Black Diamonds of The Kitchen
Heralded as the ‘black diamonds of the kitchen’, these rare, delicious truffles are sought after for the kitchens of distinguished chefs around the world. But what exactly are truffles and why are they so special? Find out below as we deep dive into the extraordinary world of Australian truffles…
What are they?
“Truffles” are the fungal fruiting body of a specialised fungus known as a mycorrhiza. This mycorrhiza becomes colonised on the roots of certain host trees (mainly oaks, hazelnuts, and stone pines). The fungus and roots live in a symbiotic relationship where the fungus uses the trees resources created by photosynthesis (carbohydrates and sugars, etc) and tree receives solubilised nutrients like phosphate from the fungus.
Why are they so rare?
Truffles are rare, in part, because they are nearly impossible to cultivate (recreating the necessary growing conditions is both difficult and costly and it can take years to yield truffles and decades to turn a profit). They are also hard to find. A truffle's complete lifecycle occurs underground. Nature has given the truffle distinctive aromatics to allow animals to detect them under the soil, consume them and then return them to the soil via their droppings. A range of dog breeds can be trained to locate truffles for farmers. Farmers may have their own dog or use a professional harvester. Professional harvesters provide a valuable service to the industry, travelling extensively throughout the truffle season to farms in all regions.
What type grows in Australia?
The most revered and best known, are the French black or Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum), the Italian white or Piedmont truffle (Tuber magnatum), the Summer truffle (Tuber aestivum), and Bianchetto (Tuber borchii). Three of the four truffles mentioned above are relatively easily grown in Australia today. The most expensive truffle of the four, Tuber magnatum, the Italian white truffle has not been successfully produced anywhere in the world to date.
Skulduggery, Murder and Abduction
Historical research into the world of truffle, both factual and anecdotal, makes for nothing less than fascinating and entertaining reading. The truffle, deemed so valuable and yet so scarce for so long, has forged a legend of celebration, festivity and skulduggery due to its high value. In a fascinating history, stories of poaching, truffle dog abduction, murder and black-market activity over many centuries in its native Europe abound.
Ready to partake? Book a table between Monday 17th July - Sunday 23rd July 2023 at Green Moustache to sample one of NSW’s rarest treasures, no need to abduct any dogs this time.