Truffle products should be kept away from direct sunlight and should be consumed immediately to achieve best results. If it is difficult to search truffles and truffle products in your location, then the best option would be to check online sites. The Gourmet Food Store and Earthly Delights are two of reputable online sites where you could find gourmet mushrooms and truffle products. Italian white truffles - They are best paired with eggs, white meat, risotto, and pasta. Add thin slices or shavings of these truffles over the dish. You can also place thin truffle slices under chicken skin before roasting. Spruce up your simple meals! Who says truffles are just for gourmet dishes? You can put slices of truffle over fondue, shavings of truffle over rice dishes, or sprinkles of truffle into wild mushroom sauce. As long as there are trees such as oak and hazelnut, you have a good chance of finding a truffle. You can dig truffles about 1 to 6 inches deep within mineral soil and organic litter. They can be harvested all year round, depending on the area and truffle species. How Are They Prepared for Cooking? Of course, you have to clean a truffle first before cooking it. For those who can afford to consume large amounts of truffles, these can be served and eaten raw. Or these can also be preserved, usually in light brine in cans and bottles that can be found in gourmet sections of supermarkets. Among the so many types, White Truffles are preferred by many. These are consumed fresh or they prefer shaved White Truffles on top of hot pasta with butter. Black Truffles are hunted from late autumn to early winter. During these seasons, Black Truffles grow at their best ranging from 7 to 9 centimeters in diameter and could weigh from 80 grams to 100. Because of the rarity of this mushroom, the production of Black Truffles has been made almost exclusively in the European countries. The Basics Of Cooking Truffles Aside from the fact that truffles are rare, intensive and slow to harvest, truffles also provide a delicate and earthly flavour which makes it a jewel in the culinary world. And a jewel comes with a price. A pound usually costs from hundreds or thousands of dollars. But the culinary experience and delight that one gets from them is truly worth it.