I OFTEN recite the story of how I first tasted the delicious dessert wine, Monbazillac, very close to where the grapes are grown, accompanied by a truffle omelette. It was a marriage made in heaven, although the wine was the main topic. But how can an omelette be so good?

Well, the superb taste of what is probably the most expensive ingredient in the world, mixed in with very fresh hens' eggs, is quite improbable.

This bizarre little tuber is surrounded in mystery. What we do know is that it usually grows near oak trees, below a bare patch of ground, sucking out all the goodness, so nothing else will grow there.

There appears to be a complex relationship between the fungus and the roots of the tree.

Pigs were once used to snuffle them out, but they had the bad habit of consuming the precious orbs as they found them.

The black truffle, Tuber melanosporum, grows in several European countries, although the best, the Perigord variety, comes from the region of the same name, in France.

The white truffle, Tuber magnatum, is milder and more delicate, the best-known variety coming from Alba, in Piedmont, Italy.

Two years ago, the biggest white truffle for more than 50 years was found in Tuscany, weighing 1.5kg. It sold for £160,000.

I don't think there is any point in publishing a recipe using white truffles, I've not seen them in the local supermarket.

Truffle oil, although not cheap, can give you a real heady truffle buzz, when used judiciously, as in this wild mushroom omelette.

Omelette aux champignons


(serves 2)

6 medium-sized eggs

1 tbsp chopped tarragon

300g mixed wild mushrooms

25g unsalted butter

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and milled pepper

1 tbsp white truffle oil


Crack three eggs into each of two bowls, and whisk them briskly, adding a little seasoning.

Wipe clean the mushrooms and cut into even-sized pieces. Heat the butter and cook the mushrooms lightly, adding a little seasoning.

Mix the tarragon in with the mushrooms, and add half to each bowl of eggs.

Put half the olive oil into the hot omelette pan or small frying pan. Add a bowl of the egg mixture and stir over the gas with a fork, making sure not to overcook, leaving the centre slightly runny (baveuse).

Fold over and turn out on to a warm plate. Repeat with the second bowl of eggs.

Drizzle a little of the truffle oil over the top of each omelette.