It’s been an amazing couple of months for Canberra’s foodies. As well as a couple of new restaurants appearing on the scene, the occasional pop-up and seasoned regulars maintaining their loyal trade, many restaurants in the region have embraced the winter months via a couple of festivals that celebrate -rather than hide from the colder Winter months.

The Market
2014 Canberra & Capital Region Truffle Festival is going from strength to strength. The truffle industry in Australia is a nascent one, but since French Black Truffles of Canberra first turned soil on their Majura farm, other growers such as Terra Preta (near Braidwood), Tarago Truffles and Turalla Truffles (near Bungendore) have joined the industry. These days, Canberra is at the forefront of truffle production in Australia, with inroads now being made in to European markets – an outcome nobody could have predicted a decade ago.

If digging around in the dirt is not your preferred way to engage with a truffle, there were plenty of restaurants ready to offer you shaved, grated or infused variations of the fabulous fungus. To truly enjoy a truffle you need to commit a pretty serious amount of cash, but for those that took part in the various dining events around the city during winter, the rewards were more than worth the money.

Sage
Sage Restaurant led the charge with one of the most spectacular menus in the festival – utilising the kitchen’s philosophy of locally grown produce to great extent. With Southern Style Pork Belly with Truffled Slaw and Waffles with Truffled Ice Cream and Truffled Honey just a couple of dishes across the $130 6 course menu, if diners weren’t more than satisfied come dessert well, there are always options stop for on the way home.

Artisan
Artisan took a similar approach, charging $120 for their four courses of truffles (plus a dessert) matched with wines. Sam and David source their truffles from Terra Preta and spoke excitedly of their hunts for truffles that were used in their menu. Duck prepared three ways was an absolute show-stopper, and we can’t wait to see what they pull out for their summer wine dinner.

Mount Majura Winery
Mount Majura Winery turned the day into a treasure hunt. Following a forage among the trees of French Black Truffles of Canberra (located almost next door) with owner Sherry McArdle-English, punters retreated to the Mount Majura celllar door for brie-infused truffles matched with their wines. The next stop was pod Food in Piallago for a two-course lunch featuring Majura Valley eggs and more wine. Surely the only thing possible after that is sleep.

Cooking at 3 Seeds
Eating truffles doesn’t necessarily have to be a passive affair, either. The crew down at 3 Seeds in the Fyshwick markets (headed up by head chef Andrew Haskins) has been running weekend cooking lessons where you can learn to do so much more with your store-bought truffles than simply shaving them over your eggs (although that is rather delicious!). For those interested in the finer aspects of truffle cooking you will now have to wait until next year, although if you’re interested in pursuing any number of cuisines, the schedule for Spring’s cooking classes is now available at 3seeds.com.au

If reading all this makes you jealous, put a reminder in your calendar straight away. There will be even more to do during the 2014 Canberra & Capital Region Truffle Festival, and you’d be crazy to miss out again.