The Truffle Underground

A Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and Manipulation in the Shadowy Market of the World's Most Expensive Fungus

By: Ryan Jacobs

Narrated by: Ari Fliakos

Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's Summary

“The ultimate truffle true crime tale” (Bianca Bosker, New York Times best-selling author of Cork Dork) - a thrilling journey through the hidden underworld of the world's most prized luxury ingredient.

Beneath the gloss of star chefs and crystal-laden tables, the truffle supply chain is touched by theft, secrecy, sabotage, and fraud. Farmers patrol their fields with rifles and fear losing trade secrets to spies. Hunters plant poisoned meatballs to eliminate rival truffle-hunting dogs. Naive buyers and even knowledgeable experts are duped by liars and counterfeits. 

Deeply reported and elegantly written, this addictive exposé documents the dark, sometimes deadly crimes at each level of the truffle’s path from ground to plate, making sense of an industry that traffics in scarcity, seduction, and cash. Through it all, a question lingers: What, other than money, draws people to these dirt-covered jewels? 

Praise for The Truffle Underground

“Investigative journalist and first-time author Jacobs does a remarkable job reporting from the front lines of the truffle industry, bringing to vivid life French black-truffle farmers, Italian white-truffle foragers, and their marvelously well-trained dogs.” (Booklist, starred review) 

“In The Truffle Underground, Ryan Jacobs presents a lively exposé of the truffle industry, reporting on the crimes that ‘haunt the whole supply chain.’... Even if truffles are beyond your pay grade, there is plenty of enjoyment to be had in the sheer devilment portrayed in this informative and appetizing book.” (The Wall Street Journal) 

“In elegant, mesmerizing prose, Ryan Jacobs has delivered a forest-to-table page-turner from the outer limits of our foodie culture, a place where colorful farmers, serial dog murderers and famous chefs grapple over a crudely foraged fungus that's traded in parking lots and bars, like heroin. The Truffle Underground is an eye-opener for anyone who's picked up a fork.” (Steve Fainaru, New York Times best-selling author of League of Denial and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter)

©2019 Ryan Jacobs (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

“Jacobs is an unstoppable and captivating guide through the dark underbelly of the world’s most glamorous fungus. This is the ultimate truffle true crime tale.” (Bianca Bosker, New York Times best-selling author of Cork Dork) 

“The thrilling new book The Truffle Underground has all the dirt on this prized fungus.” (Mother Jones) 

“The Truffle Underground is as much about human nature as it is about a little-known corner of the food industry. In the guise of a crisply written and engaging story about a rare, astronomically priced delicacy, Jacobs has produced a contemporary morality tale about capitalism and consumerism.” (Los Angeles Review of Books) 

Never knew the behind the scenes story

Actually never cared about truffles industry and the book really wove a wonderful tale. Deception with intrigue on a mostly unmonitored industry with premium pricing. Uninformed consumers demanding truffles from restaurants whose buyers are hit and miss with industry knowledge make a powder keg situation.

A Good One In A Great Genre

Birds; Feathers; Orchids- What next ? Fungi ?
Yep-
Learned a lot about the world of Fungi and the culture surrounding both its cultivation and its use.

Fascinating story for foodies

I had no idea about all of the intrigue surrounding the truffle industry. It was an extremely interesting book for me as a foodie.

Riveting

This is one of the most fascinating books I’ve listened to in years. The truffle business is WILD.

I was enthralled. Couldn't put it down.

Fascination with the subject matter grew with every listen. It's a well written book with an equally exceptional performance.

Decent story easy to get lost in

craving truffles now I hate truffle "FAKE" truffles and some bad accents blah blah blah...

Perfection

This book is great, the story fascinating, and the narration absolutely sublime. I want to listen again.

Sorry… just couldn’t finish it.

I stuck with it for 3/4 of the book but just couldn’t finish. You hear pretty much the whole story in the first few paragraphs: truffles are difficult to find, are very expensive when you do find them, and this attracts a variety of bad/dishonest people to take advantage of the hard work of others. - 30 -

There are some interesting characters in the story (Bigfoot) and, perhaps, if I had gotten to know them much better, I would have gained some empathy with them and stuck with the book. This would have been (maybe it was?) an article for a foodie magazine. That would have been fine but there’s not enough here for a full book.

Obsessive

Just as enticing as the truffle itself, the story only builds upon the addiction. I want to know all there is to know about truffles.

Outstanding! 5 stars

Outstanding content, excellent and engaging delivery. This book would appeal to anyone - great listen!