Why in the world would anyone want to plunk down $330,000 for two truffles? And they aren't even the sweet kind! I'm talking about the fungus kind of truffles that are dug up and served during the truffle season in Italy. But that's exactly what Billionaire Stanley Ho did in making the winning bid over the weekend at a charity auction through representatives of his company, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau. Ho is best known for his casinos in Macau, a gambling enclave in southern China near Hong Kong.
The pair included a huge truffle dug up in the central Tuscany region weighing about two pounds as well as one found in Molise weighing about 14 ounces. The auction was held at Ho's Grand Lisboa hotel in the former Portuguese colony of Macau. Bidders participated simultaneously in Rome and London through a satellite link.
In 2007, Ho paid $330,000 for a white truffle unearthed in Tuscany weighing about 3.3 pounds.
White truffles are the most expensive and highly prized of Italy's truffles. During the truffle season in Italy, restaurants offer pasta and other dishes containing the edible fungus at enormous prices. Slivers of the delicacy, with its strong aroma, are prized for flavoring pasta sauces and rice dishes.
But I'm just not convinced that that is the whole story behind the white truffles. Perhaps Stanley has found the fountain of youth in these truffles? Maybe they will replace the Euro as money? Perhaps he is just a wacky guy with far too much money to know what to do with?? What do you think?
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