Timing is essential in harvesting, marketing and buying truffles. There are truffles like the black winter variety that is best bought during its peak season which is from February to March. Truffles have their own characteristics and colors which could change based on their age or maturity. For example, black truffles when still young would have red exterior color with the inside white instead of black. The world s biggest truffle was found in Italy on 2007, weighing 3.3 pounds. It was bought by billionaire Stanley Ho, when the truffle was put up for an auction in Macau. It was sold for a staggering $330,000. There are different varieties and may look different based of their kind. So be familiar with the different kinds of truffles. What makes truffle hunting all the more difficult is the fact that this mushroom variety grows underground. You can dig truffles from as deep as 15 inches from the ground. That is why you enlist the help of a trained dog or pig when scouring different sources of truffles in the wild. Your hunting buddy must have the ability to detect the pungent smell of truffles. Are They Poisonous? Practically all truffle mushrooms are safe to eat, though only a few varieties are used as delicacies. The edible part of the mushroom is just the fruit of the fungus, not the entirety of it. What you must be wary about when hunting truffle mushrooms is the false truffle type, which is not safe for human consumption. The incredible aphrodisiac powers of truffles have been felt not only by the ancient Greeks and the Romans, but also by modern-day gourmet chefs and connoisseurs. It is interesting to note, though, that such a power in fact has no scientific basis. There is no solid evidence yet that proves the claim that truffles have the ability to stimulate sexual drive in humans, let alone animals. There s also the pecan truffle that can be found only in pecan trees and are usually discarded by farmers. So far, the only use of truffles is in the field of culinary or food. These are used ad main ingredients or as garnishes to various dishes. Since these are very expensive, gourmet restaurants only serve these because only the chefs can truly maximize the use of this pricey delicacy.