Of course they are ripe, but even with all the rain , eat so dry, I can not serve them. Why is the ground so dry ? Are late truffle is very good but I want to be proved wrong and have a tasty early truffle; apart from the pleasure of working the dog , they still seem tasteless. I was half way home thinking about my friend at kew,and his retirement, felt in my pocket for the smooth skinned truffle, nowhere to be found; then realized, it had fallen of the log. I am halfway home across the downs, it's raining. I have got stories to read tonight , dog's to sort out; I can't go back