Well, despite all this speculation about whether it is possible to
find or grow truffles in the UK. I used to know an old chappy who
collected them (the black truffle) locally, but stoutly refused to
tell which woodland produced them. There are several coastal beech
woods overlying limestone about here, but searching for truffles
without knowing which wood produces them is like searching for a
needle in a haystack. To the untrained eye and uninitiated at least.

I've been in my local in late autumn, when he had been out with his
dog and returned with a bag containing a dozen or so 10p. diameter
truffles. Not big by Dordoigne standards, but respectable
nevertheless. A local Deli paid handsomely for these and for a brief
while, gained a reputation for 'local wild black truffles!'

Both 1989 and 1990 gave very hot summers here on Torbay and the old
fellah made a pretty penny as a result of good 'crops'. He gave me a
very fine tuber and it went into some very posh omelettes and a
wonderful pate. The shavings were soaked in oil which lasted for a
couple of years in the fridge. He did promise that he might let me
know where to search, but sadly died in 1992 without revealing his
secret. Pity because we've had a fair number of hot summers here
since and its a shame to think of those culinary delights sitting
going to waste.


Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November
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