Known as the ‘diamonds of the culinary world’, truffles are rare and expensive due to changing climate conditions.
What are truffles?
They are the fruiting body of a fungus. They grow underground with the roots of many trees. This fruiting body also has a pungent smell and strong flavour.
Chefs use the raw form of truffles in shavings or slices on top of dishes, such as pasta and salads. Some also insert thin slice of truffle into meat before cooking it. Furthermore, the flavour of trufles is infused with different items to create specialty products such as sauces or truffle oil.
Why are they so expensive?
Farming and cultivating trufles is a long and arduous process.
- The spores need to be properly spread across the land. Second, the plantation should have oak, hazelnut, poplar, and beech trees for better growth. Cultivation can only begin after 7-15 years.
- The global supply of truffles has become endangered in recent years due to changing rainfall patterns and increases in temperature. This pushes up the price.
