Truffles selling for $3200 a pound – Hello? MSU?

In 2016, Italian white truffles, used in gourmet dishes around the world, sold for about $1300 a pound. According to SFGate.com, this year, because of hot and dry conditions in Italy, the harvest is down, leading to truffles being priced at $3200 a pound!

For your benefit, I've done some investigating. Truffles are related to mushrooms in that they're both a fungus. The difference is that mushrooms grow above ground and truffles grow underground - like potatoes. Truffles are hunted with special dogs or pigs that sniff them out where they grow wild. (To my German Shepherd, Axel - get ready, buddy. And, yes, he reads my blog posts, every day)

Truffles grow all over the world. The Discovery Channel had a show about guys in Oregon searching for black truffles.  We do have truffles growing in Michigan. However, Michigan truffles are brick red and, apparently, not as good as Italian white truffles. One would think somebody at Michigan State - one of the finest ag colleges in the world, would be able to figure out how to grow Italian white truffles here (and train our truffle-sniffing dogs and pigs) or at least genetically modify Michigan truffles to taste better. So I could grow them in my backyard and start living a life of luxury.

If you work at Michigan State, in the fungi department - I'd like to hear (or read) your thoughts. Thank you in advance.

Here's the story.

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