What Fresh Truffles Are Really Like

A number of people tell us the same thing:

“I don’t like truffles.”

That’s not terribly surprising. What most people have encountered as “truffle” isn’t fresh truffle at all. It’s a flavouring. And the difference between the two is not subtle.

The truffle flavour most people know

Truffle-flavoured products are usually made using a single aromatic compound that also exists in real truffles. On its own, that compound is loud and unmistakable. It leans hard into a sharp garlic-gasoline note and tends to linger far longer than you’d want it to.

Used generously, as it often is, the result can feel one-note, overwhelming, and at its worst, chemically cloying. For some people, it even reads as sweaty or artificial.

If that’s your reference point, it makes perfect sense that you’d think truffles aren’t for you.

What fresh truffles are actually like

Fresh truffles are something else entirely.

They’re nuanced and fleeting. Their aroma unfolds in layers rather than announcing itself all at once. You might notice forest floor, damp earth, toasted nuts, or a gentle hint of garlic, always in balance and never shouting.

They don’t linger aggressively on the palate. Instead, they appear, evolve, and fade, leaving behind a quiet savoury impression that invites another bite rather than demanding attention.

In short, fresh truffles are subtle. And that subtlety is precisely what makes them special.

Where our truffles come from

At TOMME, we source our fresh truffles from trusted European truffle hunters whose knowledge is often passed down through generations.

Their foraging grounds aren’t written down, and they’re certainly not shared. These locations are closely guarded secrets, known only to the hunter and his truffle-hunting dog. Each season, they return to the same forests, reading the land, the weather, and the soil to uncover these underground treasures.

That care, from forest to kitchen, is part of what you taste.

Why the difference matters

Truffle flavouring is designed to be consistent, inexpensive, and shelf-stable. Fresh truffles are none of those things. They’re seasonal, highly perishable, and deeply tied to freshness.

That’s why they’re shaved at the last moment. Why they’re paired with simple foods. And why a little goes a long way.

Fresh truffles aren’t meant to dominate a dish. They’re meant to enhance it.

“But I’ve had truffles before…”

If your past experience involved truffle oil, truffle fries, or anything heavily perfumed, you likely haven’t had fresh truffles at all. And if you have, they may have been used too aggressively or long after their peak.

It’s not uncommon for someone who “hates truffles” to take their first bite of a dish with fresh truffle, pause, and then smile. The experience recalibrates expectations.

How to handle fresh truffles at home

Fresh truffles don’t require culinary gymnastics, just a bit of care.

• Keep them cold, wrapped loosely in paper towel and stored in an airtight container

• Change the paper daily to manage moisture

• Use them soon. They’re at their best within a few days

• Shave them fresh, just before serving

• Pair them with warm, neutral foods that carry aroma: eggs, butter, pasta, risotto, potatoes, or subtle seafoods like lobster

A final thought

Luxury doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes it whispers.

If truffles have never been your thing, fresh truffles may surprise you. Not because they’re louder or richer, but because they’re quieter, more balanced, and more human than the flavour that borrowed their name.