''SNUFFLE'' the truffle dog led foodies through picturesque paddocks at Mount Majura last week on a hunt for rare French black truffles on Ruffles Estate, giving people the chance to get their hands dirty to celebrate the month-long Canberra and Capital Region Truffle Festival.
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The French black truffles are considered some of the most desirable of the truffle delicacies. They are grown under 2500 trees on the Ruffles Estate.
The owner of the estate, Sherry McArdle-English, said 2012 was a big year for produce in Canberra. ''There are plenty of truffles out there in the paddock,'' she said.
''The truffle will mature at some stage during the winter season - across 12 weeks - and will only remain fresh in the ground for 12 days, so we need to find it and dig it out when it is ready.
''Without the truffle dog we have no idea where the truffle is, so the dog is an essential part of the hunt.''
Ms McArdle-English has five highly trained sniffer dogs which cover the site each week.
Many of the participants followed up the hunt with a truffle cooking class at 3Seeds at Fyshwick Markets.
Keen foodies took their own aprons and favourite knives to the popular class, hosted by Andrew and Catherine Haskins. The classes sell out each year.
Tonight, for the first time in Canberra, the Flavours of India restaurant at Woden is presenting a fusion of truffle and Indian spices degustation dinner.
It includes mini naan bread and spiced truffle butter, Tandoori lobster tail with truffle smoked eggplant custard and curried mashed potato with truffle oil.
