Latest news with #RobertsonTruffles
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Advertiser
Truffle hunting in NSW Southern Highlands like searching for black gold
Unearthing these fancy fungi is even more satisfying than eating them. Just underneath the surface of the ground, around the 300 oak trees filling the paddock on this NSW Southern Highlands farm, something special is growing in the dark. From the mycorrhizal fungus that the farm's Tanya Grassi affectionately calls "the mother" are born some of Australia's most sought-after truffles. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper All other in your area What a find! Picture by Michael Turtle "It's science... but it's magic," Tanya tells me, adding an even deeper layer to the experience we're having. For my next trick, watch me pull a truffle out of the ground. Tanya Grassi and Patrick Moroney run Robertson Truffles about two hours' drive from either Canberra or Sydney. Not only do they provide produce to some of the country's top restaurants, they also offer truffle-hunting experiences during the season from June to August. That's why I'm here, to try to find some of these famously tasty treats. It turns out that there's not much hunting involved... at least, not for me. That role is taken by two adorable dogs, a black labrador called Seal and a former explosives-detecting dog called Twiggy. Their handler, Marilyn McKenzie, explains how she has to use them in different ways: "Seal is good at dragging me to where the aroma is best because she knows she'll get better rewarded if it's a better truffle. But Twiggy is an opportunist, so she'll stop at them all." From what I can see, they're both finding lots of truffles, and Marilyn marks with pink flags the spots where the dogs lay down with their noses on the ground. When I reach one of them, I get down on my knees and use a spoon to gently push away dirt, uncovering a hard brown lump. I loosen the earth around it, then, with a wiggle and a tug, I hold up the truffle triumphantly! Truffle dogs Twiggy and Seal. Picture by Michael Turtle "It's firm, no squishy bits, and no surface damage," Patrick says as he assesses it for me. "See how it's a deep rich black with clear white lines, that's what you want. It's got a nice surface and good aroma." But how much is it worth? Just under a hundred bucks, he tells me. Robertson Truffles is not like a fruit-picking farm where you get to keep what you find, so Patrick takes my treasure from me and jokes that the dogs sniff everyone as they leave to make sure. But most of the truffle hunting experiences you can book here also include a long lunch that incorporates the farm's truffles into the dishes, so you do get to eat some of your discoveries. Today, though, I'm having lunch in Robertson at the Moonacres Cooking School, right next to the Big Potato (which has recently been painted pink to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie Babe , pleasing local residents who would sometimes refer to it as 'the Big Turd'). There are regular classes at the cooking school (the winter pie lesson next month looks good!) but I'm here for a special event to meet some of the local food producers. The Big Potato, recently painted to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie Babe. Picture by Michael Turtle It's not all truffles in the NSW Southern Highlands, but it's all a delicacy - and it's all produced with care. At the Moonacres Farm, there's a focus on the quality of the soil, which helps to grow its high-quality fruit and vegetables. At Jamberoo Mountain Farm, the chickens are moved around in caravans to naturally fertilise the land. At Taluca Park, the Berkshire pigs are all free range. And at Mussett Holdings, the regenerative farm is the result of a young couple trying to teach their children about food origins. It's inspiring to hear from all these farmers (and to taste their hard work!). But when I ask how many restaurants in the Southern Highlands use their produce, the answer is... not many. There are some places to eat that they recommend - the Moonscapes Cafe in Robertson, Paste in Mittagong, and The What If Society in Moss Vale, for example. But if you just popped into a random cafe, restaurant, or pub, it's more likely that you'll be eating meals made with ingredients grown interstate or even overseas. Why? The short answer is that it's cheaper. Tasting local produce at Moonacres Cooking School. Picture by Michael Turtle There are many places around the world where local and seasonal produce makes up the bulk of the food that's eaten there. Italy is the obvious one, where the cuisine has evolved around the availability of local ingredients. Even a simple pizza will generally have fresh toppings that have come from the nearby market. But I've also experienced it a lot in my travels, in countries like Austria, Japan, Vietnam, and Mexico. Sometimes it's because it's cheaper to use ingredients grown locally than to import them (which tends to be the opposite of what often happens in Australia) and sometimes it's because that's what consumers want. Of course, there are lots of restaurants in Australia that use produce from the region - I'm thinking especially of some fantastic places in the NSW Riverina, an area known as the state's food bowl. But they can seem like the exception rather than the rule, 'farm to table' being a promotable selling-point and not just expected behaviour. Truffle producer Tanya Grassi. Picture by Michael Turtle Why am I mentioning all of this? Well, because I realise I'm guilty of not thinking or asking about this often enough... and perhaps you are too? I always appreciate when I'm told that a meal has been made with local ingredients, but I don't necessarily do the research to choose a restaurant based on that. I don't do that often enough when travelling overseas and I don't do it enough here in Australia. Hunting for truffles was fun, perhaps a bit of a decadent quest for what producer Tanya Grassi describes as "one of the most seductive smells to humans on earth". But you know what else is seductive? Any good quality food that's been grown sustainably, nutritiously... and locally. Words by Michael Turtle Michael Turtle is an Australian journalist who left his job in televisionto travel the world forever. He'll show you how to find the lesser-knownplaces, get involved in the culture, learn the history, and meet locals along the way.
Time Out
21-07-2025
- Time Out
I went truffle hunting near Sydney – here's what surprised me
I'm officially in my foraging era. The other month, I went deep into a pine forest in the Blue Mountains in search of a type of mushroom called saffron milk caps (no beef Wellingtons were made with them). And a few weeks ago, I visited Robertson – a quaint country town and home of the 'Big Potato' – in the beautiful Southern Highlands, around a 1.5 hour drive from Sydney. Thanks to its red volcanic basalt soil, high rainfall and frosts, it's also the perfect region for growing truffles. We spent the day at Robertson Truffles, a family-owned and -operated truffle farm established more than 15 years ago, making it one of the first operating and producing truffle farms in Australia. Owners Tanya and Patrick Moroney produce Black Perigord truffles, grown underground near the roots of oak and hazelnut trees – they've got about 320 trees on their farm. Restaurants buy directly from them, and you can too. Known for their intense, earthy aromas, truffles – which are a type of fungi – are considered one of the most luxe ingredients in the world. When paired well, they make food incredibly delicious – from a simple golden roast chook to creamy pasta and silky mash. Here's everything I learnt while truffle hunting – and what surprised me. Truffles have truffle sex to reproduce Fungi fun facts are endless, and once you start digging (sorry), they'll blow your mind. Did you know the biggest living thing in the world is a fungus? Yep, a fungus. It's found beneath the forest floor in Oregon, USA, and covers around 965 hectares – that's about 1,350 AFL fields. Here's another one. Scientists have coined the way truffles reproduce as truffle sex – but it's not how we know it. Truffles, like many fungi, reproduce sexually. Two compatible mating types need to be present in the soil near the host tree's roots – and when the conditions are right (hello, damp soil and cold weather), they meet and fuse. And just like us, it takes nine months for a truffle to fully mature. As Tanya, a former medical practitioner, says to me: 'It's science, but it's magic.' You don't really hunt for the truffles… Unlike bananas and avos, truffles do not mature further once they've been removed from their mother mycelium – so from an aroma, taste and financial perspective, it's important to harvest them at peak ripeness. Thankfully, there's someone who can help – bonus points that they're pretty cute. Traditionally, truffle farms in Europe have used truffle pigs to find truffles, because the females are naturally attracted to a chemical in them that's similar to a sex pheromone. But these days, it's much more common to use trained dogs to sniff out the best truffles. Twiggy and Seal were the very cute and very well-trained dogs who work at Robertson Truffles. Watching them, with their noses to the ground, lying down when they found the perfect one, was amazing. And they didn't eat them – which shows incredible restraint, if you're asking me. Once Twiggy and Seal found the best truffles, we helped Tanya and Patrick gently remove them from the soil, taking care not to damage the mycelium. The best way to enjoy truffles is to make a butter with them – and forget about the supermarket truffle oil Just like me, truffles love fat and cream. Patrick tells me his favourite way to enjoy truffles – and in his opinion, the best – is to make truffle butter with them. That way, the flavour is infused throughout the butter, making it go further. His go-to lunch is a toasted sandwich with truffle butter, ham and cheese. Truffle butter is also delicious twirled through angel hair pasta or spooned on top of silky mash. And whatever you do – put down the truffle oil you find at the supermarket. Most of them aren't made with real truffles, but with synthetic ingredients. Fresh is always best. Storage-wise, place your truffles in the fridge – ideally wrapped in a paper towel inside an airtight container – and enjoy for up to 7-10 days. It's easier and more accessible to go truffle hunting than you think If you're keen to get in on the action, during the harvest season between June and August, guests are welcome to join a truffle hunt tour at Robertson Truffles. They also host long truffle-spiked lunches and other events throughout the year. You can find out more here. Of course, there are other truffle farms throughout New South Wales and Australia if you're keen to get your hands dirty and have some fungi fun. Like truffle hunting, you'll need to do a bit of digging (online). But don't wait – truffle season isn't long All good things come to an end, and truffle season in Australia is relatively short – running from June to August. Go hard this winter. Order them at your favourite local restaurant – which supports truffle farmers – or source them yourself to enjoy at home. And soon enough, we'll be saying goodbye to them for the season. The good news? There's always next year – that's if the conditions are right, of course.
