WHILE the glitzy resorts on the northwest Croatian coast of the Adriatic are packed with hordes of sunseekers, there's an underground drawcard that's doing a roaring trade in the hillside medieval towns that dot Istrian 'Tuscany'.
In Latin it's called tuber magnatum pico (white truffle). It's a delicacy for a fortunate few and is renowned for its aphrodisiac properties.

This ultimate gastronomic delight – the biggest and most respected of all truffles – was discovered by the Romans 18 centuries ago.

Today, white truffles are 10 times more expensive than black truffles. At auction, 1kg of white truffles will cost up to 5000 euros (about $8150).

Buzet, in the north of Istria near the border with Slovenia, is known as the '"city of truffles'. According to some experts, the white truffles from there are as good as the most famous truffles from the Italian region of Alba.

A little farther south, the grey clay soil of central Istria, the humid and shady Motovun forests near the Mirna River, and the mild climate provide ideal conditions for the white truffle.

In November 1999, Giancarlo Zigante – with the help of his dog – found the world's largest white truffle near the village of Livade. It weighed 1310kg.

The Zigante family decided not to sell the truffle, which was named Millennium. Instead, they prepared a dinner for 100 guests with the record-breaking truffle as the main dish – the aim being to promote truffles in the Istrian region.

To convince future guests of the truffle's size, Mr Zigante had it cast in bronze.

Today, in many Istrian towns locals and tourists can follow their noses to the aroma of truffles at Zigante Tartufi shops.

Dishes such as gilthead carpaccio with white truffle, or dark pancakes filled with chocolate mousse with black truffle, are part of Istria's rich cuisine. And they taste even better washed down with Istrian Malvasia – a dry white wine, free of unboiled sugar residues.

Every year on the second weekend in September the Subotina festival is held in Istria. The event lasts seven days and has a special attraction – a giant omelette prepared in a one-tonne pan and made with 10kg of truffles and more than 2000 eggs.

The event officially marks the start of Truffle Days in Istria, where three varieties of black truffles can also be found.

A truffle-hunting trip is worth the effort to witness the whole process of searching, finding and digging the precious truffle under the guidance of

experienced Istrian truffle pickers.

Istria's medieval towns such as Motovun, Groznjan, Oprtalj, Hum and Roc sit on hilltops – a position which in days gone by offered natural protection.

Hum is widely known for being the smallest town in the world. It has only about 20 inhabitants living in two small streets within the town's walls.

The local tavern is the only place where one can get 'biska', a medicinal brandy made of mistletoe from a recipe that goes back hundreds of years.


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