First Saturday in February. The sun is out you. As the temperature rises above 10 grades in 11 hours is. The crowd jumps up and down behind a rope. There purchasers of truffles, with or without an accent, some women, many men. It grows a bit already. It is 11:10 .. Onlookers are asked to put away. On the other side, aligned, sorted, mélanosporums expect in small cloth bags sealed on the tables of the producers.
Waiting for the shot. And the shooter shot awaits the green light!
A man further down the village street ends sort of truffles. This is the guarantee of a quality purchase. Here, no scams. I swear. Man makes his work important, carefully. He sniffs the fungus, the feels, he must be firm otherwise it is discarded, and the piercing of a penknife. Contribution of each producer suffered the same fate.
Above, behind the ropes, ca rubs.
The shooter gun is mounted on a platform with a frail child. This covers his ears and looks at the man who grabbed his gun, points to the sky, with this assurance of grown-hat.
"That's it going to take it! "Said the crowd! Pan and the shot rang out sharply. ( See video of the opening of the truffle market )
The rope falls. Some, hurry, and grab the pass below. The tables are invaded at the same time. It's a little cry. Some voices of men who strut. This is serious. Before his first producer , first served. Interest: the choice! What would we do not have a choice. The regulars have their producer favorite. The mélanosporum plays the soil as the vines.
We pay in cash. The euro in these cases goes alone with one hand to another 1000 euros a kilo in the calculation is done quickly. A beautiful truffle in hand, 50 g, 50 euros. Is adjusted and it oozes out of the magma to buyers .
Behind this barrier stretched, relaxed, keep an eye on the happy coming out of the melee. A plastic pouch in his hands. The object of desire is inside. It also plunges a guileless nose to smell the perfume and it already enjoys an imaginary flat!
[...] February 7, 2011 Posted in Mets wine. When the gun, the market is open. Finally, we can try to buy a nice nose of the Aude! (See previous article on truffle market in Villeneuve Minervois) [...]