Stella and Peppe, the truffle hunters

At the first light of dawn the smell of coffee intoxicates the air of the whole house, while outside the humidity of the night still pervades the air making it pleasantly sparkling, Stella, a little white Lagotto, inside her own " house ” is there waiting quivering and the call arrives on time as every autumn morning.

We are in the heart of the central Apennines and more precisely in a small, enchanting Abruzzo valley, ready to go hunting for the King, the Tuber Magnatum Pico or more simply the White Truffle.

The typical day of a truffle hunter starts very early in the morning and after a fleeting breakfast, the dog is loaded into the car and heads to what the hunter considers places worth exploring, places kept secret even by the most trusted friends.

After a few minutes of driving, we arrived at one of these places and Stella, always eager to start, anxiously awaits the opening of the tailgate to finally be able to start her favorite game, the treasure hunt.

On these autumn mornings going to the woods gives unique emotions: the leaves of the trees are tinged with yellow, red and orange and nature is full of magic and beauty, you can admire the foliage, the phenomenon for which plants they are coloured and the landscapes are transformed into a coloured palette.

The carpet of multicoloured leaves, which covers the ground, caressed by the morning dew, is a delight for the eyes and the soul.

The scents of the forest are more intense and warm, the scent of mushrooms, which grow luxuriantly, alone or in families in the shade of chestnut and oak trees, the smell of moss which, with its intense green color enriches the color palette autumn in the undergrowth and then there are chestnuts, https://www.gpourplanet.com/blog/2020/12/1/the-chestnut-queen-of-the-apennines, undisputed queens of this area.

It is within this romantic canvas that the search for the Tuber Magnatum takes place, a magical place, which seems to escape our human understanding, with its slow times, marked by long pauses, interrupted only by the sounds of Nature, the chirping of the birds, the sound of the streams, the light breath of the morning breeze; spectators of a unique show.

The relationship between the two interpreters of this story, Stella and Peppe, is deeply empathetic. The two have a dense and close dialogue and beyond words, they speak with gestures and looks. Often the dog advances running, anticipating the human steps that advance in the damp and leafy ground; he turns back, struggles, but never loses sight of his companion. They never go away, like precious gifts for each other.

Intrigued by the scent that comes from the ground, crosses the leaves, Stella begins to compulsively dig, waiting for the arrival of the companion which in turn, begins to dig around the truffle, first with his bare hands and then with the Vanghino, always with delicacy and decision, until he frees him.

Peppe, with dirty hands cuddles Stella for the excellent work, caressing her and offering her biscuits, a ritual that is repeated every time a truffle is found.

Truffles grow a few inches down in the earth, in symbiosis with the roots of hardwood trees like oaks, chestnut, hazelnut and hornbeam.

The research goes on for most of the morning, “beating” different places, most of the times bristly and thorny, but always with the enthralling enthusiasm of Stella that animates this game.

The white truffle must awaken something primal in those who eat it, the Truffles are the true fruit of the earth, more rare and precious than any other edible root, tuber or mushroom. There is no other flavour like them on earth, which is perhaps why they are so often described as heavenly.

Definitely, tasting the white truffle on a delicious dish is an unforgettable experience but, looking for it is simply a unique experience.

The chestnut, the Queen of the Apennines.

Autumn is not a season but a state of mind, the highest magic that nature can express in its circularity, and in this palette of colours, chestnut reigns, the Queen of this territory during the autumn season.

The chestnut is the undisputed symbol of autumn, with its brown color and its scent when roasted and its unmistakable flavour, in short, a real feast for the senses!

At the height of the chestnut season, the entire territory comes alive in the collection of the latest delicacies that the forest grants before the silent winter arrives. When the days are still warmed by the tender autumn sun and the forest is filled with intense colours and scents, immersing yourself in nature is the most relaxing and intoxicating thing that nature can offer us.

In the past, the arrival of autumn brought great excitement in families, throughout the year the undergrowth was kept clean, where there was a chestnut tree, the soil was cleared of weeds and carefully mowed. The wood had to be in place to be able to collect the fallen chestnuts, the harvest began between the end of September and the first week of October and continued until November; it was a job that was done in the family, by hand, collecting them in baskets and wicker baskets.

Each family collected chestnuts in the woods, no one collected those in the property of others, but after the large harvest, the woods were made available to all those who did not have a wood where they could collect them.

The collection was done several times a day, the boys went to collect before going to school and continued on their return; today chestnuts are harvested with the help of nets, especially in modern intensive fruit chestnut groves or even through mechanical harvesting with vacuum cleaners and harvesters but not in this place, where the tradition where the tradition of manual harvesting are still alive despite the difficulties.

Once the daily harvest is finished, the selection process begins, the bad chestnuts are completely discarded while the smaller ones are set aside and sold at lower prices.

Fortunately, after years of suffering, due to poor harvesting, due to a killer-insect, the chestnut gall wasp, the chestnut groves have returned to produce an important quantity of fruit of excellent quality.

However, the problems are certainly not lacking, the depopulation of inland areas, with masses of the population, mostly young people who move to the cities, has taken away labor from the collection, and this leads the older generations to additional efforts or, in alternative, foreign labor.

A legend tells that in a mountain forest where, next to a huge tree full of chestnuts, lived a family of hedgehogs made up of mum, dad and their children. Daily a group of hungry squirrels approached the tree to eat its fruits, but one day, the little family thought about taking a walk in the woods and, hearing many complaints, curiously approached the tree to see what was happening. He noticed that the chestnuts were complaining because those spiteful inhabitants ate them. Together, then, they came up with a nice plan: when the squirrels arrived, the chestnuts would hide inside the hedgehogs. So they did and, since then, the small rodents, stinging each other, never came near the chestnuts and they, to protect themselves, kept their husk.

The chestnut plays an important role in this territory as well as in many hilly and mountain areas of Italy, not only for the production of fruit and wood, but also for the protection of the territory and for the protection of the environmental and hydrogeological structure.

Traveling in an original way, beyond the usual destinations, with a spirit of discovery, allows you to find unexpected surprises: places, stories and flavours of inestimable value.

This little journey that focuses on chestnut is intended as an original, different proposal, an opportunity to get to know territories rich in history, nature and culture.

Getting lost in the beauty of these centuries-old woods makes us feel the sweetness and grandeur of Nature.

Amantaní, Lake Titicaca, Peru

The island of Amantaní, is an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca a place of about 3663 peasant people  According to a 1988 census, divided among about 800 families Quechua speakers.

It is a haven of tranquility and bucolic landscapes still unknown to most travellers. It preserves ancient traditions and the possibility of knowing an authentic life in community.

The ten communities that live in Amantaní are dedicated to: agriculture, livestock and artisanal fishing. The almost 4000 people work cooperatively and provide mutual assistance. When staying with local families traveller can share its activities, rituals and participates in folkloric events. With some effort the traveller can also learns Quechua, the first language of the Amantaneños.

According to Andean mythology, from Lake Titicaca emerged the sons of the sun god, Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo Huaco, who founded the empire of the Sun. In Amantaní itself there are several milestones that celebrate the Andean worldview. One is the Pachamama ceremonial center, at the highest point of the island, dedicated to the female genus, The other is the Pachatata, representative of the masculine, on the Coanos hill.

As you go through the wilderness you feel no more fear than that of exposure to nature and once at the top of one of the hills, You can enjoy one of the most breathtaking views in earth, the deep blue Titicaca lake with the Cordillera Real as a backdrop.

At Dusk descending among the beauty of nature, you reach the central square where a Festival in Hohour of Our Lady of Candelaria is taking place

In this sqare, Plaza de Armas, a paved rectangle in the middle of the village where the municipality, the school, the church and some wineries coexist, already falls the night and also the first drops of rain but, the show must go on and doesn’t matter if soon, the entire place will be inundated by a tremendous seasonal storm.

It is in these minutes of waiting that one feels the rhythm and dynamics among the inhabitants of the island, the time seems eternal, and the folks carry on dancing and laughing, in a word, enjoying the gift of Life.

As the storm breaks out outside, inside, the cold and altitude sickness are healed by a muña tea, the plant suggested by the ancestral wisdom of the Amantaneños.

Here, in this timeless place, where life flows slow and and with bucolic nuances, I have perceived what I have never experienced and that, I have been told so many times, the simplicity of the world and the centrality of man in it. 

Sunset seen from Pachamama Site.

Even in moments, seemingly relaxing, women are always engaged in the production of things that somehow always help the family economy. Titicaca lake shore

A solitary boy is seen strolling around the shore of Titicaca lake

A group of Women is seen in Tradition costumes on the shore of Titicaca lake.

A couple of sheep are seen at the backyard.

a little girl is seen in a field during the day, surrounded by nature, with the lake Titicaca in the background. A field of potatoes can be a playground for children as their parents are working nearby.

At 5 o'clock in the morning, Maria starts her day washing up and tidying up the kitchen. To carry out the family in the general sense, it is only one of the activities of the women, they also work the fields, they care for the guests, and other related activities.

For many kids, the backyard is like a playground, they are safe there, close to the family and, they are happy playing with any object found around.

The almost constant “lack of” water, most of the time does not even allow basic hygiene.

Father and son are seen early in the morning get ready for a new day of work.

A curved old peasant, intent on finishing the daily work during sunset.

A man is seen resting after a long day of hard work.

A detail of a plant of Quinoa.

The hillsides are terraced, mostly worked by hand, and planted with wheat, quinoa, potatoes, and other vegetables.

Women are seen going back home during twilight.

A woman with traditional costume performs during the festivities of the carnival in the central square of the island, where all the communities, from all parts of the island, are gathered for the festivities.