In fact, connecting truffles to chocolate is one of the misconceptions about the mushroom because these two are not related at all. Truffles refer to a rare and edible mushroom. This is considered as a delicacy to so many people in various parts of the world because these are so hard to found. Since these are rare, they are so precious and usually found in dishes served at high end gourmet restaurants. The mildly aromatic black summer truffle has a tannish white inner flesh and brownish black wrinkled outer skin. There is plenty of supply of this mushroom variety from June to November. Truffles grow close to the roots of trees such as oaks, hazelnut, chestnut, and red alder. Most of them are buried about 2 to 3 inches deep to the ground. Truffles are hypogeous mushrooms, meaning, they have to be dug out. But it is not the entire mushroom or fungi, the truffle is only the fruit. The body of the fungi is the hyphae found in the soil. It is thought that the reason why truffle mushrooms grow belowground is to protect themselves from forest fires and during extreme temperatures during frosty periods. People say that edible mushrooms such as truffles have no nutritional value at all and these are used just to add flavor to a variety of staple dishes. 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. In doing so, you know your various choices and how to pick the best one for your particular dish. Winter white truffle - This truffle type goes by other equally popular names such as Italian white truffle, Piedmont truffle, and white truffle from Alba. As the name suggests, this truffle is harvested in winter months from October through December. Those truffles that grow under the roots of oak trees are the most pungent, while those that grow in the roots of lime trees are the most aromatic. The flavours found on a truffle is complex, which is why they are best combined with bland food in order to draw out its flavour. They are highly perishable, which is why it is important for truffles to be consumed immediately after harvesting.