Travel

Every Year, This Truffle Festival in Oregon Goes to the Dogs

Truffle hunters in Eugene have a secret sniffing weapon.

Photo by Kathryn Elsesser
Photo by Kathryn Elsesser
Photo by Kathryn Elsesser

In 2018, there was a major upset at the Joriad North American Truffle Dog Championship in Eugene, arguably the most popular part of the Oregon Truffle Festival (this year happening on February 17). A wiry-haired rescue Chihuahua mix named Gustave snagged the top honors. Nobody could’ve seen it coming: Though the tiny tri-colored pup had made it far into the competition before, getting to the final-round this year proved to be difficult. Gustave was easily distracted-by applause, by other dogs, by crowds screaming in delight at this serious-faced sniffer in a puffy orange vest. But, apparently, one with a flair for drama. In the second round, where the goal is to dig up tubes of truffle-scented cotton balls scattered around the Lane County Horse Arena, he dilly-dallied, waiting for the last moment possible before he scratched the ground, indicating a find. Suspense!

Gustave had made it to the third and final round, but the odds were stacked. This event was an actual hunt for white truffles (tuber oregonense) out in the forests of Oregon, something he’d never done, up against four other dogs including a mop-topped Lagotto Romagnolo, adorable, but intimidating: a breed that for centuries has been bred to do the thing. And it was January, the height of truffle season in the forests of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, meaning wet, and cold. For a Chihuahua, it’s downright freezing. Gustave shivered out in the forest, unfocused, his puffy vest no match for the elements.

Photo by John Valls
Photo by John Valls
Photo by John Valls

But then, as documented in Rowan Jacobson’s book Truffle Hound, his handler, Marcy Tippmann, put a second coat on him. And a warmer Gustave was good to go, zeroing in with precision on the bulbous treasures latched to the roots of Oregon’s state tree, the Douglas firs. “He’s this little dog and it takes him a little teeny bit longer to dig, but he’s super fast,” recalls Leslie Scott, who with her husband, mycologist Charles Lefevre, co-founded the truffle festival in 2006 to bring attention to Oregon’s growing truffle industry. “He’s just this little machine: dig up a truffle, get a treat, dig up a truffle, get a treat. He was so treat motivated.”

Gustave ended up with a haul of 17 of Oregon’s exquisite white truffles. Second place was a distant 10 found by a black Lab named Ciaran. It was a triumph not just for the sheer numbers, or because he was an adorable winner, but also because it was truly a testament that any dog could do it. (Except maybe bird dogs. “They’re trained to look up, so any noise in a tree, or in the sky, their nose goes straight up,” says Scott.)

And that’s pretty important. Because without truffle hunting dogs-a variety of truffle hunting dogs-there would be no Oregon truffle industry.Ancient Greeks believed that truffles were the heaven-sent product of a thunderbolt launched to Earth by Zeus. The truth is more practical, but perhaps just as magical. Unlike other mushrooms, whose fruit are easily spotted above ground, truffles-of which there are hundreds of species-are subterranean sequesterers, spores enclosed in a protective coat called a peridium, latching in a symbiotic relationship onto the roots of oaks, hazelnuts, and firs. There are three main types: the white truffle, or Alba (tuber mangatum) typically found in Italy, and the most expensive food in the world, sometimes commanding up to $3,000 a pound. The black truffle, or Perigord, is usually found in the region of France of the same name. She’ll run you $900 a pound. And the summer truffle, or Burgundy truffle (tuber uncinatum), the mildest-tasting and least expensive of the bunch, at $350 a pound.

But while truffles were once thought to be the exclusive luxury of these European places-and palates- the truth is, with the right conditions, these marbled delicacies can crop up anywhere. For sure, they’re still rare in the US: 97% of truffle-growing attempts over here fail, in sites from California to the Appalachians to Tennessee. Also working against would-be harvesters is time: the tubers themselves take almost a decade to reach peak production. But for those with a vision and stars in their eyes, it’s a minor obstacle.Oregon truffles grow exclusively on the roots of the Douglas fir, a tree typically farmed for timber and Christmas trees. (Truffles in Oregon were uncovered by accident, on an abandoned Christmas tree farm.) Now these private farms, many initially planted in desperation to make money, have yielded a second lucrative form of income, and new fungi ecosystems.

But to get the most out of truffles, you have to know how to harvest them. For years, the Oregon truffle was thought to be of subpar quality, simply because humans were raking them up all at once in clumps before they had time to ripen, rendering them almost tasteless. Hunters would look for a dark patch of ground called brûlée-French for burnt, like crème brûlée-which indicates that the truffle has asphyxiated all the vegetation around them (they tend to do that). They would sniff them, but our noses aren’t keen enough to get the job done.

And that’s where man’s best friend comes in.

Photo by Andrea Johnson
Photo by Andrea Johnson
Photo by Andrea Johnson

But first, the pig. Whether or not you’ve tasted a truffle, there are probably a few things you know about them. They’re rare, for one. And expensive. And they’re thought to be natural aphrodisiacs. Napoleon used them increase his potency, and Lord Byron kept them around for… sniffing. The Marquis de Sade seduced his conquests with them. And while many so-called natural aphrodisiacs are bunk, there may be some truth to this one. The original truffle hunting pets were female pigs, because it was something she would have done anyway. Especially if she were looking for a mate.

Truffles contain androstenol, a pheromone also produced in the saliva of male boars (and the armpits of male humans). And it’s a hell of a cologne to a lady pig. It’s by design: truffles depend on animals to root them up and disperse the spores. And it’s probably how we even learned of the existence of truffles in the first place, way back in the Bronze age or even earlier: Forlorn female pigs went rooting in search of would-be lovers, only to be disappointed when she pulled up a knobby fungus.And so, she would eat it. Enthusiastically. Try to wrestle it away and you might lose a finger or two. And some truffle hunters did. (If you ever run into a hunter that uses a pig, count their fingers.) To save their digits, truffle hunters switched to dogs, training their keen sense of smell to spot the fungi. There are a few benefits, besides the finger thing: Dogs are much smaller, stealthier, and easier to control than pigs. Nobody will know or care about your business if you’re toting a dog around in your Subaru. Take your pig out for a walk in the forest, however, and people begin to suspect something’s up. 

And there’s the rest of the year when it’s not truffle season. Dogs are easy to integrate into everyday life. Pigs, not so much (though Nic Cage in the movie Pig would probably disagree). And when it comes to harvesting dogs may eat a few truffles here or there, but their main motivation is to please their owner. Will work for pats. Or treats. Okay, mostly treats.

Photo by David Barajas
Photo by David Barajas
Photo by David Barajas

The first working truffle dogs were the curly-topped Lagotto Romagnolos, a water dog tracing back to the 16th century in Italy, originally bred for retrieving ducks from the marshes of Romagna. With training, its attentiveness and intelligence were easily transferred to decadent fungi. In 2008, two Lagottos, Tom and Lussi, were brought to the US from Italy for truffle-hunting purposes in the trufferie of Tennessee’s upscale Blackberry Farm. They’ve since sired a small army of sniffers spread across the country. Expensive sniffers. One of their pups will run you $8,500 to $10,000.

A goal of the Oregon Truffle Festival is to emphasize that while you probably do need a dog to be a successful truffle hunter, you don’t need to blow your bank account on a Lagotto to get in on the fun, and maybe even fortune. Hey, just look at Gustave! The OTF offers access without the price tag: In the non-COVID past, it included a truffle dog training for your pup- any pup-with lessons by animal whisperer Jim Sanford of Blackberry Farm. Then try your luck in the truffle dog competition. A $50 entry fee gets you a possible payout of $500.

Photo by Kathryn Elsesser
Photo by Kathryn Elsesser
Photo by Kathryn Elsesser

Another goal of the festival is exposure. The Oregon truffle is already coveted by high-end chefs in the Pacific Northwest, but beyond the region, it’s less known. The festival aims to change that, thereby stimulating the rural economy. “The festival is a nonprofit and we’re purpose-driven about creating an industry in Oregon that would benefit so many smaller communities that need visitors and resources in the shoulder season,” says Scott. “As good as our wine is and our chefs are, people are not usually gonna travel here in the winter.”

The fledgling nature of the industry and egalitarian stance of the festival means that it’s also much more laid back than one, say, in old-world Europe. Here they’re intent on education, exposure, and interest, which in turn would create demand. And it’s working. “We have some people who come to the truffle festival as total foodies who are now in the truffle dog business,” says Scott. “We have so many converts either harvesting for themselves, harvesting to sell to chefs, chefs who are doing their own culinary thing.” When the festival started in 2006, Oregon truffles were $60 a pound. Now, they’re $600.

But beyond economics the festival also includes all sorts of fun. In a typical non-COVID year there would be seminars, and a marketplace with cooking demonstrations, truffle dog demos, tastings, and infused products and wine. “We’ve had truffle beer and truffle vodka,” says Scott. “That was another goal, to help catalyze seasonal artisan food industries for small and specialty food producers.”

Photo by Kathryn Elsesser
Photo by Kathryn Elsesser
Photo by Kathryn Elsesser

There are also dinners where chefs go wild with the umami ingredient, throwing together everything from truffle-stuffed quail to black truffle-cured smoked salmon to desserts like truffle baked Alaska and truffle brie cheesecake for dessert. Paired, of course, with plenty of Willamette Valley wine.

And there’s a parade, where no dog competing in the truffle dog competition goes uncelebrated. “We give a trophy along with the $500 prize, but we invite everyone who entered to parade their dog,” says Scott. “We call out the name of the dog owner, and the name of the dog, and breed.”

It’s so inclusive that if you brought a pig, they’d probably celebrate that, too. Just watch your fingers.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on InstagramTwitterPinterestYouTubeTikTok, and Snapchat!

Vanita Salisbury is Thrillist’s Senior Travel Writer. She wonders if you could train doggies to find, like, gold.

Travel

Ditch your Phone for ‘Dome Life’ in this Pastoral Paradise Outside Port Macquarie 

A responsible, sustainable travel choice for escaping big city life for a few days.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

The urge to get as far away as possible from the incessant noise and pressures of ‘big city life’ has witnessed increasingly more of us turn to off-grid adventures for our holidays: Booking.com polled travellers at the start of 2023 and 55% of us wanted to spend our holidays ‘off-grid’.  Achieving total disconnection from the unyielding demands of our digitised lives via some kind of off-grid nature time—soft or adventurous—is positioned not only as a holiday but, indeed, a necessity for our mental health. 

Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, an accommodation collection of geodesic domes dotted across a lush rural property in Greater Port Macquarie (a few hours’ drive from Sydney, NSW), offers a travel experience that is truly ‘off-grid’. In the figurative ‘wellness travel’ sense of the word, and literally, they run on their own independent power supply—bolstered by solar—and rely not on the town grid. 

Ten minutes before you arrive at the gates for a stay at Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, your phone goes into ‘SOS ONLY’. Apple Maps gives up, and you’re pushed out of your comfort zone, driving down unsealed roads in the dark, dodging dozens of dozing cows. Then, you must ditch your car altogether and hoist yourself into an open-air, all-terrain 4WD with gargantuan wheels. It’s great fun being driven through muddy gullies in this buggy; you feel like Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park.  As your buggy pulls in front of your personal Nature Dome, it’s not far off that “Welcome…to Jurassic Park” jaw-dropping moment—your futuristic-looking home is completely engulfed by thriving native bushland; beyond the outdoor campfire lie expansive hills and valleys of green farmland, dotted with sheep and trees. You’re almost waiting to see a roaming brachiosaurus glide past, munching on a towering gum tree…instead, a few inquisitive llamas trot past your Dome to check out their new visitor. 

To fully capture the awe of inhabiting a geodesic dome for a few days, a little history of these futuristic-looking spherical structures helps. Consisting of interlocking triangular skeletal struts supported by (often transparent) light walls, geodesic domes were developed in the 20th century by American engineer and architect R. Buckminster Fuller, and were used for arenas. Smaller incarnations have evolved into a ‘future-proof’ form of modern housing: domes are able to withstand harsh elements due to the stability provided by the durable materials of their construction and their large surface area to volume ratio (which helps minimize wind impact and prevents the structure from collapsing). As housing, they’re also hugely energy efficient – their curved shape helps to conserve heat and reduce energy costs, making them less susceptible to temperature changes outside. The ample light let in by their panels further reduces the need for artificial power. 

Due to their low environmental impact, they’re an ideal sustainable travel choice. Of course, Tom’s Creek Nature Domes’ owner-operators, Cardia and Lee Forsyth, know all this, which is why they have set up their one-of-a-kind Nature Domes experience for the modern traveller. It’s also no surprise to learn that owner Lee is an electrical engineer—experienced in renewable energy—and that he designed the whole set-up. As well as the off-grid power supply, rainwater tanks are used, and the outdoor hot tub is heated by a wood fire—your campfire heats up your tub water via a large metal coil. Like most places in regional Australia, the nights get cold – but rather than blast a heater, the Domes provide you with hot water bottles, warm blankets, lush robes and heavy curtains to ward off the chill.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

You’ll need to be self-sufficient during your stay at the Domes, bringing your own food. Support local businesses and stock up in the town of Wauchope on your drive-in (and grab some pastries and coffee at Baked Culture while you’re at it). There’s a stovetop, fridge (stocked as per a mini bar), BBQs, lanterns and mozzie coils, and you can even order DIY S’More packs for fireside fun. The interiors of the Domes have a cosy, stylish fit-out, with a modern bathroom (and a proper flushing toilet—none of that drop bush toilet stuff). As there’s no mobile reception, pack a good book or make the most of treasures that lie waiting to be discovered at every turn: a bed chest full of board games, a cupboard crammed with retro DVDs, a stargazing telescope (the skies are ablaze come night time). Many of these activities are ideal for couples, but there’s plenty on offer for solo travellers, such as yoga mats, locally-made face masks and bath bombs for hot tub soaks. 

It’s these thoughtful human touches that reinforce the benefit of making a responsible travel choice by booking local and giving your money to a tourism operator in the Greater Port Macquarie Region, such as Tom’s Creek Nature Domes. The owners are still working on the property following the setbacks of COVID-19, and flooding in the region —a new series of Domes designed with families and groups in mind is under construction, along with an open-air, barn-style dining hall and garden stage. Once ready, the venue will be ideal for wedding celebrations, with wedding parties able to book out the property. They’ve already got one couple—who honeymooned at the Domes—ready and waiting. Just need to train up the llamas for ring-bearer duties! 

An abundance of favourite moments come to mind from my two-night stay at Tom’s Creek: sipping champagne and gourmet picnicking at the top of a hill on a giant swing under a tree, with a bird’s eye view of the entire property (the ‘Mountain Top picnic’ is a must-do activity add on during your stay), lying on a deckchair at night wrapped in a blanket gazing up at starry constellations and eating hot melted marshmallows, to revelling in the joys of travellers before me, scrawled on notes in a jar of wishes left by the telescope (you’re encouraged to write your own to add to the jar). But I’ll leave you with a gratitude journal entry I made while staying there. I will preface this by saying that I don’t actually keep a gratitude journal, but Tom’s Creek Nature Domes is just the kind of place that makes you want to start one. And so, waking up on my second morning at Tom’s —lacking any 4G bars to facilitate my bad habit of a morning Instagram scroll—I finally opened up a notebook and made my first journal entry:

‘I am grateful to wake up after a deep sleep and breathe in the biggest breaths of this clean air, purified by nature and scented with eucalyptus and rain. I am grateful for this steaming hot coffee brewed on a fire. I feel accomplished at having made myself. I am grateful for the skittish sheep that made me laugh as I enjoyed a long nature walk at dawn and the animated billy goats and friendly llamas overlooking my shoulder as I write this: agreeable company for any solo traveller. I’m grateful for total peace, absolute stillness.” 

Off-grid holiday status: unlocked.

Where: Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, Port Macquarie, 2001 Toms Creek Rd
Price: $450 per night, book at the Natura Domes website.

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