I would venture to guess that not too many of you are growing French truffles in your gardens, but the gourmands among us will be happy to know that someone in Tennessee has figured out how to grow them here, specifically the Perigord truffle known as the Black Queen. While Mr. Michaels is not a gardener per se, he is a botanist and plant pathologist.
With a little imagination, one could say that Les Perles Noire du Perigord, literally meaning the black pearls of Perigord, resemble the Tahitian pearls cultivated in the South Seas, and as the author of this article writes, "...are as difficult to grow as icebergs in Florida." Why? Because the fungi botanically known as Tuber melasporum are notoriously finicky about where they will grow, from the proper soil conditions (lots of clay seasoned with plenty of lime) to the root system upon which they colonize. Mr. Michaels has managed to do just that in his hazelnut orchard.
Whether you’re a fan of truffles or not, it’s definitely a lucrative business. The East Tennessee truffles sell for $800 per pound, a price that most chefs are willing to pay, considering the market price in the rest of the world--a whopping $2000 per pound.
Source: Famed French truffles grow in East Tenn.