Canadian Truffles?

I heard on the radio this morning that truffles are being grown in British Columbia. Actually, I should say that they are attempting to grow truffles in British Columbia.

Until recently, truffles have only grown in the wild and their subterranean existence makes them elusive and pricey. Black Perigord truffles, one of the most coveted truffle varieties, hail from Italy and France and fetch anywhere from $1,000 – $3,000 a pound. The unique, earthy and incredibly fragrant aroma and flavour of the truffle is nature’s way of insuring its propagation. Growing underground, living off of the deep roots of trees and far from harvesting hands, the strong aroma attracts animals who dig them up, eat them and then spread the spores. Truffle hunters have used pigs and dogs for centuries to locate the prized fungi.

It seems that a new technology has been developed where the roots of hazelnut trees are inoculated with the truffle spores and so they are able to be cultivated. They have been doing this in Europe but it’s still a pretty tricky business and takes five to ten years before the truffles can be harvested. It’s rumoured that a BC farmer in Comox Valley has harvested the perigords, but it’s has not been confirmed as of yet.

One of the problems is that the perigord truffles are so aromatic that placed in a closed container with inferior truffles, the imposter truffles take on the aroma and vendors try to pass them off as the real thing. It’s like getting a cubic zirconia instead of as diamond, it’s sparkly but it just ain’t the real thing. The truffle market is therefore pretty careful about embracing new truffle sources and will be a while I think before they are touting Canada as a truffle producing enclave. However, truffles thrive in areas where grapes are grown so we may have the makings for a truffle terroir.

Any one out west heard anything about these truffle findings?

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