A white truffle weighing about 1 kilogram and harvested in the Alba region of Italy was auctioned at the 25th Alba White Truffle World Auction in Hong Kong on Monday, fetching $154,000, as the South China Morning Post reported.
According to the report, the 908-gram white truffle sold for $154,000. The winning bid also included a four-day stay in Italy’s Piedmont region and an eight-person dinner at Castellana, a Piedmontese restaurant in Hong Kong. The auction raised a total of $385,000.
Participants from Singapore, Vienna, Frankfurt, Bangkok, Seoul, and Alba participated in this auction, with the final bid secured by a Hong Kong participant. Held at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, the auction was hosted by Castellana founder Matteo Morello. Together with Castellana chef Romeo Morelli, Tosca di Angelo’s Angelo Agliano, and Mandarin Oriental chefs Robin Zabu and Matthew Ruther, the team presented a six-course dinner.
Interest in the Alba White Truffle World Auction from Hong Kong’s wealthy elite is nothing new. In 2005, wealthy Hong Kong buyers acquired a 1.2-kilogram white truffle for $110,960, a world record at the time. In 2006, businessman Gordon Wu Ying-seng set another record by purchasing a white truffle weighing between 1.5 and 1.59 kilograms for $160,750. Last year, a 1.04-kilogram Alba white truffle was sold to an anonymous Hong Kong bidder for $141,460.
The proceeds from this auction will be donated to Mother’s Choice, a nonprofit supporting child welfare and pregnant teenage girls in Hong Kong. Morello expressed his joy, saying, “We’re thrilled to announce that the 25th World Alba White Truffle Auction in honor of the charity Mothers Choice hit … the second-highest bid ever [for the main lot]. This incredible support helps us provide essential resources for children.”
Truffles are a luxury mushroom prized by gourmets worldwide for their unique aroma and flavor. In particular, the white truffle is predominantly harvested in the Alba region of northwestern Italy. Their high price stems from their rarity and the difficulty of harvesting them. Truffles grow underground, typically found near the roots of oak or hazelnut trees. Because of this, trained dogs or pigs are often used to locate them.
The intense and distinctive aroma of truffles makes them a frequent ingredient in gourmet dishes. Chefs often serve white truffles thinly sliced raw alongside pasta, risotto, or meat dishes, enhancing the meals with their luxurious flavor. White truffles, in particular, have a milder aroma than other types, allowing them to blend seamlessly with the dish’s ingredients. The limited harvest season and the significant impact of weather and soil conditions also lead to substantial fluctuations in yield from year to year.
White truffles are traded at high prices worldwide, with Alba white truffles considered the highest quality. Since they cannot be cultivated and must be harvested naturally, their value is even greater.
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