The difficulty of finding them and their scarcity make them all the more valuable and of course, expensive. 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. They usually sell oaks and hazelnut trees which are inoculated with Black Perigord or Black Burgundy truffle, or whatever variety will be grown. How are the trees inoculated? The tree seedlings are dipped in mycorrhizal fungi slurry. Given the right conditions and care, the truffles could be harvested in about six to ten years. There are also different truffle products which also provide the same pungent taste, like truffle oil, butter, honey, vinegar and paste. There s even a truffle vodka, which is not only used in cocktails but also in different dishes. If you have decided to purchase truffle products instead of truffles, then you expect less intense flavour. When storing truffles in the refrigerator, avoid keeping them in plastic containers because they need air. Keep them in paper bags. You could also place them inside jars and store them in the freezer. You could also infuse the truffles in oil to preserve them. When cooking with truffles, there are several guidelines in order to enhance or heighten the flavour. 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. In the early Eastern civilizations, mushrooms and fungi are not only considered as food, they are also noted for the medicinal value. Until now, there are cultures which would still use mushroom extracts as a component for soups and teas in order to boost the immune system. They are also said to reduce the risks of cancer and heart diseases.