Truffles are a rare, intensely flavoured relative of the mushroom that grow beneath the ground (in Italy, sows are used to hunt for these prized foods as the female pigs are drawn to the pheromones they release). While fresh versions of the fungi are not available locally, bottled truffles (preserved in brine) are available in Cape Town at Giovanni’s Deliworld and Main Ingredient, at Everfresh in Durban and at Thrupps in Jo’burg.