Appalachian farmers hope region will become truffle capital of the world

Some farmers in East Tennessee and western North Carolina are hoping to make Appalachia the new truffle capital of the world, reports Ted Burnham of National Publc Radio's food blog, The Salt. Truffles are a richly flavored mushroom that originated in France and are notoriously hard to grow since they sprout from fungus on roots of certain trees. They take years to reach maturity, and next year, Appalachian growers hope to see results from efforts started in 2007. (Reuters photo by Regis Duvignau)

Restauranteurs are taking notice of Appalachian truffles at festivals across the U.S., including the fourth annual National Truffle Fest in Asheville, and similar celebrations in Oregon and California's Napa Valley. There are several varieties of truffles, but few are edible. Perigord, which Appalachian farmers grow, "is considered the crown jewel and ... is known as the "black diamond" truffle," Burnham writes. The variety can be worth $800 or more a pound. Farmer Tom Michaels, owner of Tennessee Truffle, said he individually selects truffles to meet customer requests, and delivers them fresh. He only harvests about 3 to 5 percent of what he thinks his orchard could produce, but rapid growth of the U.S. industry and high demand could soon make Appalachian truffles a big business. (Read more)