truffle
n. countablen. a very expensive type of fungus that grows underground and has a strong, earthy smell. It is used in cooking to add a rich flavor to food.
n. the edible subterranean fruiting body of various ascomycetous fungi, highly prized as a culinary delicacy. Often used in small quantities due to its intense aroma and high market value.
The chef shaved fresh truffle over the pasta dish.
Because they grow deep underground near tree roots, truffles are often found using specially trained dogs or pigs.
While the white variety from Italy is the most expensive, the black winter truffle remains a staple of high-end French gastronomy for its ability to infuse oils and sauces with a deep, musky scent.
Borrowed from French trufle, a variant of truffe (whence also Danish and Norwegian trøffel, Swedish tryffel, German Trüffel), from Old Occitan trufa, a metathesis of Late Latin tufera (plural), from Latin tūber (“truffle”).
Often used in the singular when referring to the flavor or the ingredient in a dish.