All About the Prized Truffles (Not the Chocolates).
If you’re a fan of fine dining and splurge meals, you’ll know that truffles are special. Let’s learn what exactly they are and why it’s so crazy expensive:
All About Black & White Truffles
What Are They?
Truffles have been considered a luxurious food as far back as Ancient Rome. Every season, food fanatics pay top dollar for mere shavings of these nuggets. A little goes a long way (both in taste and from your wallet) with just 8 to 10 grams per serving.
The taste is earthy and umami. There’s a sweet, nuttiness in its aroma. You’ll usually find them grated or sliced paper-thin over the food to absorb the truffle’s aroma.
Side note about truffle oil: Most do not actually contain real truffles, rather a cooking oil scented with the chemicals found in truffles. That’s why it gets a bad reputation. If you do use it, don’t cook with it but rather treat it as a finishing oil.
You can find truffles all year round, particularly with the black ones which are farmed. White truffles, on the other hand, are considered like prized diamonds because they are wild and their growth is practically based on chance.
Like wine regions, there are specific areas where they best grow. The black varieties typically come from France’s Perigord region, while the white varieties come from Italy’s Piedmont region.
Why They Are So Crazy Expensive
Truffles range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars per pound. Summer black goes for about $250 per pound, Burgundy goes for $350 per pound, and winter black sells for about $800 per pound.
Now for the ridiculously expensive stuff, look for the white Alba truffles. These range from $2,000 up to over $50,000 per pound.
But why???
Four reasons:
1. Challenging to produce.
They grow in specific weather conditions, which is getting more and more difficult with climate change. For instance, summer varieties require warm weather and not hot temperatures. Winter truffles need mild, dry winters without frost.
Aside from the weather, there are also specifications as to where exactly it grows. For instance, it only grows a few inches underground near certain trees, such as oak, hazel, poplar, and linden. And, the soil must be moist yet decently lit. And with all this, its growth is not guaranteed.
2. Difficult to find.
Pigs were the first animals used to sniff their way to truffles. These days, dogs are laboriously trained to do the job because pigs would end up eating the truffles.
3. High demand & truffle brokers
Thanks to food photos and social media, everyone who loves to show off their splurges seeks to savor these prized truffles every season. Supply is low and demand is high. Plus, for the best ones, top chefs and restaurants have their connections to truffle brokers to guarantee their seasonal collection.
4. Fragility
Aside from its difficulty to grow and find and the economics of supply and demand, truffles are crazy expensive because they lose their aroma within 7 to 10 days of being found in the ground. To be exact, they about 5% of their weight and flavor as each day passes. After that, it’s inedible.
That means harvesting, processing, shipping, and grating them on your plate much all be completed within 36 hours.
Sign up for my newsletter on the sidebar for blog updates and my travel insider tips! And, check out my vlogs on YouTube!
