 The 2014 Canberra & Capital Region Truffle Festival begins on 21 June and I'm absolutely delighted to partner once again with Anne and Denzil Sturgiss from Tarago Truffles who have generously offered readers of Good Things the opportunity to WIN a truffle hunt for two during this year's season. Anne and Denzil (pictured above with their truffle dog, Tom) have been growing truffles on their property, Gap Hill, since 2002 and over the years have established a successful and productive truffière set amongst more than 4,300 hazelnut and oak trees on nine hectares. Tarago Truffles supplies fine quality black Perigord truffles to leading local restaurants and truffle-loving home cooks. During the 2014 Canberra and Capital Region Truffle Festival, Anne and Denzil will host truffle hunts at Tarago Truffles, Willandra Lane, Tarago, NSW on the following dates:
All hunts commence at 10.30am. If you are planning to go on a truffle hunt, be mindful that you need to dress appropriately for winter outdoors, and wear good walking shoes. You will be welcomed by Denzil and Anne and the dogs and their handlers. Generally there are two or three truffle dogs, so small groups can join a harvester and get up close and personal with truffles. After the hunt, you will have the opportunity to savour fresh truffle shaved over Anne’s delicious homemade soup, while she shows you how to clean and care for truffles. Fresh truffles will be available for purchase on the day, so please bring some cash with you. Truffle Hunt 'doggie cam'... Watch this delightful doggie cam video and see Tom the truffle hound at work with Denzil from Tarago Truffles, seeking out the finest black truffles. Vision appears courtesy of my friends, Sally and Gordon Hammond, Food and Travel. Details of the competition and the giveaway... Thanks to the generosity of Anne and Denzil Sturgiss, one lucky Good Things reader will win a Tarago Truffles truffle hunt for two, valued at $120. To be in the running to win, please subscribe to Good Things via the box above RH side on my sidebar, (if you haven't already) and in the comments box below tell me in 50 words or less why you'd love to win a truffle hunt for two. The entries will be judged according to originality and creativity (chance plays no part in determining the winner), and the winner will be notified by email. Important: the prize covers a Tarago Truffles 2014 Truffle Festival truffle hunt for two only. Winners must be available during the dates of the truffle festival, able to make their own way to Tarago Truffles at Willandra Lane, Tarago in New South Wales, and cover their own travel and accommodation expenses (and all meals) as required. Please ensure that you enter your current email address (one you check regularly!) with your comment/entry so you can be reached in the event you're selected as the winner. If the winning reader does not respond within 48 hours, Good Things will redraw the competition and select a new winner. Note: the competition is open to Australian readers only (with apologies to my overseas readers) and closes at midnight on 18 June 2014 AEST. Now that's a fine specimen... Finding a truffle is a happy experience... If you enjoy cooking with truffles, you might like my recipes for scrambled eggs with truffle; smoked duck breast salad with blood orange, walnut and truffle; or Anne's recipe for truffled pasta, which appears below: ANNE'S TRUFFLED PASTA Boil 2.5 litres of water to which you have added 50g of salt. Add 250g of Fettucini. When the pasta is al dente, draw off a cup of the water before draining the pasta. Return pot to heat, add some butter and finely sliced garlic, a little chilli flake and some sea salt. Gently cook until fragrant. Add the steaming pasta to this sauce, plus the reserved cup of water (that pasta was cooked in). Toss a little and then add cream and shaved parmigiana. Serve hot with truffle shaved over the top.   For more information about The Canberra & Capital Region Truffle Festival in 2014, click here. Good luck to my readers who are eligible to enter the giveaway. Tell me, my dear readers from around the globe, have you ever been on a truffle hunt? Where? Please share stories about your truffle adventures here. Thank you to all those who entered the Truffle Hunt competition, it is now closed. Congratulations Len or 'En' (typo), Anne and Denzil very much liked your response and look forward to welcoming you, your wife and your little girls to Tarago Truffles. Thanks again to all who entered.
Marina
3/6/2014 03:57:29 pm
Id love to truffle hunt! My partner and i love hunting and shooting (with cameras) and would love an earthy treat as our next subject. 3/6/2014 08:03:16 pm
Ahhhhhh.... BEST time of year EVER!!! I adore truffle season... A couple of years ago I donned my winter warmies and my best pair of gummies, we hiked into the most glorious truffle farm ever. It was brilliant, we crawled around on our bellies, and eagerly watched as the dogs sniffed and ever so gently dug up the ground to reveal the black gold. So great. Now to answer your question to go in the running for this fabio prize.... 3/6/2014 08:44:20 pm
Each year during Truffle season we spoil ourselves and drive up to Canberra just to buy a fresh Truffle. My husband Ian then spoils us by cooking everything Truffle for the next week. We'd love to try Bizzy Lizzy's fabulous Truffle recipes with the freshest Truffles we are likely to experience. Love the crisp winters in the Highlands being Canadian born, now a dual citizen. 4/6/2014 12:00:24 pm
Oh if only I wasn't so far away. I dream of truffle hunting!! GG
karina l
4/6/2014 01:03:59 pm
I love a good treasure hunt, and it's about time I upgraded from the looking for easter eggs to searching for truffles! 4/6/2014 04:26:48 pm
For 30 years we lived in Canberra, enjoying the developing foodie scene. When the cold defeated us we moved north - the year before the first Truffle Festival! Until this year, return trips have been at the wrong time. So we have never tasted a Canberra truffle. But we still dream.... 4/6/2014 04:29:53 pm
Sent my competition entry entry earlier but just a comment - 4/6/2014 05:05:39 pm
I love truffle hunts! Especially because I love truffles. They're one of the things that I look forward to in Winter :D 4/6/2014 07:11:39 pm
I had a little truffle tree, 5/6/2014 09:57:54 pm
I like the scoring in that vid! Sounds like fun! 5/6/2014 10:08:33 pm
I adore truffles so you can imagine how over-awed I am to see you with that big bad boy you are pictured with. I think Anna's way with the truffle is the best - super simple and quick so showcase this prized and sexy ingredient. 6/6/2014 12:50:32 pm
Oh to live in your area and be able to attend this truffle festival. Good luck to the winner of this giveaway…how fun.
Eha
6/6/2014 05:07:55 pm
Well, if I was not just home from hospital, methinks sicker than I went in, I would copy Maureen and put my name in 'eleventy' times too :D !!! Have been trying to get to one of these fab events for the last five years methinks . . . the closest hunts are actually about an hour away :( !!! Love your photo with that 'big one'!!!!! 7/6/2014 11:09:17 pm
I wonder if we have any truffle farms in the GTA? Did you get to keep that truffle? 8/6/2014 11:57:01 am
I think Rebecca has got this won! I would love to go on a truffle hunt because I was invited to go to Stefano Manfredi's Balla at Star last year and when we went it was all about truffles and I had the most incredible meal with all dishes inspired by Umbria, where a lot of Italy's truffles grow. If I can't get to Umbria, the ACT will do just fine! xx
Katharine
10/6/2014 12:56:26 am
How I'd love to win a truffle hunt! Truffly, doggy, fresh air goodness - to want anything more in life than puppies and truffles would be greedy.
Lauren
10/6/2014 11:28:35 pm
On a crisp morning, the air smelling sweet,
Jenna
10/6/2014 11:56:19 pm
I appreciate a good hunt. I am 'Director of Hunting' at Easter time, although I no longer search as society dictates that I am too old. Or perhaps too good? Now it is time to put these skills to the ultimate test and find something much more delicious. Truffles!
en
12/6/2014 06:20:31 pm
Liz i would love to take my young girls on a truffle hunt as there could be no better way to learn that food is of the earth and we in turn are intimately connected to the food that it gives us. i love the idea of foraging and city kids (which im doing my best bot to raise) would learn a lot.
len
12/6/2014 06:23:23 pm
Oh amd further to my last comment id love to make your duck recipe. our bloods are nearly ready and im dying to make it. earthy tangy duck. yes please!!!!
Helen Bosschieter
15/6/2014 02:35:10 pm
Have never been on a truffle hunt, would love to enjoy this experience with my son who is also a budding foodie.
Tiffany
17/6/2014 04:51:06 pm
I've tasted truffle in other peoples' recipes, but I would love the luxury of going on a hunt, finding one and experimenting for myself! Garden to table indeed! One of the great treasures I've enjoyed as my health gradually improves is getting outdoors to find food: smelling the earth, the rain, the greenery. I am a proud Canberran, and proud of our beautiful truffles. After all these years, I would love to finally bring these two pleasures together. Comments are closed.
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Photo Jay Cranon, The Canberra Times
Hello. I'm Liz, a writer, cook and traveller based in Canberra, Australia.
Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes, postcards and morsels from my adventures, conversations with cookery writers and chefs, and news on food and cooking.  Search by topicNB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes.
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