The Secret Life of Truffles

Ah, the famous truffle, valued by gourmets across the world for its delectable taste. But, how much do we know about this rather odd looking food? Where does it come from other than from inside some French kitchen?
Well, for starters-it’s a fungus, not unlike the mushrooms you have on your burger. This special fungus instead of living above ground actually lives underground. Underground you say-why would you want to live underground? First off, in an underground environment you are least susceptible to the elements such heat, wind and frost.
What is more, scientists have discovered this fungus is both depended on and depends on plants and animals in its ecosystem. First off, almost all truffles form a symbiotic relationship with the plants in its ecosystem. A network of microfibers called hyphae grow into the plants root system to form a shared organ called an ectomycorrhiza-(remember this word; it might come up in a spelling test down the road).
This shared organ enables the 2 participants to share resources. The truffle provides nutrients that the plant cannot otherwise get on its own and water, while the truffle gets a variety of sugars-a result of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is very difficult to do when you are underground for almost all of your life cycle.
However, it doesn’t stop there. When you are underground, you have one problem that the mushrooms above ground don’t have which is propagating your seeds. You see, mushrooms can just release spores into the air and let the wind spread it.
In contrast, a truffle does not have the wind available underground. So, the truffle does something rather unique. To spread its spores, it’s reliant on animals to transport its seeds. The truffle produces a rather aromatic smell to attract various animals to dig it up and consume its yummy fruit which is embedded with many thousands of spores.
These spores are resistant to digestion and gets carried with the animal to be eventually deposited in a location elsewhere, such as in a toilet in a L. A. Eatery. So, the next time you are chowing down on some truffles, think about how you are part of the truffle’s ecosystem. Bon appetit.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-hidden-life-of-truffles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truffle_(fungus)