Earlier this year, Jeff Weston’s Borchii Park truffiere near Christchurch produced its first bianchetto truffles. It was an early fruiting, brought on by late summer rains, and the truffles didn’t achieve full ripeness. But it augured well for the season – which has just got under way in earnest. Hugo (above) has been busy…

These are good ripe truffles – the southern hemisphere’s first commercial crop of Tuber borchii, and Jeff is beginning to sell them on to keen chefs around the region. The largest so far have been 136g and 137g. Being a scholar and a gentleman, he’s popped a sample in the post to me. Tomorrow night’s dinner is going to be interesting…