TRUFFLES could soon find their way into local restaurants if orchardist Borry Gartrell's experiment of growing truffles in the Orange climate is successful.
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Worth between $4000 and $18,000 per kilo, truffles are an expensive gourmet fungus on par with foie gras and caviar. They grow underground near the roots of hazel, oak and beech trees. The French have utilised truffles in their cooking for thousands of years.
They are usually found by the smell they give off which is attractive to sows. Traditional foragers still use pigs to dig up the delicacy, although most truffle farmers prefer trained dogs.
After a decline in the growth of Europe's wild truffles, scientists developed a method of growing the truffle commercially.
"The process includes growing an acorn or hazelnut in a sterile environment. In the first few months the tree is inoculated with truffle spores which develop with the tree,” Mr Gartrell said.
"It is not a natural method so there is a lot of competition from native eucalyptus and radiata pine fungi. You have to condition the soil beforehand using vast quantities of lime.
"One other requirement is the climate must be cold, but there are no guarantees they will grow here.”
Mr Gartrell travelled to Tasmania three years ago to learn about growing truffles and develop links with the $15 million industry established there.
Two years ago he planted 100 oaks inoculated with truffle spores, which should be ready for harvest in three years.
"I'm working on the basis that if it doesn't work I'll still have a nice little park of oak trees,” he said.
