Truffle season is upon us, and there’s nowhere else any self-respecting gourmand should be than Western Australia. Fonty’s Pool in Manjimup, Western Australia, to be precise –the most prolific truffle-growing region in the Southern Hemisphere, and considered to be the heart of Australian truffle country.
The Winning Appliances & Asko Truffle Kerfuffle has been running since 2011 and is back again from the 21st to 23rd of June for a weekend-long celebration of these nuggets of black gold. Their 2019 program is online [http://www.trufflekerfuffle.com.au/info/2019-program], but here are a few highlighted events to whet your appetite:
Special guest chefs and dining events
The Truffle Kerfuffle regularly brings in celebrity chefs and this year familiar faces like Nicole Bampton (Capriccio Osteria, Sydney), Aaron Carr (Yarri), Russell Blaikie (Must Winebar), Sophie Budd (Taste Budds), chocolatier Sue Lewis, and many more will be in attendance. Some are hosting dining events – check out the Enchanted Southern Forests Feast with Pete Evans, Magical Manjimup Brunch with Aaron Carr, and Poh's Lunch Among the Karris – and others conducting masterclasses to learn more about truffles (more on that below).
The truffle hunt
It wouldn’t be a truffle festival if you didn’t have a truffle hunt. With a dog on a leash and a nose for fungus, you can search through renowned growers Australian Truffle Traders, Fonty's Pool Farm, Silverwood Truffles, Timeless Hill and Millgrove Truffles.
Festival Village
If you just want to take it easy, the Festival Village at Fonty’s Pool will have ongoing free tastings, free cooking demonstrations, truffle dog demos, children's activities and cooking classes, as well as a chance to meet with producers, farmers and wine makers, and have a spot of live music.
Chef’s Cabin Series and Wine Shed Sessions, plus five Beer and Spirits Masterclasses
Learn how to use truffles in your cooking at the intimate Chef's Cabin Series presented by Winning Appliances, sit in on a tasting at the Wine Shed Sessions presented by Winning Appliances & Vintec, or join in the Beer and Spirits Masterclasses and find out how to pair local beers with artisanal cheeses, beer with chocolate, whisky with cured meats, experience the unique and interesting flavours of rum, and learn about the art of making award-winning gin.