Outside Podcast Thanksgiving Special: The Wild, Weird, and Sketchy World of Truffle Hunting
Nov 26, 2025
Rowan Jacobsen, a contributing editor and author specializing in food, nature, and science, dives into the intriguing world of truffle hunting. He shares tales from eerie Italian forests to the Appalachian hills where truffles, worth their weight in gold, are stealthily sought after. The conversation explores the underground economy likened to the drug trade, the thrill of the hunt, and the unique aromas that make truffles irresistible. Rowan also discusses the secretive 'truffle knights' in Hungary and predicts an exciting future for American truffle culture.
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Moonlit Treasure Hunt In Barolo
- Rowan Jacobsen describes a moonlit truffle hunt in Barolo with dogs leading hunters through misty, slippery woods.
- The experience heightens senses and feels like a hypersensitive treasure hunt driven by scent.
Truffle Market Mirrors Drug Trade
- Rowan Jacobsen compares the truffle trade to the illegal drug trade due to high value and underground sales.
- Both markets create identical tensions: secrecy, unregulated buyers, and potential criminal actors.
Price Spikes From Scarcity
- European white truffles can spike to extraordinary prices when seasons fail, reaching thousands per pound.
- Scarcity-driven pricing makes truffles a luxury commodity with volatile market value.
