Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611

  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Underground Kingdom: A Journey Through the Myth, Market, and Mystery of the French Black Truffle

The Underground Kingdom: A Journey Through the Myth, Market, and Mystery of the French Black Truffle

Peridore, Stephen

Paperback

Food WritingFrench History

ISBN13: 9798184668451
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Jun 28 2026
Pages: 210
Weight: 0.63
Height: 0.44 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Fungal Golems explores the secret history and biological complexity of the Périgord black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), a subterranean fungus that has captivated humanity for two millennia. The narrative traces the truffle's journey from the 'lightning myths' of ancient Rome and the religious bans of the medieval Church to the 19th-century Golden Age of French trufficulture. The manuscript argues that the truffle is more 'mood than food, ' acting as an edible perfume that bypasses the rational mind to trigger deep-seated memories and emotions. However, this 'black diamond' is currently under threat from the dual pressures of climate change and sophisticated international fraud, specifically the influx of scent-absorbed Chinese truffles. By blending rigorous mycology with culinary philosophy and cultural ethnography, the book provides a roadmap for restoring the ecological conditions of the past. It offers readers practical expertise on how to hunt with animals, read the landscape for 'brûlés, ' and master the techniques of 'cuisine aromatique' to preserve the volatile soul of the world's most expensive food.

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