truffle hunting: istra, croatia

Ever wonder where that delicious truffle you ate at a restaurant came from?  And why they’re so expensive? 

Truffles are actually a fungus, a like a mushroom, but found in the ground.  Only available a few months each year, they are found around trees where truffle farmers bring specially trained dogs to smell them out.  Almost like finding gold, once a truffle is found, it can fetch anywhere from $300 to $1,000 a pound (.5 kg).  Once they are dug out of the ground, their flavor only lasts an average of 5 to 7 days; making them even more special when you experience their flavor at your favorite restaurant.