The prized Italian white truffle continues to shatter records. This precious fungus—nicknamed, white gold—has long been a symbol of gastronomic decadence, ranking, gram for gram, as one of the most expensive foods in the world—up there with Iranian beluga caviar and saffron.  

This year is no different. A collapse in restaurant dining, worldwide travel bans, and a global recession haven’t stopped well-heeled gastronomes from splashing out huge sums on the prized tuber magnatum pico. Last month, at an annual white truffle auction—held in truffle town: Alba, Italy—a bevy of bids flooded in from around the world for a handsome 2-pound specimen.