Truffle Time!

West Australian Black Truffles. 200 grams.
From the Hong Kong rep of the Aussie Truffle Co. 

Truffle Head Byron

Our Truffle Hunting Dog gazes lovingly at his first-ever truffle 

Scrambled W.A. Truffle, Organic N.Z. eggs, Dutch tomatoes

Black truffles are found in forests of northern Italy, southern France and eastern Spain. And now, in Australia and California. Black truffles can be “cultivated” in the sense of Oak trees or Hazel trees panted and inoculated with the spores in the roots. It’s difficult. The trees and soils and climate must all be just right, and it takes years, and lots of luck, to get your first “crops”. Then your truffle dig sniffs them out — it’s called “hunting” — in the short window of ripeness. The Australian one have a season of June to August (iirc). Then there’s only a short shelf life for the fresh truffles, as above. That’s why they’re so expensive.

More info at Repertoire Hong Kong

White truffles are even more expensive because they can’t be raised, but are only found “wild” and only in northern Italy. They cost two to several times the cost of Black truffles, but are much stronger aromatically. 

These western Australian truffles above, which I’ve just got, are strongly aromatic. Had them on Aussie tenderloin steaks last night accompanied by truffle mashed potato. Super.