Although many of us are tightening our budgets and spending less this year, some people out there are continuing to indulge themselves. One example: at an international auction that took place this past Saturday an Italian white truffle sold for $200,000. The tuber weighed just over 2 lbs and was bought by casino mogul Stanley Ho from Hong Kong, who must really love truffles because he bought another enormous white truffle last year at a similar auction for $330,000.
Climate change is largely to blame for the rising price of truffles, since they grow naturally in forests (and aren’t commercially cultivated) they’ve been particularly susceptible to Italy’s recent mix of drought and torrential rains.