(27 Nov 2010) SHOTLIST
1. Pan from view of Rome to 'La Pergola' restaurant
2. Truffles on auction table
3. Close of truffles
4. Secretaries coordinating bids
5. Presenter showing truffles to guest
6. Guest smelling truffles
7. Mid of screen and secretaries during auction
8. Chef Nicola Batavia conceding to Macau bid
9. Wide pan of auction room with guests applauding
10. Close of sign reading: "Macau"
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Giselle Oberti, Auction Organiser:
"We tried. We arrived at 300 (thousand US dollars) here in Rome, and what can we do? Let's wait next year. We will try next year again."
12. Close of truffle
13. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Luciano Savini, Donor of record truffle:
"It's difficult. This year we can say it was quite alright with regards to both quality and quantity."
14. Truffle on auction table
15. SOUNDBITE (Italilan) Nicola Batavia, Turin Chef:
"Truffles have their own peculiarities, I am a chef, and I can say that it is well suited in a great number of combinations. Today is a special event, I came especially from Turin, to give my support and help to the image of truffles in the world, which is right seeing as I am from Piedmont."
16. Truffles on auction table
17. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Carlo Raspollini, Auction guest and winner of truffle worth 7,000 US dollars:
"Truffles are the product that can best exalt Italian gastronomy. Firstly because we are the only ones to have truffles of this level and of this perfume, but also because through initiatives like these the truffle carries around the world the best of 'Made in Italy'."
18. Close of truffle
STORYLINE
TRUFFLE FETCHES 330 THOUSAND FOR CHARITY
A huge truffle from the central Tuscany region weighing almost a kilo (2.2 pounds) and other prize specimens were sold to the highest bidder at an international charity auction in Rome, London and Macau on Saturday.
The highest bid was for a 1.4 kilogram (3 pound) combo and matched the 2007 auction's record value of 330-thousand US dollars.
The precious tuber was secured by a Macau bidder who beat his competition, including Nicola Batavia, a renowned chef from Turin.
During the autumn truffle season in Italy, restaurants offer pasta and other dishes containing the delicacy at sky-high prices.
Truffles grow mainly in central and northern Italy. Among the most famous are those from Alba in the northern Piedmont region.
Chef Batavia said he had made the trip from Turin especially to give his support to the event, "which is right seeing as I am from Piedmont," he said.
A 350 gram (12 ounce) truffle from the southern region of Molise also went under the hammer at Saturday's auction.
The auction took place place at a top Rome restaurant, La Pergola simultaneously with similar auctions at Christie's in both London and Macau.
The two other auctions were relayed to the Italian capital via satellite.
The proceeds from Saturday's auction in Rome will go to the Italian charity Operation Smile, which helps provide surgery for children will cleft palates and other facial deformities.
The proceeds of the London auction are destined for the British charity Cancer Research.
Money raised at the Macao event will be donated to the Special Olympics for the disabled.
Keyword wacky bizarre
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