Would You Pay $160,000 for a Truffle?
Ok—so now I have your attention. In case you missed it last month, a tycoon paid over $160,000 for what may be priciest truffle ever. No I am not making this up. Gordon Wu and his wife outbid connoisseurs from France and Italy to win the 1.5-kilogram Alba white truffle from an international auction on Sunday, a spokeswoman for the Ritz-Carlton hotel, which hosted the Hong Kong part of the auction, said Tuesday.
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It got me to thinking that if I ever was in a position where money didn’t matter. What would I do? Here are a few things:
- Rent out Fenway Park, home of the Boston Redsox, for a day and have a home run derby with all my friends
- Have an exotic zoo in my backyard. I love animals and it would be fun to be able to look at Polar Bears, Penguins and Kangaroos
- Attend the Grand Prix in Monaco, Wimbledon in London and the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia every year
What would you do?
P.S. Chef Bombana prepared the giant truffle for a five-course banquet hosted by Mr. Wu. Proceeds from the auction—which also featured five smaller truffles weighing 220 to 520 grams sold to other Hong Kong bidders—will go to Mother’s Choice, a Hong Kong charity that cares for pregnant girls and organizes adoptions.
December 20th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
Great Question Merrill. What would I do if you suddenly had a lot of money…..I’d go with you and do all those wonderful things, except I’d do Yankee Stadium instead of Fenway.
December 20th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Merrill, like you I would do things with family and friends first. I would rent several homes by the Eastern Shore for all my siblings and cousins - okay so that would be a whole town! Then have a giant party on the shore line with all the friends as well. I would also establish a new park in our local community as this has always been a soft spot in my heart. I already have a gazebo named for me - and now want to add more to the community. Giving back is so rewarding and I would do more volunteer work - and not care about paying bills! Boy, that is a wish! I love to travel, so would add time for that as well. The list could go on - so I consider myself one lucky lady to have sucha good life! Thanks for making us stop and think how much we have to be grateful for without having to spend a fortune! Naomi Walters
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:51 am
WE HAVE A NEW RECORD!!!!!!!!!!!!
Giant Truffle Auctioned for $330,000
1 day ago
FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — A Macau casino mogul bid a record $330,00 at auction Saturday to win a giant white truffle dug up in Tuscany, organizers said.
Billionaire Stanley Ho made the winning bid for the 3.3 pound truffle during an auction staged simultaneously in Florence, London and at Ho’s Grand Lisboa hotel in Macau, said auction organizer Giselle Oberti.
The price bested the previous record for a truffle of $212,000, she said.
The unusually heavy truffle was dug up last week by truffle hunter Cristiano Savini, his father Luciano and dog Rocco in Palaia, a town about 25 miles from Pisa. The Savinis said Rocco started sniffing “like crazy” when he zeroed in on the fungus.
Guinness World Records lists a 2.86 pound white truffle found in Croatia in 1999 as the biggest.
Truffles usually weigh from 1 to 2.8 ounces apiece. Slivers of white truffles, with their strong aroma, are prized in Italy to flavor pasta sauces and rice dishes.
Proceeds from the auction were to go to an Italian organization that helps sufferers of genetic diseases, a group that helps street children in London and Catholic charities in Macau.
Calls to Ho weren’t immediately returned late Saturday.