The U.K.'s Guardian digs butts its nose into truffle madness: .flickr-photo { } .flickr-frame { float: right; text-align: center; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; } .flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } White Truffles !!! San Miniato White Truffle Festival, from eljoh1's Flickr stream. Hearing "Dov'è! Dov'è!" (Find! Where is it?) sends [the dogs] away to sniff. If they stop at a particular point the hunter asks, "C'è o non c'è?" (Is it there or isn't it there?) Now comes the tricky part: check the tail. If it looks as if the dog is going to take off, bum first like a furry helicopter, you need to get to him before he gets to the treasure. They are trained, yes, but... More

Fast-forward one minute in to this video for the explanation.... More

Maki of I Was Just Really Very Hungry visits the Marché aux Truffles in Richerenches, France: I choose a modestly small one, a tad bigger than a golf ball, too shy to touch one of the big, multi-lobed ones. I take it to my nose, and inhale. I wish that at this point I had more poetic words to describe the sensation, but the only thing I can say i s "Wow". That pungent aroma is so unique that it's impossible to articulate. Earthy? Slightly gamey? It's just what it is -- truffle. From choosing the truffle to cleaning, preparing, and eating it.... More