Truffles, the rare and tasty fungi, have been found in New Brunswick
Experts say that finding truffles in Atlantic Canada is “very exciting” because they typically grow in temperate European regions, such as Spain and Italy.
Truffles are underground fungi that have become increasingly popular over the last few years due to their rich, earthy aroma and are amongst the most expensive foods in the world. They typically grow in highly specific conditions across temperate climates in Italy, France and Spain, which is why mycologists are excited that truffles have been found growing in New Brunswick.
The New Brunswick Museum (NBM) shared a post on Facebook that announced a batch of truffles were donated by Peggy Cooper, who accidentally found the fungi while gardening on September 24, 2020. The truffles were unearthed in the Kingston Peninsula area and Alfredo Justo, botany and mycology curator at the museum, says that the discovery is “a very exciting find,” as reported by CBC.
“While NBM’s Botany & Mycology Department [has] been able to confirm these are true truffles, we still do not know which particular species. Part of this collection will be studied by truffle experts at the University of Florida, to get it fully identified,” the museum explained on Facebook.
The truffles found in the Kingston Peninsula area were donated so they can be studied by experts. Credit: New Brunswick Museum
WHY ARE TRUFFLES SO EXPENSIVE?
Truffles are highly prized by chefs and culinary experts around the world and despite the high demand for the fungi, a large supply is not guaranteed.
Truffles mainly grow in temperate European regions with sufficient rain and alkaline soils. They are highly sensitive to changes in weather and climate, which means the amount harvested each year can significantly vary.
A study published in Environmental Research Letters warns that the rapidly warming European summer temperatures, which are rising 40 per cent faster than the rest of the world, could create more heat waves and up to a 15 per cent reduction in summer precipitation in the Mediterranean truffle-producing regions.
The researchers say that truffle cultivation is associated with “high ecological and economic risks” due to frequent and intense droughts the Mediterreanean region experiences in the summer months. Insufficient rainfall affects both the quality and quantity of the truffles, which requires greater irrigation efforts and more harvesting expenses.
Black truffles for sale at a shop in Rome, Italy. Credit: Arpingstone/ Wikimedia Commons
Another reason why truffles have such a hefty price tag is that they have a fairly short growing season. European white truffles, which are considered to be the rarest and most desired variety, commonly grow in northern Italy’s Piedmont region from October to December. They can cost up to $3,600 per pound and a pair of white truffles from this region sold for over $125,000 in 2014.
Lastly, locating the truffles is difficult because they are not visible to the naked eye since they grow underground near tree roots. Trained animals, such as dogs and pigs, are used to locate growing truffles due to their excellent sense of smell. Truffles do not ripen once they are picked, which means that the truffle hunters can only extract them from the ground at peak ripeness, which is another challenging aspect that raises the cost of these fungi.
Thumbnail courtesy: New Brunswick Museum
