Ciao: It’s Summer Truffle Time!

Handmade tagliatelle with summer truffle pesto and fresh shaved black truffles @salepepemaui

Ciao, amici. It’s summer truffle time!

These words trigger a kind of Pavlovian joy in my household. They signal that fleeting window—just a few golden weeks—when the earth gives up one of her most seductive secrets: the summer truffle. While their cousin, the winter white truffle, may get the red carpet and the headlines, don’t underestimate the quiet luxury of the summer black truffle. Especially now, at their seasonal peak, ripening under the soils of Piemonte, Umbria, and Tuscany.

These black beauties are more subtle in aroma and flavor than their winter counterparts—earthy, nutty, with a whisper of hazelnut and forest floor. They're also less pungent, but incredibly versatile and beloved for that very reason. Think of them as the truffle that plays well with others. And right now, they’re being hunted by faithful dogs in the foothills of Piemonte, brushed clean, and packed with care before making their way into the kitchens of the world’s most passionate chefs- including ours.

In Italy, the classic way to enjoy summer truffles is with simplicity. Thinly shaved over buttered tagliatelle. Nestled into soft scrambled eggs. Layered atop creamy polenta. The idea is always the same: let the truffle sing.

Our family is passionately connected to these seasonal rhythms—and one of the perks of owning an Italian restaurant and being married to an Italian chef is that we can stay connected to these rhythms- even when we are 7,600 miles away.

We import our truffles at their peak, from Piemonte, and share them with our community here on Maui at Sale Pepe Pizzeria e Cucina. And while we love playing with all kinds of iterations—ravioli, eggs, polenta, even pizza—our go-to, every single time, is our handmade tagliatelle. Tossed gently in a silky black truffle pesto and finished with a generous snowfall of shaved summer truffles. It's indulgent, yes—but it's also elemental. Pure. Honest. Italian.

Summer truffles are more than a novelty. They represent a season, a signal, and a story. They remind us that luxury can be fleeting—and best when shared. That even from this little island in the Pacific, we can stay tethered to the rhythms that keep us rooted in the soils of our own cultures and traditions. And when that first shaving of truffle hits the heat of handmade pasta, it’s as if summer finally whispers, “Ciao.”