Truffle season in Croatia's Istrian interior is in full swing, and this year it comes with a startling number attached: up to €5,000 per kilogram at local fairs, according to Croatian public broadcaster HRT. That's a reported high rather than a going rate for every specimen, but it reflects a market under pressure.

The problem is the weather. Prolonged heat and a shortage of rain have made life difficult for collectors for the second season running, and it shows in what's coming out of the ground. Ivan Vukadinović, who heads the Istrian Truffle Hunters Association, says smaller truffles are becoming the norm and fewer large specimens are being found. When the big ones are scarce, restaurants and specialist buyers bid up whatever premium-quality white truffles do surface — hence the eye-watering top prices.

The season began about a month ago and peaks through October and November, drawing chefs, food lovers and weekend visitors to northern Istria. The forests around Livade and Motovun are the classic hunting grounds, and they offer a completely different side of a peninsula most people know only for its beaches. Fairs and events put the truffle centre stage, and local restaurants build entire autumn menus around it — think fresh pasta, eggs and fritaja showered in shaved white truffle.

The hunt itself is part of the appeal. Unlike in parts of Italy where pigs were once used, Istrian hunters work with trained dogs, which sniff out the underground fungi without tearing up the forest floor. Visitors can join guided hunts and then eat what the region's best ateliers and konobas do with the haul. Livade, a small village near Motovun, has positioned itself as the unofficial truffle capital and hosts the annual Tuberfest celebrations in autumn.

There's a bigger story here too. Two consecutive difficult seasons underline how vulnerable seasonal delicacies are to shifting weather patterns, and collectors are watching rainfall and temperatures closely in the weeks ahead. For travellers, that means it's worth bookng truffle experiences sooner rather than later this autumn — availability and pricing may be less predictable than usual, and restaurant menus may lean harder on smaller truffles or stretch the supply creatively.

If a €5,000 kilo is beyond the budget, don't be put off. Dishes featuring shaved white truffle at an Istrian trattoria remain one of Europe's great value food experiences compared with what the same ingredient costs in London or Milan, and a plate of fuži with truffle alongside a glass of Malvazija costs a fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere. Pair the trip with Motovun's hilltop views, the Mirna valley, and Istria's olive oil and wine country, and you have one of the continent's most rewarding autumn food breaks. This one is for anyone who'd rather eat their way through a season than watch it pass by — just keep an eye on the forecast, because this year the truffles are too.

Story via Croatia Week.