This Is What A $2,500 Truffle Looks Like

By now most people know that when they see truffle on a menu -- the real deal, not just truffle oil -- it's going to cost them a pretty penny. Truffles, which grow underground and are quietly foraged with the help of well-trained dogs, give off an intoxicating flavor that no other ingredient can match. That's why chefs and cooks are willing to pay up to $1200 a pound for these mushrooms (though rarely do people buy such a large amount).

Most truffles grow to be about 30-60 grams in size, which means that just one will set a person back anywhere from $30-75. But Australia has just produced a black truffle that weighs about 2-3/4 pounds and has sold for between $2000 and $2500 (the exact price has not been disclosed). That's right folks, this single mushroom costs more than what most of us make in a month.

Grown by Ted Smith of Yelverton Truffles in Robertson, Australia, this gigantic truffle is the second largest recorded in the history of truffle growing -- the first was found in France. Smith started growing these black mushrooms a few years back as a retirement project -- look like things are going pretty well.

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h/t Fine Dining Lovers