But the culinary experience and delight that one gets from them is truly worth it. Make sure to remove all dirt on the truffle before eating. Wash it with water and brush it lightly. There are truffle brushes which are meant to remove mold and dirt. Soft truffles like the Italian white are better left un-brushed. Because it is so expensive, chefs came up with an idea to turn fresh truffles into oil or a concentrate which has all the taste and odor of truffle without worrying that the fresh truffle would go into waste over time. Truffle oils are being used to give flavor or to enhance the taste of truffles when used in cooking. They also grow on the roots of certain types of trees such as oak and pine. Since truffles are hard to find, people use trained dogs and pig to hunt for them in the woods. That is why truffles are known to be one of the costliest foods in the world, with prices ranging from $150 to thousands of dollars. That being said, you must be extra careful when locating and collecting edible truffles. What makes truffle hunting all the more difficult is the fact that this mushroom variety grows underground. You can dig truffles from as deep as 15 inches from the ground. That is why you enlist the help of a trained dog or pig when scouring different sources of truffles in the wild. Also known as the Piedmont truffle or white diamond truffle, this mushroom tastes like garlic and smells sweeter than the black winter truffle. It is also more expensive than its better known brother because demand for it out numbers supply. White winter truffles are harvested between October and December. There are truffles which are preserved so that it could be distributed. These mushrooms are cooked at 400 degrees and frozen, so that they would be able to reach its destination. Truffle mushrooms are not the only ones used for cooking. There are also different truffle products which also provide the same pungent taste, like truffle oil, butter, honey, vinegar and paste.