172 BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



group of Sphceria. The red truffle has naked spores, 

 produced in cavities of the fungus, free, and not en- 

 closed in asci. These latter are therefore allied to 

 the puff balls, and are in fact subterranean puff balls. 

 They are of a brownish colour, irregularly globose, 

 small and smooth, found usually in the ground at the 

 foot of beeches, in the south of England. The naked 

 spores are small and dark coloured. No one in this 

 generation appears to have any knowledge of the 

 Melanogaster, either as a " red truffle " or as an 

 esculent. 



Truffles are such an old and aristocratic delicacy 

 that it must be expected to learn that the methods of 

 preparing them for the table are exceedingly 

 numerous. The Rev. M. J. Berkeley used to affirm 

 that the very best plan, according to his experience, 

 was to bury the entire truffle in hot wood ashes, on 

 an old fashioned hearth, and roast them thoroughly, 

 When ready for the table they could be divested of 

 their skins and all the ashes adhering to them. But 

 there are far more elaborate methods, as we shall 

 presently show. 



For a ragout the tubers should be well washed, and 

 afterwards soaked in oil, then cut in slices about a 

 quarter of an inch in thickness, place in a stewpan, 

 with oil or butter, salt, pepper, and a little white wine. 

 When cooked bind the whole together with the yolk 

 of eggs. 



Prepared after the Italian manner, middle-sized 



