Growing Gourmet Truffle Mad

It doesn’t matter what you do or where you come from it seems that there are always people interested in the intriguing topic of truffles.

The harvesting season has come to end for us and we can happily report on a very successful few months. Starting the end of June and finishing up late August we found truffles every hunt we had at our Waipara site. A lot more care was taken than previous years to make sure the truffles were properly ripe before harvesting (many of you who are now producing will know how hard this is when the excitment takes over and you just want it out of the ground and in your hands.. NOW)! This has meant that we have had some great feedback from chefs that the truffles are extremly flavourable - just what you want to hear.

Another big milestone for us is the multiple finds of truffles at our Ohoka site, the first time truffle has been found here.

So with many positive signs for a productive site it is a busy spring and summer ahead. 

On Southern Cross Truffles's To Do List:

• Prune younger trees and replace and shelters/stakes damaged in the winter
• Mow, cultivate and then spray where needed
• Prune any low hanging or damaged branched on developed trees
• Test leaves for health of any questionable trees
• Set bait stations for pests 
• Apply bio stimulant around trees (especially those that have produced)
• Start watering at key times

The team at NZ Truffle Dog have played a huge role in the success of many this season and it is a big step forward for everyone in the industry.

"The 2012 season its turning out to be a cracker, we have just returned from the North this week with 3 new producing sites some of whom have been producing for some time with no idea or positive location in the past and another newbie in Canterbury, what a great site, with lots of black, ranging from the size of a pea to 50 gms plus, awesome site and great aroma every time the fridge is opened.

We now have discovered 12 newly producing sites, some of which it appears have been producing a while with no positive location in the past – so don’t mean to blow our own trumpet – But show’s that our dogs are fabulous.

Andy and Tracy now have 3 dogs actively working in the fields now – Ozzy, Pepper and Brie."

NZ Truffle Dog Update, August 2012

Tania Lawrence recently ran a truffle cooking demonstration class to more than 30 chefs in Auckland, using some truffles from Southern Cross Truffles's site at Waipara, North Canterbury. Her comments follow:

"Lots of interesting feedback – several commented that they had heard NZ truffle was not as good as European. I proved this wrong with your beautiful smelling perigord.

Then when they were given Brumale and Perigord to smell – they wondered if people were referring to Brumale. I said it was entirely possible that growers out there were selling Brumale as Perigord – purely because they did not know any different. They probably thought they had perigord." Tania Lawarence, NZ Truffle Dog

Not only is it a busy time for the Southern Cross Truffles team out at the truffiere sites, but Growing Gourmet is busy infecting a range of seedlings with both melanosporum as well as borchii, ready for the 2013 spring planting. A range of combinations are being produced so be sure to pre order through Southern Woods Nursery any seedlings you will be wanting for planting next Spring to ensure your delivery.