A shopper has spotted a black truffle being flogged for thousands of pounds at a popular London food market.
The cooking ingredient, which is found underground, attached to tree roots, is very rare – which is also why it’s so expensive.
The fresh black truffle was encased in a glass container inside a glass case by the till of one of the stall holders.
The price tag? £310 per 100 grams – meaning you’d have to splash over three grand for a kilo.
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“When I saw the price, I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Allie, who is in her 30s, lives in the capital and often shops for fresh ingredients at food markets, told What’s The Jam.
“I know it’s rare and expensive but £310 for a piece of truffle?
“I was shocked.
“Even though I’m a big foodie and former chef, I still don’t get the hype.
“Most people usually love or hate truffles, and I definitely fall into the latter category.
“I’d much rather spend that kind of money on a fancy meal in a restaurant.”
Allie noticed the rare treasure at Borough Market on 29 March.
In 2012, the world’s biggest Périgord truffle was sold in the south of France, weighing a whopping 1.3kg.
While the sale price wasn’t confirmed, black truffles in the same area were retailing for £855 per kg at the time.
The Périgord’s title was revoked in 2014 when Guinness World Records crowned a Tuber magnum pico truffle as the world’s largest – coming in at 1.7kg.
It was sold to the highest bidder at Sotheby’s New York for £39,154.
In Italy and France, pigs and mixed-breed dogs are used to sniff out the pricey fungus.
Throughout the UK, there are 13 known species, which are incredibly rare to locate.
With their oaky, nutty and earthy taste, comparable to black olives, they are often paired with cheese, wine and pasta.
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