Sunny is a dog worth three times her weight in gold. The kelpie weighs 25 kilograms, which at the present gold price is roughly $1.1 million. During last year’s truffle season, she sniffed out 1.6 tonnes of Perigord truffles – a whopping pile of funky fungal nodules for which the world’s gastronomes would pay more than $3 million.
This highly trained working dog plies her trade for the largest truffle producer in the Southern Hemisphere, the Wine & Truffle Company in Manjimup, an idyllic corner of South Western Australia. Here the start of winter, when truffles come into season, is welcomed with relish.
Sunny joins many other prized working dogs of her nature, sniffing out black gold during the winter months at a raft of “truffieres” – orchards of hazelnut and oak trees – dotted around the southern parts of Australia. In fact, Australia is now one of the most prolific producers of black truffles, after France, Spain and Italy and their quality regarded amongst the world’s best.
This growing gourmet industry is becoming so revered in Australia that with each annual truffle season, a slew of events and specialist activities is staged to celebrate these earthy nuggets of flavour.
Gourmands can now go hunting with the likes of Sunny. Manjumup’s Wine & Truffle Company host regular hunts from June to August where you can forage amidst their forest of oak trees to unearth a precious find, while many trufferies from as far south as Tasmania to the ACT also offer this simple thrill of watching a truffle dog at work combined with post hunt lunches featuring truffle, of course. Distillers Bass & Flinders, in the cool hinterland of Red Hill in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, are even creating truffle infused gin inspired by a local truffle producer. They offer master class tastings as part of the winter truffle season.
Melbourne’s Nigel Wood has become so enamoured with the truffle, he’s created an entire business dedicated to celebrating it. Truffle Melbourne – now in its third year – is a month long festival of events he creates to honour the producers and herald this prized fungus. There’s hunting and gathering activities, special events, limited edition produce, menus and dishes with truffles at leading restaurants in Victoria’s capital and also the state’s burgeoning truffle growing areas in the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula. A perfect antidote for the winter chill setting in.
“Truffles are mysterious, valuable, delicious and fragrant all at once. There are few luxury items that require a hog or a dog to find them!” enthuses Nigel.
Considered one of the world’s delicacies – and usually with a price tag of $2000-$3000 a kilo – Nigel believes truffles aren’t just about luxury rather the earth, the seasons and our connection to it.
“My favourite ways to enjoy truffles are simple and rewarding. Stuff sliced fresh truffles under the skin on a roast chicken before roasting; they play well with butter and eggs and my all time favourite and most frequent way to eat truffles is shaved over scrambled eggs,” says Nigel.
“Better yet, I like the eggs to be infused for 3-4 days before hand to maximise that hit of truffle.”
Discover your own winter truffle experiences:
Western Australia
Truffle hunt tours at Manjimup’s Wine & Truffle Company including guided hunt, wine tasting and truffle cooking demonstration. From June – August. Wine and Truffle
Victoria
Truffle Melbourne’s program of chefs dinners, free activities, tastings and specially created truffle infused produce at Queen Victoria Market, plus regional Red Hill pop-up. From June 17 – July 17. Truffle Melbourne
Red Hill Truffle Tours with Mornington Peninsula Experience – hosted hunt with Thomas the truffle dog on a private property with your bounty prepared into a special truffle inspired lunch menu at Max’s at Red Hill restaurant. Bookings essential. From June – August. Mexperience
Tasmania
Hunt and harvest tours are available at a host of trufferies. Try Tamar Valley Truffles, just out of Hobart. Winter months only. Tamar Valley Truffles
New South Wales
Hosted truffle hunt for black period truffles, followed by a ploughman’s lunch filled with truffle tastes at Lowes Mount Trufferie. Throughout July & August. Lowes Mount Truffles
ACT
The picturesque Majura Valley is home to The Truffle Farm, where three times weekly hunts led by their team of specially trained rescue dogs are hosted with sparkling brunch or degustation lunch to follow. From June to August. The Truffle Farm
New Zealand, South Island
New Zealand’s only true turfferie, Limestone Hills is successfully growing the ‘black, white and burgundy’ truffles just 45 minutes from Christchurch. Truffle hunts with Rosie the truffle dog and on property accommodation at The Shearer’s Cottage. Winter season only. Limestone Hills