Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Behold the $200,000 Fungus





I'll admit I'm kind of fascinated by fungi. Neither plant nor animal, they can be delicious, disgusting, or downright deadly. (Some species are even rather pretty.) But the fungus that's always interested me the most is the truffle.

Though they often resemble deformed potatoes, truffles are one of the world's most sought after delicacies. A few thin slices can turn an average meal into a gourmet experience. (And add several zeros to your bill.) But high-quality truffles are difficult to find. They grow underground near the roots of deciduous trees. And anyone who intends to gather them must first seek assistance from the animal community.

Traditionally, truffle hunters have relied on pigs to sniff out the fungi. But pigs have an unfortunate habit of gobbling up all the truffles they find. So many have turned to dogs, which aren't always as effective as truffle hogs but show far more self-discipline.

In fact a dog named Rocco was responsible for sniffing out the enormous truffle shown above--one of the biggest discovered in more than half a century. It was more than two and a half feet underground, near oak tree outside of Pisa, Italy. It's expected to sell for more than $200,000. I just hope Rocco gets his cut of the profits.

Read more here.

(Below: A truffle hunt in progress.)


24 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

ewwwwwww sorry but ewwwww ! sing like no one can hear you and live life to the fullest (:{0 mustache man!

10:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

geez people just take something gross and call it a delicacy (foie gras or escargot, anyone?)
you could seriously buy a house for as much money as that piece of fungus.

10:56 PM  
Blogger Spring said...

I wish I could find one, then sell it and have money! LOL... Why EAT it? (Though I kinda would like to TRY it.)

9:43 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i wonder how you train a dog to smell out fungi...

10:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It looks like a rock.
Oh look, a fungus. Yum! *bites into it. (cracking noises)* Oops, it WAS a rock. I couldn't tell the difference!

12:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Nellie,

Does your house still smell like plastic?

12:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

wow. wow. words fail me at the moment.

1:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nope, not anymore. (yay) But actually the smoke damage was just soot on the wall that comes of with a wet sponge.(yay again)

3:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I LOVE those red-and-white-spotted mushrooms! To look at, I mean.

5:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i woulnd't eat it but i would sell it for some cash then use the cash to buy another bookcase for my room so i'll have four and hopefully enough to hold all my books!

6:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, I need help. Does anyone know where I can buy Kevlar fabric for less than $25 a yard? If not, I won't be crushed, because I've never actually NEEDED a bullet-proof outfit, but it would be cool.

6:40 PM  
Blogger Ariana said...

I agree with Hazel, I love to look at pretty mushrooms, but hate eating ANY kind of mushroom.

6:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ananka, you didn't answer! Can we PPPPPPPPPPPretty PPLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZ with a big juicy cherry on top have a KIKI Convention? WE WANT TO MEET YOU AND EACH OTHER!

7:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hehehe, I am VERY interested in plants, including fungi. The Amanita looks like the mushroom from Mario... anyways, that is one big potat-er...truffle. They are the strangest mushrooms...

9:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Waddabout the KIKI STRIKE CONVENTION?! CaN WE HAVE ONE? PLEASE:(

9:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The people on the "Board for Changing the way the Comment Wall is Worded, and Confusing ME" has changed the "other" thingy. It is now your "nickname".

Just thought that yall should know.

~IM

3:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

UDK2KMN:
You are DETERMINED!

3:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A convention? That sounds like a fabulous idea to me. But where would we all meet? Do you ever come to New York?

3:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I live in The-middle-of-nowhere, but air and missed school couldn't be much of a problem!

6:18 PM  
Blogger Spring said...

I wouldn't be able to come to New York. Noooo!

6:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

International Mastermind--how's the ankle doing?

7:52 PM  
Blogger International Mastermind said...

It is okay, i am off of my heavy meds.

No NYC for me either. What about a KS world tour?

2:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

iM (international master mind) the idea if a kiki strike tour would be soooooo awsome, ananka, could you and kirsten miller please (pretty pretty ) pwease make
a cool tour thinga mabob! 2laz2us rel wordz

8:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't even like mushrooms, so I wouldn't even want to pat $1.

1:44 PM  

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