Why does the luxurious black truffle cost so much and is it even worth the astonishing price?

By Madison Harp

Truffle has made its way to being added to an endless array of foods, including the classic potato chip! From social media to small local restaurants, truffles are making its way across the food market. However, there is a difference between the truffle seen in stores and black truffle, which is much more difficult to find. 

Black truffle is a unique and rare type of fungus, which is what makes it so appealing to the eye at first glance. As it hits the list of trends, more and more people are adding truffles to their everyday foods. But here’s the catch, the truffle that most people are referring to is just the concentrated oil or flavor of truffle and not the fungus in its pure form.

Now that the gourmet item is growing in popularity, but also in more places around the world, it is becoming more accessible. The fungus tastes similarly to something described as buttery, mushroomy, or even olivey. The taste is very unique and draws other flavors out of the foods it is paired with, but only if it’s added to the meal properly. 

If you’re looking to try raw black truffle make sure the restaurant is also a truffle connoisseur as well because many mistakes can be made when handling the hot commodity. If not taken proper care of, that luxurious black truffle you were dying to try will simply taste like unflavored rubber. The shelf life is quite short and if you don’t catch it by its expiration date not only will you be sacrificing a good meal but your bank account will suffer too.

Restaurants are jumping on the trend and adding black truffle on top of endless food options, such as pasta, cheese, and even salad! Despite the quick addition of item to all these foods, try considering if it is even worth being used. Be careful the restaurant does not get too excited when grating the truffle over your meal like cheese, because it certainly is not the same price as cheese. 

Nevertheless, black truffles cannot lose their outstanding reputation because restaurants do not understand how to properly take care of the fungus. Maybe for now, it is best to stick to all the trendy truffle snacks found at Trader Joes. In the meantime restaurants will also learn how to appreciate adding black truffle to their menu selection.