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infidels. Pisa had been a prosperous port in
the 11th century, when together with the
Genoese, they waged a victorious war against
the Saracens and captured Sardinia, Corsica and
the Balearic islands.
Reluctantly we departed from Pisa, skirting
Florence and crossing south of Perugia;
climbing up near Spoleto under the cascading
Marmara falls, which appeared to spill out of
the night sky, Scheggino was finally reached.
Trout were swimming freely in the stream
outside the 'Albergo del Ponte' - others inside
lay still, baked and stuffed with truffles next
to flagons of white wine and an array of small
pots of chocolate 'set-you-up'.
The next day began with a visit to the Urbani
organisation, which is responsible for 60%. of
the world's truffle production. A tour was
made of the nurseries where oak, hazelnut,
willow, poplar and hornbeam had been inoculated
to produce truffles. Nearby a purpose-built
factory processes giants heaps of truffles
collected by the 9,000 'pickers' into jars,
cans, tubes of paste and bottles of flavoured
oil. Pavlo and Bruno Urbani are proud of
their achievements and say 'Although we have
built a modern factory, unique in the world, we
have not employed any peculiar or complicated
techniques; only an ancient and traditional
handicraft, improved by years of experience but
above all, passion". The production cycle is
in three stages - picking by the farmer with
his dog in the woods; then washing in tanks of
fresh water; and finally sterilisation,
selection and classification.