This past weekend, on February 7th and 8th, it took place in Vic the Trufforum, the black truffle festival, at the El Sucre Exhibition Centre Auditorium. Dr Consol Blanch, professor emerita at UVic – UCC and still a collaborator with BETA, presented a workshop on recognizing the sensory descriptors of truffle aroma and other characteristic sensory aspects.
Dr Consol Blanch led a hands-on, scientific, and informative workshop aimed at learning to identify and describe the aromas of truffles. She also explained how to perform a visual and tactile evaluation. The workshop concluded with a tasting of truffle-infused toast to explore its unique flavor, a synthesis of taste and smell. The workshop was conducted in collaboration with Carlos Ibáñez, Head of the Analysis Laboratory at the Innovation Division of LUCTA SA.
The session was attended by about 25 people, including industry professionals, restaurateurs, sommeliers, agri-food producers and the general public.
Vic is considered the truffle capital of Catalonia, with a long truffle-growing and gastronomic tradition centered around this local delicacy. Trufforum Vic is conceived around the gastronomy of the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), promoting its consumption fresh and infused products, and encouraging both its cultivation and wild harvesting.
BETA places particular emphasis on collaborating on trade fairs and conferences in the city of Vic, such as the BIT Congress, Lactium, and Trufforum. This allows the center to bring scientific knowledge closer to the local community and its residents, strengthening the link between research, the productive sector, and outreach.
