On the trail of the white truffle festival

SANT'AGATA FELTRIA, Italy — The clouds and fog are hanging so low and the rain so heavy that we can barely see. We blindly follow the GPS up the single winding mountain road that leads to Sant'Agata Feltria.

With the same focus and tenacity as foraging pigs, my husband and I are on the hunt for white truffles.

This small medieval village is the home of the National White Truffle Fair held every Sunday in October.

When we reach our destination, we're met by throngs of people holding colorful umbrellas — undaunted by the weather. If you've ever tasted paper-thin white truffles over fresh pasta, you can understand the unbridled passion of aficionados of the rare and pricey tuber. (Historically, it's been purported to be an aphrodisiac.)

Most people associate white truffles with Alba in Piedmont, where a legendary trade fair is held each autumn. Compared with that, this one is less commercial and more like a county fair. The cobblestone streets are lined with small booths, at which farmers and artisans proudly display truffles, mushrooms, chestnuts, cheeses, honey, wines and handicrafts.

The white truffle appears in many forms: fresh and in oils, pastes, purees, butters, vinegars, grappa and salts. In the small town square, the butcher's case is filled with truffled meats; the cheese store has hard and soft cheese with truffles.

The festival has been in operation for more than 25 years. Each year, judges select the truffle that is best in show, based on quality and size. The 2010 winner weighed in at a whopping 580 grams (more than a pound), with a value estimated at $2,500-$4,000.

An enormous tent is set up for lunch, seating 600 people at a time at long tables. Four restaurants offer a variety of tempting plates for less than $10. We try three dishes: tagliatelle al tartufo, risotto al tartufo and gnocchi ai funghi.

After lunch, we stroll on one of the paths leading to the castle. We succumb to our appetites again, pausing to taste some warm, freshly made bomboloni (pastries made from fried dough with custard filling).

The National White Truffle Fair at Sant'Agata Feltria, Sundays in October, prolocosantagatafeltria.com or winefoodemiliaromagna.com.

If you go

National White Truffle Fair at Sant'Agata Feltria Sundays in October.

Prolocosantagatafeltria.com or Emilia Romagna wine and food events at winefoodemiliaromagna.com Sant'Agata Feltria, Italy

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