Early mornings are Mauro Nesi’s best time. As he walks down the gentle hill to his workplace—an ancient oak forest—his tawny Lagotto Romagnolo dogs, Spritz and Brisa, scamper ahead of him. In the quiet, Nesi’s senses are alive, attuned to the sounds of the birds and the leaves underfoot. He scans the trees and keeps his eyes trained to the ground, looking at the way the earth rises here and dips there.

If it swells just a little he pauses. When Brisa darts towards a tree, tail wagging and nose to the ground, Mauro follows. He has to catch her quickly, before her claws can damage the truffle she’s after. He speaks to the dog and gently nudges her out of the way so he can dig.