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HOW DO YOU GROW TRUFFLES?  

Historically, truffles were simply 'found' and could not be grown.  

They were often tracked down by Truffle pigs that had an excellent nose for the fungus. 

In the 19th century, many of the attempts at cultivating the truffle failed miserably. 

French gourmet Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin once called truffles 'the diamond of the kitchen'.

In 1825, he said: 'The most learned men have sought to ascertain the secret [to growing truffles], and fancied they discovered the seed. 

'Their promises, however, were vain, and no planting was ever followed by a harvest.'

The truffle fungus requires a host, often the roots of a tree in order to grow properly. 

Truffles are produced by inoculating the seeds of trees with the fungus.

This fragile process occurs in a greenhouse and can take some time, the trees are then planted and as the plant grows, so do the roots and, as a result, so do the truffles. 

The tubers can then be harvested when they are fully developed.

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