warm crostini with truffle butter and anchovies.
• First courses: ravioli with Castelmagno cheese, ricotta and truffle, or ravioli stuffed with sautéed mushrooms and sausage, or potato gnocchi stuffed with truffle cream (depending on daily availability) .
• Main courses: breaded and deep-fried mushrooms.
• Dessert: truffle chocolates or panna cotta with truffle honey or saffron honey.
• Water and wine.

The tasting will finish at around 4. 00 pm, with the event lasting a total of approximately 7 hours.

Who it is aimed at

This experience is suitable for everyone, with no age restrictions. Children aged 0 to 5 take part free of charge, whilst there is a reduced fee for those aged 6 to 10 (if they have a meal) . Children under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

The woodland trail is not suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs or people with mobility difficulties.

Other information

The experience runs from 1 October to 31 January and is confirmed once the minimum number of 2 participants has been reached.

We cannot guarantee options for people with food allergies, as it is impossible to completely rule out cross-contamination: please contact the guide using the contact details provided in your booking confirmation email to let them know of any specific requirements.

For those who wish to do so, it will be possible to purchase the truffles found during the hunt on site at the standard market price.

Dogs are not permitted.

The meeting point cannot be reached by public transport; you must have your own car to follow the guide from the meeting point to the location where the truffle hunt takes place.

Recommended clothing

• Hiking boots with non-slip soles or rubber boots
• Long trousers
• Season-appropriate clothing