As the name suggests, this truffle is harvested in winter months from October through December. The winter white truffle is best known for its garlic-like flavor and musky smell. This truffle is not really white in color; it is actually yellowish. Winter black truffle - Native in European countries like France, Italy, and Spain, the winter black truffle is typically harvested between November and March. Why is that so? A truffle starts to grow only after about seven years, and the tree where a truffle grows can produce them for only 15 to 30 years. That explains why truffles come with hefty price tags. These days, however, there is a concerted effort to replenish truffle-bearing trees to increase truffle production. Also, go for truffles that are well-textured, evenly shaped, blemish-free, and firm. Pick ingredients that go well with the truffles without diminishing their strong flavor. In a truffle recipe, avoid using ingredients with very strong flavor or pungent smell as they might upstage the truffles. What s the point of using truffles if you can t taste their distinct flavor? For many centuries, dogs and pigs have been trained to hunt truffle mushrooms. Their distinct ability to sense the strong smell of these mushrooms makes these animals a perfect fit for the hunting job. Where Can They be Found? Elusive as they may seem, truffle mushrooms are not a monopoly of one area. However, more recent studies show that truffles and other types of mushrooms can bring a lot of health benefits especially to vegetarians, people who don t eat meat and only consume vegetables. Technically, truffles are mushrooms that don t have stems and are usually found under the ground usually under oak, pine, beech, and pecan trees mostly in Europe including various parts of Italy, France, Slovenia and Croatia. The Health Benefits of Truffles And Fungi There is no question that truffles are definitely expensive, a pound would range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. There is no question of the flavour and aroma it could bring to your dishes. A small amount of truffles could bring out the taste superbly.