Paul Thomas, who led the research at Lancanshire-based truffle biz Mycorrhizal Systems
Sounds like a fun guy
The Périgord black truffle has survived UK weather and grown in Wales*. Paul Thomas, who led the research at Lancanshire-based truffle biz Mycorrhizal Systems, told The Register for his team: "It's completely unexpected." The price of the Périgord black truffle, known scientifically as Tuber melanosporum, varies from year to …
Actually, he came across very well when he appeared on Dragon's Den a few years ago. He'd done his research, and spoke confidently. One of the Dragons said "I love the idea, and I'm very impressed with you" or words to that effect.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/brightideas/6957082/Dragons-Den-truffle-grower-hopes-to-unearth-profit-after-five-years-cultivation.html
Because there are known knowns, and there are unknown unknowns too. But there are also known unknowns, and unknown knowns.
Or they asked George W. Bush.
So, it was unknown to you that it was unknown to me that it was known to you all along
I now know that it was known to you all along
And, hopefully, it is now known by you that it was unknown by me that it was known to you all along
Now I know I've got a headache...
There are native UK black truffles (unattractive but tasty, irritatingly as they are below the surface best found with help of a dog, my find was accidental, when forking round a hazel hedge to remove weeds & found some) .
As someone who has never tried extortionately expensive continental truffles, if anyone has tried them, are they lots better than the native ones? .. though native ones probably only cheap if you find your own!
.. awaits frothing Brexiter moaning about Foreign truffles coming in and taking jobs of UK truffles (though as the native truffles are black, Brexiters might self destruct in anti Europe - pro UK Black dichotomy)
You still haven't twigged. This climate change is a cunning plan engineered by British boffins to ensure that, come Brexit, we'll be exporting truffles and vin rouge to the world, while the froggies stare in dismay at their parched domaines. Next up, olive tree plantations in Lincolnshire.
"... come Brexit, we'll be exporting truffles and vin rouge to the world"
Great idea, much better than exporting innovative jams. And under WTO rules we can export truffles to India, one of our target markets, subject to a tariff of only 30% (if I understand http://tao.wto.org/report/ExportMarketV2.aspx Duties faced in export markets correctly). Clearly much more attractive than sending them across the Irish Sea or North Sea with no tariffs at all. (Sarcasm intended.)
I'm not sure, but did the article suggest that an oak tree might be needed as a host? I'm fairly sure an oak tree wouldn't fit in my shed even if i did clear out all the junk nesting in it. Or is Quercus ilex a particularly tiny sort of oak tree?
Truffles, AFAIK, grow on the roots of specific trees. On the continent they used to use pigs to find them as they'd be a little bit burried in the ground. However the pig would quite often eat them, hence the move to using dogs instead.
Bonsai oak Tree?
If it's so lucrative, you'd think boffins would have found a way to simulate the conditions by now.
Obviously not. I do find it interesting that evolution has produced species that suck so much at reproducing.
A world where Blighty wins the First Prize for Premium Quality Truffles
Or beats the French at making sparkling wine.
I don't know whether the article was saying that holm oaks don't like northern latitudes or whether they just won't fruit truffles at northern latitudes.
Either way, there's one in the Quad of St Marys College in St Andrews, at 56 20' 10" N (if memory serves me right) - said to have been planted by Mary Queen of Scots. Cue truffle hunting students.
<fx>I think she's deed - No, Ah'm not. Thwack, bang...</fx>
"I don't know whether the article was saying that holm oaks don't like northern latitudes or whether they just won't fruit truffles at northern latitudes."
The home of Australia’s first black truffle Truffles grow in association with hazel nuts, not just holm oaks. We grow truffles here in Tasmania where they are considered a cool climate crop. Like Britain, Tasmania's Köppen Climate designation is temperate maritime. Just as when Tasmania was settled in the early 19th century. I fully expect the climate to change to temperate maritime again in the future, but unlike some refuse to panic about these unwonted "changes".
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/common-non-native-trees/holm-oak/
Naturalised in the UK. Been here since the 1500s.
So presumably the trick is to get the truffles to grow on the large number of Holm Oaks already here. Loads of them in Suffolk and Norfolk.
Hmmm....might just take the dog for a walk....--->