In China, many products are produced at prices much lower than they are in other countries,
but until recently, agriculture was not subject to the same type of mass industrialization. Now, it appears that
China is muscling in on the truffle market,
something that the French are not too happy about. France has a 45% share of the truffle market and their fungi cost an
average of more than $500 per pound. Two new Chinese varieties of truffles cost more than 90% less - $28 per pound. The
director of Yunri foods, a Chinese company that sells the truffles, said that they sell over 20 tons of truffles and
mushrooms a year, mostly to the United States, United Kingdom and France.
A representative from the French Federation of Truffle Growers said that there were marked differences in the quality of the truffles, despite the fact that they look almost identical to the pricier Perigord variety. "It's a problem of aroma and of quality consistency." Truffle aficionados, predictably, state that the French version is unquestionably superior, but the real question is whether the average consumer would find the French truffles to be 90% better than the much less expensive Chinese ones.
May is National BBQ Month and National Hamburger Month
Cupcakes, not for dessert (unless beef is your idea of a treat)
Because eating French Fries in the car is so tough
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-05-2006 @ 8:43AM
allen said...
90% better would mean that the french ones would cost $53.20 ...
Try 1785% (or 18 times) better =)
Reply
4-05-2006 @ 9:38AM
kevin said...
Truffles also grow in the US: http://www.oregonwhitetruffles.com/
Reply
4-05-2006 @ 9:39AM
Nicole Weston said...
$28 per pound *is* less than 90% percent of the price of the french truffles - almost 95% less, actually. The "90% better" refers to the taste of the truffles, not the price.
Reply
4-05-2006 @ 10:22AM
Dmnkly said...
Any online sources for the Chinese variety? I wouldn't mind giving them a spin.
Reply
4-05-2006 @ 3:46PM
extramsg said...
People say the same thing about our Oregon truffles vs French and Italian truffles. (I usually am able to find ours around $7 an ounce fresh for either white or black, lower in volume.)
However, my experience is that it's not so much the truffle that is worse, but the people gathering the truffles. Truffles need to be "ripe". Around here, the truffle picking is still relatively young and you'll see these huge piles of truffles, many with no aroma whatsoever. Then you'll find a guy who knows what he's doing and he'll have a smaller selection, but they'll be great quality.
I've gotten jarred truffles from Europe and the fresh ones here are cheaper and better quality than those. But I've never gotten a fresh or frozen European truffle and can only compare to what I've had at top restaurants, which have been better. But then, top restaurants in the US are getting the very best quality, too, and have trained people for choosing such things. A big advantage over me going to the local farmers market.
Reply
4-27-2006 @ 12:31AM
k. ko said...
I have tried the Chinese truffles, as well as the French and Italian ones. They were extremely poor in quality and tasted more like dirt. I do not recommend them, but they're becomming more common. I would like to try the Oregon ones, but so far Italian white truffles are my favorite.
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