RIYADH: Farmers, retailers, chefs, and foodies recently attended a truffle fair in Riyadh as part of a celebration of Saudi Arabia’s culinary heritage.
Organized by the Saudi Culinary Arts Commission in the capital’s Irqah district, the Desert Truffle Festival showcased the latest developments in the sector.
The event highlighted the diversity of truffles — the fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus and considered a delicacy — found throughout the Kingdom.
Among those taking part was Yousef Al-Mutlaq, a Saudi farmer with more than a dozen harvesting projects, who demonstrated how truffles were gathered from the desert.
He told Arab News: “The truffle is a bacterial interaction between the ground and the tree called Al-Raqooq. The type of truffle varies according to the soil. In mountainous areas, the truffle appears in a white color called zubaidi, but if the soil is sandy, the truffle is reddish and called khulas.
“Al-Jabaa truffles come from land mixed between clay and mountainous soil,” he said.
Truffles expert, Mohammed Al-Enazi, was present with his own collection.
He said: “After it rains, the truffles grow in the desert, and people go there to pick and sell them. It is pricey because everyone enjoys it, and we are glad to be at this festival where we can meet those consumers and link the farmers.”
Festival visitors were offered the chance to taste and buy truffle products, take part in workshops and competitions, and watch live music and cooking demonstrations.
Maha Al-Shammari, who has gathered truffles from a young age, said: “I wanted to participate in the truffle festival by introducing truffles and their seasonal and agricultural types, and the cleaning and preservation methods.
“We also roast truffles with butter for visitors who would like a taste. Since I was young, one of my hobbies has been to cut truffles, and over the years I have learned when they sprout and the best time to pick them.”
Saudi firm Shovel Roaster produced a special festival truffle latte, served in a bowl rather than a cup.
Company executive manager, Mutlaq Al-Shalahi, said: “We enjoy developing new goods, so we wanted to bring something fresh to the festival. We created a truffle latte, mixing milk with truffle powder. The product was well-received by more than 300 visitors who tried it.”
Other businesses also created Saudi fusion recipes for the event, such as kabsa with truffles, truffle marqooq, and dyaft fouziah.
The festival provided a platform for Saudi businesses and entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services while also promoting the Kingdom’s burgeoning culinary industry.
