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. Avoid buying such truffles. Also, don t buy truffles that are rubbery, slimy, or spongy. If you are going to buy summer truffles, it must be golf ball-sized with only minor flaws. Choose truffles that have dark exterior colors and white or light color in their exterior. They should also smell musky or earthy for white truffles and pungent for black truffles. If you want to try them, the following are several tips on cooking with truffles. * Know the difference between truffle varieties. Even if they re known for their strong flavor and aroma, truffles still vary in those departments depending on the fungal species. For example, a Chinese truffle is different from Italian truffle, even though they are both black. Their alluring aroma stirs a sensual feeling, so it s little wonder that truffles are regarded as the culinary counterpart of sex. That strong and earthy truffle smell casts its magic spell, making this mushroom irresistible to truffle fans. Such an appeal may seem strange especially to those who have never seen a truffle in their entire life. Experts say that truffles are actually very sensitive types of mushroom because a slight change in weather or climate can affect its growth. In fact, there are a very limited number of areas where truffles grow and are being cultivated. These are mostly in Europe including Italy, France, Slovenia and Croatia; in the United including Washington and Oregon; in Asia mostly in some parts of the Middle East and in North Africa. The summer variety is cheaper than the winter variety, so it allows for more culinary consumption and experimentation. Summer black truffle - This truffle type may seem inferior to its winter counterpart, but it is still a palatable and flexible culinary wonder, so does other types of truffles. Usually harvested from May to August, summer black truffle is entirely a different species from the winter variety.