A toast to truffles

A toast to truffles: "With white truffles in short supply in Italy, the price of the fungus has skyrocketed and, as a result, fetch better prices on this side of the globe. This willingness to indulge the delicacy was aptly demonstrated last week at a charity auction in Hong Kong when for the second year running, the world's most expensive truffle was snapped up by Chinese businessmen. Guangzhou property magnate Lim Sze Lim, together with two fellow developers, forked out HK$1.63 million (US$200,000) for an Alba specimen weighing 750 grams. Single whole truffles attract the highest prices."