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 The NZ Truffle Industry is based on research done by Crop & Food Research at the Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel. | ||
 See these other truffle and NZ links:- The Perigord Black Truffle (Tuber Melanosporum) is a fungus that produces its fruiting bodies under the surface of the soil. The fruiting bodies are black, roughly spherical and covered with small diamond-shaped projections which make them look a little like deformed avocados. These are considered the finest of the edible fungi and have a place in gastronomy alongside saffron, caviar, foie gras and the finest of wines. | |||
| The Perigord Black Truffle prefers a limestone rich alkaline soil and a climate similar to that found in the hills to the south of the Massif Central in France. Such sites can be found in North Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, North Otago and Poverty Bay. Truffières (pronounced true-fee-air - a truffle plantation) have also been established elsewhere on naturally acidic soils which had been dressed with large amounts of lime. Most of the truffières have been established well away from trees which might harbour fungi and compete for space on the roots of the host trees. Also an adequate soil moisture (but not an excess) is known to improve truffle yields. All of the New Zealand truffières have some form of irrigation. | |||
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New Zealand's first commercial truffiere was established in 1987 and since then a further twenty have been planted between Ohiwa in the Bay of Plenty and Alexandra in Central Otago. According to recent information from France fruiting normally begins 9 to 10 years after planting although occasionally it can begin earlier. Truffles are normally harvested during mid-winter with the aid of specially trained dogs although some traditionalists in France still use pigs. Finding markets for New Zealand-grown Perigord Black Truffles is not considered an obstacle as even in season demand exceeds supply. During the workshop Tosca the Truffle Hound found many Truffles - the first weighing 250 g and the largest a huge 475 g. About one and a half kg was found in total. | |||
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 This book by Dr Ian Hall, Gordon Brown & James Byars is also a world first:- the only book about Truffles written in English, and covering such topics as Truffle History, Cooking With Truffles, Establishing a Truffière and notes about Harvesting Truffles and Marketing available. Photographs and diagrams abound in this book - many taken on the New Zealand Truffière that produced the Perigord Black Truffles for the meal detailed in this website. | |||
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This book would appeal to the general reader, the horticulturist, the investor, the scientist or the lover of fine foods, that wish to learn more about this extremely rare delicacy that is now produced in New Zealand. Sorry folks....! The book has been sold out This CD and other publications can be found here... "The Black Truffle" ISBN- 0-478-4670-7 by Dr Ian Hall, Gordon Brown & James Byars
|  The NZ Truffle Association | ||
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View the photos here! |
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| With very special thanks to:- | |||
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