Desert truffle
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- For European truffles or general information on truffles see Truffles
The species of the Terfezia genus, together with Tirmania, are called desert truffles, being endemic to arid and semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean Region, where they are associated with Helianthemum species. They are a few centimeters across and weight from 30 to 300 grams (1-10 oz). They are usually found in the wintertime after rainfall.
Desert truffles are found North Africa (Morocco to Egypt), in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Turkey,and Italy are the most important desert truffles consumers. In Spain, in the region between Murcia-Almería-Granada and in Western Andalucía and Extremadura, the turmas are also very appreciated.
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[edit] Species
- Terfezia arenaria
- Terfezia boudieri
- Terfezia claveryi
- Terfezia leptoderma
- Terfezia terfezioides (Mattirolomyces terfezioides)
- Tirmania nivea
- Tirmania pinoyi
[edit] Price
Desert truffles do not have the same flavor as the European truffles but tend to be more common and thus more affordable. Forest truffles can sell for $80 to $105 a kilo, in times of drought even reaching $270 a kilo.Italian truffles for $2200 a kilo. As for desert truffles in Riyadh they sold for $26.75 a kilo.(Prices in 2002)
[edit] Naming
Truffles go by several different names. In Morocco they are called terfez, in Egypt the Bedouin of the Western Desert call them terfas. The Kuwaitis call them fagga, the Saudis faq'h, and in Syria they are known by their classical Arabic name, kamaa. Iraqis call them kamaa,(or kima or chima depending on local dialects) and in Oman they are either faqah or zubaydi.
In Saudi Arabia, there are two varieties :
- Khalasi are oval with a black skin and a pinkish-ivory interior.
- Zubaidi with a creamish color but generally more expensive
