For culinary purposes, truffles can be so versatile because they can be added to almost every delicacy. 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. Most truffle mushrooms have pungent aroma and strong flavor, making them ideal ingredients or side dishes. Want to know more about them? Read on and discover interesting facts about truffle mushrooms. What Exactly Are They? Well, here s the science behind growing truffle mushrooms. They grow underground, which means they are not exposed to open air. All you need are a little knowledge of how to work the truffle s magic. The following are some tips to make cooking with truffles an easy task for you. Get your truffles from your local gourmet shops or specialty stores. Of course, you don t need to go hunting for truffles in the forest. That s too time-consuming and laborious a task, unless it s your hobby. Formerly called Picoa carthusiana, this type of truffle is less common compared to the Oregon white truffles. These are not used regularly because they look like coals, with very dark appearance. It also has a very pungent and earthy odor once it is ripe. When used, this type of truffle is mixed with dishes with pineapple, ground almonds, Parmesan and chocolate as ingredients. Place the wrapped truffles in an airtight jar and store it in the refrigerator. Don t store them in room temperature. Truffles with pungent flavor such as winter varieties can be stored in whole eggs or uncooked rice that can absorb excess flavor. If you want to freeze the truffles, you can keep them in olive oil before doing that. Truffles are considered rare and a delicacy in some countries. 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.