Fuži s tartufi
that was ‘pasta with truffles’ the year after we first met
my first visit to Slovenia
there was also:
steak with truffles
eggs with truffles
asparagus with ham and truffles
– to think I’d never tasted them before!
The time we took the car
we thought we’d take back truffles
to London
in the car
a three-day journey
it was September
and they were fresh
when we set off.
By the time we got to Switzerland we had a truffle-scented car interior
and some worthless tubers mouldering in the boot.
Truffles started to turn my stomach
the first time I got pregnant
I couldn’t handle their rich indulgent flavour
anymore
like the essence of mushrooms distilled into eau-de-cologne
and ever since my first son was born
I’ve only been able to handle a little
truffle, whereas
even the smell of a mushroom
makes him sick.
© Experimentsinfiction 2021, All Rights Reserved
Written for dVerse
Sarah is hosting Poetics tonight, and has asked us to write a poem about fungi. Istria is a region rich in truffles, and when I first tasted them I couldn’t get enough. I suppose this little narrative poem is a reflexion on how our tastes change over time and in line with other changes in our lives.
Experiments in Fiction 
love ’em, always have. If I had a pig, I’d trainhim to find truffles!
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Dogs can also be trained to find them!
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You had me smiling there… it took me a long time to appreciate truffles (and I never had it fresh) so I can understand what you say about the scent.
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I still like the taste but at the same time it turns my stomach!
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I like the way your relationship with truffles changes – pregnancy really does that, doesn’t it? — from luxury to bleurggh! I’m so glad you found a way into this prompt. 😉🍄
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Yes, it’s strange what those hormones can do, and afterwards I’m not sure if it’s just the memory of sickness that puts me off…
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I’ve only had truffles a few times, the last time was in Italy, sprinkled on something, pasta I think. They are delicious but expensive and hard to come by here. I enjoyed your narrative poem very much, Ingrid, especially the way it progressed from truffles with everything to truffle overkill!
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Here they are very common, still expensive but not ridiculously so, so in season you find them on everything!
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In my long and star-spangled life I’ve never encountered a truffle! Your story was fascinating, especially your change in taste, and that of your son. I guess one shouldn’t trifle with truffles, eh what?
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If you want to experience the taste, you can try tartufata paste which is made by Zigante tartufi. I’m not sure if they ship to the US but it’s the closest I’ve found to the taste of fresh truffles!
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WOW. This is wonderful.
xoxo
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Thank you for your kind words 😊❤️
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My pleasure Ingrid 🥰🌹❤️
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Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. So interesting how your feeling about them at the end of the pregnancy has carried over to your son. Not sure if I’ve ever eaten truffles, but I’ve never met a mushroom I didn’t like :)
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I love wild mushrooms, and still like truffles but only in very small quantities!
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p.s. that’s a fine-looking mushroom. Not sure if truffles grow in MI. We have morel mushrooms here that people go out and hunt for.
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They are delicious too!
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Fine work, Ingrid. They can/often do go bad so quickly, eh? and when they do….Ick.
Thanks for sharing!
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You’re welcome Ron!
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Your poem made me smile ☺️ Truffles with this and truffles with that. I can imagine! Isn’t it funny how something so luxurious can have you absolutely hating it after a while.
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Yes, pregnancy can do funny things to your body and mind!
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I have tried to comment on your poem but my comment disappeared so maybe it is in spam – sorry!
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the love of truffles turned bad..oooh I love your poem and I love in cheese and pasta. Pregnancy does weird things to our senses alright. Sounds like my daughter who loved once until her b.f. and her went truffle gathering and he left them in the fridge and now the smell makes her sick. boo. …
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I can imagine 🤢
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he loves them still so there’s that!!! 🤣
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I too enjoyed seeing the progression on how your tastes have changed. It’s interesting when it happens and I always find it intriguing because something we used to like so much now is something we can’t even stomach or eat that much anymore. Definitely follows the line of thought: Too much of a good thing…
I don’t think I’ve had truffles before now that I think about it! Truffle hunting will be on my list to do in the near future then. They really sound good in these lines:
“steak with truffles
eggs with truffles
asparagus with ham and truffles”
How have I never heard of these combinations? I’ve been dearly deprived in recipes. 😄
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Yes, well there are so many here in truffle season that they get added to everything, because they don’t keep well!
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i am still to try truffles hope when i do i do not find them repulsive. great poem about changing tastes.
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Thank you – there is always truffle paste if you can’t get the fresh ones!
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We have tons of truffles here in the Douglas Fir forests. Dogs are trained to find them. I prefer chanterelles–now that’s some good eating.
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Oh yes I agree!
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Beware the shroom, eh Ingrid. I think perhaps your first introduction may have been excessive, though I love truffles. I am sharing this interesting fact today: A “Armillaria Ostoyae” mushroom, in the Malheur National Forest, in the Strawberry Mountains of eastern Oregon, was found to be the largest fungal colony in the world, spanning an area of 3.5 square miles (2,200 acres; 9.1 km2).
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That is a fascinating fact, thank you for sharing! 🍄
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I’m joining the ranks who’ve never tasted a fresh truffle. A fine narrative poem.
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Some good quality truffle pastes come pretty close to the taste. Thank you Misky!
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I love this. It does not change my mind that truffles should be lovely chocolates instead of mushrooms.
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Oh I almost added a line that I still love the chocolates!
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and some worthless tubers mouldering in the boot.
Truffles started to turn my stomach
They are no more friendly when left alone
Hank
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Thanks Hank!
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Really? even the smell of a mushroom makes Benjamin sick?
Wow.
-David
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Yes, he ate some once and they came straight back up 🤢
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Sadly, never eaten a fresh truffle. I will add that to my bucket list. Loved the way that this poem progressed.
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Thanks Hobbo! Zigante truffle paste is a good alternative, maybe you can buy online. I’m not sponsored by them btw 😅
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I shall search out the real thing as soon as I am free from my little lockdown prison!
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Croatia is the place! Or the Slovenian coast of course. I think they have them in Italy but Mr Ingrid assures me they are not as good (I’m sure Italians will disagree 😅)
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They have them in France also. I understand there are black ones and white ones, one being far pricier than the other. Don’t know!
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Yes the whites are more expensive. They’re in season in September here. The best kind!
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Thank you!
Funny how a writing blog can become a discussion forum for food!
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And why not! Mange tout, I say 🥂
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Appetites…mysterious and ever-changing. (K)
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Never had truffles either, too expensive like caviar and central heating :) For the first six months of all of my pregnancies, so many smells made me sick it’s a good thing the memories went as soon as the baby was out. Onions, leeks, garlic, coffee, vinaigrette, dustbins, markets, cheese…
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Oh yes, I remember those heady days! They’re so abundant here they’re less ridiculously expensive (truffles, not babies 😅)
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interesting digression, I’ve never tasted them … they are still mythical to me! But I do love mushrooms any way they come :)
Like this unfolding story of your taste and life
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Evocative journey. Stuck in a car full of rotting truffles will surely leave a nauseating memory! Who wouldn’t avoid them in the future?
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