Gaggenau hosts tribute to the white truffle

The rare time people don't mind being called pigs is probably when white truffle is in the house. German brand Gaggenau, which is as much about its home appliances as cultivating fine culinary experiences, brought a fun white truffle hunt to Hong Kong late last month after Singapore had its first last year.

Guests were first treated to a breakfast of scrambled eggs with white truffles at Hullett House, prepared at the scene by chef Ryan Clift. The owner of the Tippling Club restaurant and the Open Door Policy bistro in Singapore gave a cooking demonstration while talking about this year's harvest.

Although Clift said that while it had been a bad season for truffles this year and it had been difficult to get them from Alba, Italy, the key to using white truffle was always "in excess".

"You must have lots of it," he said. "It's always a big mistake if chefs, when they're using truffle, don't use enough.

"Yes, it's expensive but why have it in the first place if you can't afford it? It's about being excessive and being opulent. It's about luxury and indulgence."

Guests then moved to the Audi showroom in Tsim Sha Tsui to meet wine expert Jeannie Cho Lee, who hosted a blind tasting of three champagnes. Guests were asked to look for the one infused with white truffles. Clift also made a creamy, white truffle risotto to go with them.

The final surprise Clift had prepared was the last stop - the Gaggenau showroom in Causeway Bay - where he created an edible landscape of Alba.

Guests had to sniff around, making use of what they had learnt that day about the "white diamond" - and their luck - to locate the hidden truffle.

It is a job said to be done by pigs traditionally. But nobody seemed to mind playing piggy, especially when Clift started cutting up the landscape to reveal mousse-centred chocolate cake and serving them with more truffles grated over the top.