Why are truffles so expensive?
Black Truffles are considered to be one of the most luxurious foods in the world. They have a fixed market price that fluctuates and changes weekly (as a rule, they are always most expensive in the run-up to Christmas). They are not easy to cultivate - they grow below ground, near the roots of trees. They have a pungent aroma, which is detected by highly trained trained dogs, or pigs. Once found, the truffle must be carefully dug out. The season is short because they must be harvested in winter when they are most ripe. Scarcity and heavy demand makes truffles highly prized.