Canberra is home to many things - Australian politics, hot air balloons and the Belco Owl all come to mind.
But one thing the capital is also home to tends to only be celebrated during the winter - is truffles.
With the Truffle Festival kicking off for another year at East Hotel on Friday's winter solstice, what better time to remind us just how lucky we are to find "black gold" right on our doorstep?
"Canberra can boast about being one of the only capital cities in the world that has truffles on the doorstep and it's because of our climate - hot summers and very cold winters," co-organiser of the event EAT Truffle Cooperative director Wayne Haslam said.
"And the climate of Canberra almost perfectly matches the best production areas of the truffles in Europe. So that's really quite a unique coming together of events."
Now in its 16th year, the Canberra event is the longest-running truffle festival in Australia. Organised by EAT Truffle Cooperative and Southern NSW Harvest Cooperation, the three-month program hosts a range of dining and food-related events to celebrate truffle growers in the Canberra region.
Australia is the fourth largest producer of truffles in the world, behind Spain, France and Italy. While truffles from Western Australia are done so at large corporate farms, the east coast industry, including in the Canberra region, is made up of numerous smaller truffle farms.
In the Canberra region, there are about 60 growers, some of which will be running truffle hunts throughout the festival.
There are also special truffle dinners and other limited-edition truffle dishes at restaurants across the city.
"Truffles put winter on the map as far as restaurants and foodies in general go, because it shows that winter is a fantastic time when you start to look at the diversity of winter produce in our region that can come together to be the great vehicles for tasting truffle," Southern NSW Harvest Cooperation chair Louise Rose said.
"And even though people might say, 'It's too cold to go out', as soon as you run up into coat and go out and watch one of those truffle dogs working on one of those hunts and walk around those beautiful, woodland areas of oaks and hazelnut trees to see the truffles and then go inside and have a hot potato and leek soup with truffles, there's nothing better to spend your time doing."
A highlight of this year's program is the Winter Market at The Vault at Dairy Road on July 28.
It's a chance for Canberrans to explore some of the best cold climate produce, with fine foods including wine, garlic, olives and of course truffles, available from more than 50 producers. There will also be fire and entertainment for all ages.
For those who have yet to experience Canberra's truffle season, however, both Mr Haslam and Ms Rose suggested also heading to a truffle hunt.
"That is probably the best all-round experience for people who want a truffle experience - to start with one of the farm visits and go on a truffle hunt," Mr Haslam said.
"Learn a little bit about the industry, learn how to hunt and learn about truffles. Enjoy a bit of a tasting and then reflect on that and choose a restaurant and try their truffle meal."
