Caramella weighs in at 37.5 pounds, a pretty hefty little number for her size: 18 x 10 x 9 inches.
Sometimes you get an idea in your head and it won't get out until you make something of it. This is the case with Caramella, a "chocolate truffle pig." Ever since I started making mosaic "chocolate" sculptures, I've wanted to create a truffle pig.
Caramella is an homage to the celebrated French and Italian truffle hunting pigs, now being replaced in favor of dogs, which have more stamina and greater agility. Dogs also are much easier to transport, and --- shhh --- when you have a pig on a leash, everyone knows you're headed towards your secret truffle cache. With a dog, they just think you're out for a stroll in the woods.
According to Charles Lefevre, president and founder of New World Truffieres, there are multiple reasons why dogs have surpassed pigs. "Dogs are much less likely to try to eat the truffle once they find it. You don’t want to wrestle with a 300-pound hog when it’s interested in chowing down on a truffle." “The lore,” says Lefevre, “is that truffle hunters that use pigs don’t tend to have all their fingers.” ~ Modern Farmer
She doesn't bite. Retired to the sculpture park at a tender young age, Caramella is suitable for outdoor display. $1800