When travellers on the Way of El Cid enter the Gúdar Javalambre region (Teruel), one of the first things they notice is the number of fenced-off fields with holm oaks planted in tidy rows, which many people mistake for a site that has been reforested. In fact they are places for the cultivation of black truffles (Tuber melanosporum), an underground fungus of great culinary value that has revolutionised the local economy and much of the scenery in the region. To cultivate them, holm oaks are planted, trees that are adapted to the regional environment, whose roots have previously be treated to fix the mycelium of the fungus so that they grow together symbiotically.
The truffles are collected manually in winter making use of the strong sense of smell of trained dogs, as the truffles are buried around the tree without any evidence of their existence on the surface. Their intense aroma and flavour also attracts wild boar, so it is essential to fence the fields to avoid them ruining the harvest. Similarly, the high price reached by truffles on the market attracts poachers, so many of these fields employ sophisticated security systems.
- Access by car: the truffle fields are generally in remote places reached along rural earth tracks.
- Access for people with limited mobility: there are no infrastructures adapted for people with limited mobility.
- Legal protection: the fields do not form part of any Protected Natural Area.
- Seasonality: they can be visited at any time of the year.
- Recommendations, what to see and do: in Mora de Rubielos and other towns in the area you can buy the local truffles in shops or directly enjoy their taste on the menus of many restaurants in the region. They are sold fresh in season or conserved with different methods.
Rev.: PAB 10.05.23