Why are truffles so expensive?

22 Jun 2015, by Susan Alexander Truffles in Truffle Faves

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When just a few shavings of truffle can cost hundreds of dollars, it’s no wonder many ask why these fancy fungi are so expensive!Truffles are considered a delicacy all over the world and are also the most expensive food worldwide. In fact, a one kilo truffle sold for over $330,000 at a Macau auction in 2010! That’s pretty amazing isn’t it!? And the reason for their expense?It’stheir scarcity, and the effort required to find them.

Truffle hunting is no easy pursuit!

Truffles are wild

Truffles are a natural and wild fungi, of which arevery hard to control, no matter how hard we try. It’s not as simple as putting a seed in the ground and waiting for it to grow. We can provide the right conditions but there’s never a guarantee they will grow how, when, and where we want them to! Truffles are also seasonal; they need wet soil and a warm climateto flourish, so it’s necessary to be patient and wait for rain and the right temperature for them to grow.

It takes a team

Finding truffles takes a lot of man power. Plus, they’re sneaky! They grow underground with very little indication ofwhere they are. And although we can grow certain types of trees (that truffles love to grow under), watch for signs, and wait for rain, we still need the help of dogs (and pigs!) with a good nose for truffles to find them. And even still, one person with one dog can only find so many, perhaps only a handful of expensive truffles. The more people looking, the more we can find – however this will drive up the price as these people must be paid for their time and effort.

Me, with a dog in a truffle orchard in France.

Keeping them in mint condition

Once the truffle is unearthed, it’s important to ensure that it stays in pristine condition for wherever it’s going. This might be to a restaurant or off to create a product. Once dug up truffles begin to lose their moisture and aroma, so it’s important to make sure they stay fresh for the recipient. Doing so requires a big effort an often no expense is spared.

Although at times very dear in price, their luscious flavour is worth it! Truffles are certainly delicious and their demand never ceases, so if you’d like to try truffles for yourself to see what all the fuss is about,check out Susan’s truffle products here.