Gourmet Secures Luxury Truffle for 110,000 Euros

A bidder from Hong Kong paid 110,000 euros on Sunday at an auction in Italy for a rare white truffle, consisting of three bulbs. The truffle auction in Alba in northern Italy's Piedmont is considered the most exclusive of its kind. Gourmets from around the world, including from Vienna, bid via video. On Sunday evening, truffles were auctioned for a total of 502,000 euros.

White Truffle Hammered in Italy for 110,000 Euros

During the event, numerous interested parties, who were connected from Vienna, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Frankfurt, and for the first time from Rio de Janeiro, competed in a solidarity-themed competition to secure the valuable specimens of white truffle. The annual truffle auction in Alba, which serves charitable purposes, has been held for almost 100 years. White truffles are collected in the region from September 21 to January 31.

According to experts, the prices for top-quality white truffles this year are 3,500 euros per kilo. For the less renowned black truffles, the price per kilo is around 500 euros. In Italy, there are approximately 200,000 truffle hunters. They generate a turnover of 500 million euros per year.

White Truffle Considered the Most Expensive Delicacy in the World

Due to their unique aroma and taste, truffles from Alba have been fetching top prices for years. To find the rare "diamonds of the kitchen," which grow up to 30 centimeters underground in the roots of oaks, chestnuts, or poplars, truffle dogs are mostly used, sniffing out the bulbs with their excellent noses.

The white truffle is considered the most expensive delicacy in the world. Gourmets consume it by the gram, finely grated, preferably over pasta in Italy. The delicious fungus is known to experts as "Tuber magnatum pico." Every year during truffle season, the costly specialty is sought and celebrated in Italy, especially in the regions of Umbria, Tuscany, and Emilia-Romagna.

(APA/Red)

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