Where to eat delicacies in season

Imagine sinking your teeth into a hot, buttery, lobster roll in a small oceanside cafe somewhere in New England. How about having earthy, musky, white truffle grated over a plate of steaming pasta in a tiny Italian taverna? Is your mouth watering yet? Perhaps that’s because even in the modern world, where we can mostly have what we want any time if we’re willing to pay, we know that for the best version of any food, you should eat it when it’s been freshly grown, caught or harvested. Here are the most famous foods from four different countries, with details on when to visit to savour them at their best:

What is it? Known as tuber magnatum pico, this fungus is a prized culinary delicacy and one of the rarest and most expensive truffle species.

Where does it come from? It’s found in the rich soil of the Langhe and Roero valleys – lush, green undulating stretches of land near the medieval town of Alba in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy.

When is it at its best? Prime truffle-hunting season is between October and December, during the crisp, misty days of autumn. The area is golden, red and orange with autumn colours, and the Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba (White Truffle Fair) draws food lovers from around the world.

What does growing and harvesting this food involve? Truffles grow of their own accord under the soil, typically near the roots of hardwood trees such as oak, hazelnut and chestnut. Truffle hunters (trifolau) use specially trained dogs to sniff them out in the forests. It’s a secretive, traditional practice passed down through generations, often under moonlight, to protect truffle spots from rivals.

What’s the history? Truffles have been revered since Roman times and used to be gifted to royalty. What’s the very best version of Alba white truffle? In the famous dish, tajarin al tartufo, a version of tagliatelle, served with butter and a generous shaving of raw white truffle on top.

What is it? The result of cold-pressing the fruit of the olive tree.

Where does it come from? The island of Crete is a major producer, where the most common olives used come from the Koroneiki tree; these produce olive oil with some of the highest polyphenol content possible, giving it powerful health benefits. Crete is also known for is beaches – one of the best is Elafonisi, with its unusual pink sand – and the island has some fascinating cultural sights including the Palace of Knossos and former leper colony, Spinalonga island.

Olives at a Greek market

When is it at its best? October to December is the prime olive harvest season, when the olives are fully ripe – they mature in a range of colours from bright green to a dark purplish-black – and the olive oil produced is fresh and full of flavour. Harvest season is celebrated, with villages coming together to pick the olives; the weather is still warm, and the countryside is bathed in golden autumnal light.

What does harvesting and producing this involve? Olives are typically harvested by hand; families and communities gather, using nets to collect the fruit as it’s shaken or gently raked from the trees. Once harvested, the olives are washed and ground into a paste using stone mills or modern presses. The paste is then cold-pressed to extract the oil, which is filtered to remove impurities.

What’s the history? Evidence of olive oil cultivation and production dates back 3,000 years. Ancient Greeks considered it sacred, using it not only as a food but also in religious rituals, cosmetics, and as an anointing oil.

What’s the very best version of olive oil? Greek olive oil is often sold as Extra Virgin, which is the highest grade, made from the first cold-pressing of the olives and containing no more than 0.8% acidity.

What is it? Plump, delicate spears of asparagus, with a soft, mild flavour.

Where does it come from? It's grown in the fertile upper reaches of the River Ebro valley, close to the city of Pamplona in the region of Navarra, a former medieval Basque kingdom, in northern Spain. Pamplona itself, famous for its annual running of the bulls, has impressive, 16th-century fortifications, the Gothic Santa María la Real Cathedral, and the Museo de Navarra, which houses archaeological and art collections.

When is it at its best? Prime time is between April and June, when spring rains feed the river plains and the whole region bursts into bloom. Navarra asparagus is a prized delicacy across the whole of Spain and can be found in season in gourmet food shops and on menus of traditional restaurants.

What does growing and harvesting this food involve? The asparagus is grown under mounds of earth to block the sunlight and prevent chlorophyll development, which would otherwise turn it green. Shoots are harvested by hand in early morning, before too much exposure to the sun. What’s the history? The Romans used to cultivate asparagus in the area. In the 1980s, Navarra became Spain’s white asparagus capital and now has IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) status.

What’s the very best version of white asparagus? You can eat it warm or cold, with olive oil, salt and a drizzle of vinegar, or with homemade mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce.

What is it? This large, hard-shelled crustacean offers tender, sweet and juicy meat. Most of that comes from the tail, but the claws and legs also have plenty to offer.

Where does it come from? The most famous region for lobster in America is New England, including Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as well as parts of New Hampshire and Connecticut. These coastal areas have cold, nutrient-rich waters in which lobster thrives, and the rugged coastline is dotted with lighthouses, quaint fishing villages and scenic harbours.

When is it at its best? May to October is the prime lobster season, when it's at its most abundant and in best condition. The weather is mild, and coastal towns are buzzing with lobster festivals and seafood markets.

What does harvesting this food involve? Lobsters are caught using traps or pots placed on the ocean floor. Fishermen set these traps in deep, cold waters and check them periodically, as they take between five and seven years to grow to the legal harvest size (1lb).

What’s the history? Lobsters were once considered ‘poor man’s food’ and commonly fed to prisoners and servants. However, with the rise of European interest in American cuisine in the 19th century, lobster gained status as a delicacy.

What’s the very best version of lobster? It’s best cooked very simply, either boiled or steamed, served with melted butter (garlic optional), but it’s also popular tossed in a light mayonnaise or butter dressing, and served in a soft, buttered roll.

Header image credit: AWL-Images.com