Spice finds a giant Perigord truffle.
The whole of Australia is Perigord truffle crazy right now. In the past few weeks alone I’ve eaten some of the best and most aromatic truffle dishes that I have ever come across. Chefs report they have never seen so many from Australia and summer ones imported from France.
Today, one hour out of Melbourne about ten minutes the other side of some McBungalows I was part of a group hunting for truffles led by Spice (aka Mazasuka Star Struck), who is two weeks away from giving birth to pups, and her owner Sue Brimacombe.
We are on Drago and Ivka Javor’s five year old plantation of some 210 saplings which yielded its first truffle last year.
Digging out the truffle with a spoon.
Spice, a two and a half year-old Australian Shepherd, was trained with truffle oil on a piece of cotton wool for a month or so. She snuffles at the base of the tree and will scrape the ground where there may be a truffle.
Ivka Javor sniffs her prized truffle
Ivka then sniffs the ground followed by a few of the chefs on the Australian Culinary Federation outing.
A couple of Perigord truffles the size of marbles are snuffled out and this giant one, about 140 grams dirty. Drago says that the ideal size is about 70 or 80 grams.
Spice is rewarded and on to the next tree.
The whopper.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Treasure hunting at it’s best. These little beauties are more precious than gold. Did you buy any to take home Ed?
It’s great to see that people are starting to find success cultivating truffles in Australia. Although home cooks can buy imported fresh truffles, the ones I’ve seen for sale to the public haven’t been the greatest specimens (the price, however, has been just as high as you’d expect).
Oh! My! Giddy! Aunt!
Please tell me you bought some and are going to post a fantastic recipe soon?
Pakenham isn’t far from me… No plans for a farm gate stall in the wind?
Hope they’ve got some good security. As Tim says, great to see success with growing these little treasures. Keep us informed of when/whre we may sample some.
My God Ed, Thats what my prostate looks like !
Only kidding
Oh my I am falling in love with those! Only if they were a bit cheaper!
Oh what a feeling!
Well done it seems that the time has arrived for the black truffle in Victoria. I have just recieved 50 trees and making space for them.
It seems that many more sites, that at first were deemed not suitable, are now producing. We were told years ago that its not cold enough here but the Otways site is much more moderate than here. There has been about 7 kilos in the Otways but slowing down now. Have you read Elizabeth Luard’s book? Its a gem.
I wonder of the Italian white [tuber magnatum pico] has been cultivated and the growers are keeping shtum?
Thahn, I didn’t but Ive been lucky enough to eat some wonderful truffle dishes this month.
Tim, I bought an imported French one a few years ago and it was frozen and had lost its aroma. It reminded me of some tinned truffle shavings my mother once bought me. Nasty. Check out the truffles Anh bought mail order from Tassie: http://anhsfoodblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/black-treasure.html
PG, I didn’t but if it was for the current state of the old cc (just bought a ticket to go home and see my mum) I would. Up to you I’m afraid.
Thermomixer, he said something like “If they try it once they won’t try it again. i won’t shoot them or anything…”
Gobbler, I think a friend recently had a polyp removed that looked a bit like that.
Anh, I know they are exe but they are fantastic aren’t they?
George,I wish I had the space. good luck. No white ones yet but I’m going to be making a few calls this week and I’ll see what I can find out.