Why Are Truffles So Expensive?

Why are truffles so expensive?

why are truffles expensive? the answer to that question is, truffles are expensive because they are hard to find, difficult to grow, and they are hard to store for a longer period. The size of the truffle can range from a strawberry to larger than an apple.

They are luxury cousins of the mushroom. Truffles are an indulgent food which enjoys across the world. But these fragrant fungi will cost you. The world’s largest white truffle was brought to New York with a security guard and sold at auction for $61,250 in 2014. This truffle weighs 1.890kg. It’s almost 2 Kilos. And it was found in Italy.

What is a truffle?

A truffle is a rare, edible fungus, which is similar to mushrooms. Mushrooms grow outside on the ground. But, truffles grow underground, near trees. They prefer growing in the dark. There are different truffle species in the world. The most well-known types of truffles are, winter white, winter black, muscat black, musky black, Chinese black, Himalayan black, summer black, autumn black, and white ruffles.

What is so special about truffles?

There are a lot of types of truffles. There are at least 40 species, many of which aren’t edible, and new species have been discovered recently as of 2018. You’ve probably seen luxury truffle products in supermarkets or fancy restaurants. But the unique truffle flavor you recognize might not be a real truffle at all. 

Cheap truffle oil hasn’t been anywhere near a real truffle. Many cheaper truffle products use 2,4-dithiapentane. It is a synthesized compound containing one of the main aromatic components of foot odor. And it gives the earthy taste of truffles.

What makes truffles so expensive?

Real truffles are seasonal and pricey with a short shelf life. They were originally sniffed out using truffle pigs, but while pigs are very good at finding truffles, they are also very good at eating them too. And these days, dogs are much more common truffle-hunting companions.  

These fungi can be found across the world, but they all require a very specific climate to grow. While different varieties may have somewhat different requirements, one thing is certain. You can’t have truffles without trees. 

Even when you have exactly the right conditions, truffles aren’t guaranteed, and hunting them is a labor-intensive process. Once you know where to look, you have to sniff out and dig up each truffle by hand, and they can be tricky to find. 

It may take a while, but finding a good one can make it worth the work. 

Truffles also have a short season, often appearing for only a few months of the year. And even when you do get your hands on them they don’t last for long. 

After just five days out of the ground, that pungent truffle smell will have halved. You can farm many truffle varieties, besides the rare Italian whites.

Many people have been successful in setting up truffle orchards, but it’s not easy. Trees need to be planted in the right soil conditions, inoculated with truffle fungus, and often irrigated constantly.    

It can take as long as six years before you get a good truffle harvest, and there’s no guarantee that the fungi will grow at all. 

What do truffles taste like? Do truffles taste good?

For some people the flavor is quite subtle, there is a nuttiness, earthy flavor, quite light and fragrant, it tastes a lot nicer than it smells. For some people, it tastes like a mushroom but has more of a meaty flavor.

Truffles are often described as having a slightly garlicky flavor. It is similar to shallots with a deep musky aroma. The pungent aroma and the subtle flavor of truffles can change any traditional dish to a gourmet taste experience. Truffles have this unique ability to change savory and even sweet dishes into gourmet status.

Why is truffle so addictive?

According to recent studies, found out that black truffles are similar to drugs. After a single try one can become addicted to these truffles. Researchers in Italy found out that black truffles produce anandamide. it is a natural chemical similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It is an active compound in Marijuana.

The 4 main types of truffle by EHL’s Senior Lecturer of Culinary Arts

1. Tuber melanosporum

This is considered to be the best black truffle. This truffle is from southwest France, also known as ‘Truffle de Perigord’. The season of it ends in November to mid-march. It is best used raw or cooked and fresh. You can use garlic as an exhauster of the truffle’s flavor. You can rub garlic on the mandolin slicer when using it for slicing truffles.

Truffles can be saved in the fridge for up to 10 days but not hermetically sealed, because truffles release gas. Place them in a bowl, cover it with uncooked rice or you can dip them in grapeseed oil. If you use rice, you can use them later that absorbed the flavor of the truffle. Also, you can place eggs in a bowl with truffles, and those eggs will absorb the flavor of the truffle through their porous shell.

truffles can also be stored in a freezer or sterilized. But not hermetically sealed because they release gas. You can grow this truffle-like potato, underground next to certain trees such as chestnut, or oak. to find these truffles, you need either a dog, pigs, or flies.

2. Tuber magnatum

This is a white truffle. Also, this can be mentioned as the best truffle in the world. and it is also the most expensive truffle. You cannot grow these truffles and you need a good sniffer dog to find these truffles. They grow underground mostly in the Piedmont region of northern Italy and in parts of Greece. They grow from October to mid-January. You can keep them in the fridge, not in a closed container, and for a maximum of one week. Never freeze this truffle. They are used only raw and fresh. It goes with white meat, seafood, rice, and potatoes.

3. Tuber aestivum

Tuber aestivum is also known as “summer truffle”. They are cheap and don’t have a lot of flavors. Many restaurants use it for the name “truffle”. It is very common during the summer. You can find it everywhere, also different types of restaurants use them as slices on top of salads and different cold dishes. This truffle should be used raw, cool, and cold. They grow from May to August. You do not freeze them.

4. Tuber Uncinatum

This truffle is also known as “Burgundy Truffle”. Its characteristics are a combination of the Tuber Auestivum because it is cheaper than the Melanosporum. But it has less flavor than the “truffe du period”. They are growing from September to November. And grows in shady places. You can use it raw but it is preferably used cooked.

How much does a truffle cost?

The price of fresh truffles depends on the stock and demand at any given moment, the species of truffle, and the quality of the product. It also depends on whether the buyer is buying at retail price or corporate i.e. for a diner. White truffles grown in northern Italy are the most precious of all and their scent is deeper.

In the northern part of Le Marche, Italy known as Acqualagna hosts an annual truffle festival where fresh truffles and fresh truffle products are sold in the market. It is well worth a visit because the whole town fills with a glorious scent of truffles.

Black truffles are the common verity. And they currently cost around $95 per ounce. White truffles are the most expensive ones. They cost around $168 per ounce.

These days, farming has taken over as our primary source of truffles, and today, 70% of the world’s truffles are cultivated.  

Through the loss of woodland and climate change, the number of wild truffles has decreased significantly. 

Since the 19th century, production in France has fallen from over 1,000 tonnes for a season to just 30 tonnes. And climate change could mean that truffles will disappear altogether in the future. 

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