Truffles are prized for their distinct flavor and scarcity, and have long been associated with fine dining and upper class society. There are as many as 70 varieties of truffles known around the world, each with their own unique set of characteristics and qualties.

Italian White Piedmont Truffle Found almost exclusively in the mountains and foothills of northern Italy and Yugoslavia, Italian white truffles are some of the most prized of all the truffle varieties and also usually the most expensive. They grow alongside Poplar, Beech, Hazelnut, and Oak trees and are light beige in color when fresh with a distinct peppery quality.

French Black Perigord Truffle Originating in the oak forests of the Perigord region of central and southwestern France, black truffles can now be found growing in Spain, Australia, and even the United States. Also on the list of the most valued truffles, they have a black or dark blue exterior when fresh and a pungent, earthy scent.

Oregon Truffles Available in white, brown, and black varieties (each with their own unique characteristics) they are found in the Pacific Northwest and are usually associated with stands of Douglas Fir trees. The Oregon Brown Truffle especially has a strong garlic odor.

Burgundy/Summer Truffle Originally from France, Italy, and Spain but now also found in Sweden and New Zealand, Summer Truffles are most abundant in the mid-summer months and have a light scent with a black or burgundy exterior and a much lighter interior.

Chinese Truffles are native to Southern China, have a fairly mild aroma, and are usually less expensive than other varieties.

Desert Truffles are also sometimes called 'lightning truffles' because of their fast growth habit after a rain. Found in Africa and the Middle East, they grow just under the sand after a thunderstorm alongside the roots of rock roses.

Truffles are among the most expensive and prized delicacies on earth. A member of the fungi family, they are incredibly expensive because of their scarcity. In fact, it is not unheard of for large ones, which are extremely rare, to command six figure prices.

Typically roundish but lumpy in appearance, they have an intense flavor. They are typically used sparingly, due to their strong earthy flavor, but also because of their expense.

In Europe, specially-trained truffle dogs and pigs, both of which have a keen sense of smell, are used to locate mature truffles buried underground. The fungus that makes truffles can only survive and thrive in certain soil conditions and have symbiotic relationships with the roots of specific species of trees. The fungus attaches itself to a tree root, typically oak, beech, hazel or birch, and produce one truffle per year. The aroma and flavor of truffles differ, depending on the type of tree where they grew.

Prized truffles include the French black truffle, which is found in the Périgord region of southwest France. Italy is known for its white truffles, many of which are from the Piedmonte and Umbria regions.

Another luxury restaurant has become a victim of the economic downturn, the Four Seasons Toronto will be shutting down its 37-year-old restaurant, Truffles, as of September 5. Fine French fare seems particularly vulnerable in this economy. Truffles, which was consistently rated as one of the city's top restaurants, served creative but formal fare rich in its namesake ingredient. The restaurant's signature dish was spaghettini with served with a a sauce of reduced chicken stock, cream and truffle oil with a foamed truffle sauce covered in black truffle shavings. The Four Seasons is building a new hotel in a different location and that hotel will feature a more casual restaurant.

Ready to eat the most luxurious curry around? For £2,000 a portion, the London restaurant Bombay Brasserie is serving Samundari Khazana, or Seafood Treasure. The dish includes caviar, abalone, sea snails, truffle shavings , a whole lobster splashed in edible gold and four hollowed-out quail eggs stuffed with caviar. The curry was launched to coincide with the DVD launch of the movie Slumdog Millionaire. You can see a picture over at the Daily Mail.

Sometimes a small splurge is also about taking the time to enjoy it. These Courvoisier truffles invite you to sit down and savor the experience.The truffles combine Bissinger's fine 55 percent dark chocolate with a cask-strength blend of Courvoisier XO cognac. The result is a rich taste kissed with a hint of warmth. A box of 18 pieces is $36.

Who could resist an invitation from a woman who says cheese changed her life. Barrie Lynn, the Cheese Impressario is a dynamo in a gold sequined and leopard print apron who hosted a special rum, cheese and chocolate last night. I've been to pairings of wine and cheese and chocolate before but never rum. But specialty rums (especially the rum selections poured by Henry Preiss) worked very well with Barrie Lynn's cheese selections.

One of Barrie Lynn's finds is Holland's Family Farm in Wisconsin.Rolf and Marieke Penterman are first generation Wisconsin dairy farmers who moved from the Netherlands to Wisconsin in 2002. They make incredible aged Gouda with rich and complex flavors. Of particular note is the Foenegreek Gouda which is creamy and distinctive. It's impossible to have one piece without immediately wanting another just to take your mouth on the same journey of surprising flavor again. It would be a rock star on a cheese plate, paired perhaps with dried apricots or grapes. The Burning Nettle Melange Gouda is also far more pleasant than the name might lead you to believe. It has a grassy herbal bite that would make it a great start to a meal.

It seems whenever there's some kind of exorbitantly expensive food there's an ingredient that almost always makes an appearance: truffles. This sandwich, called LE "SANDWICH" TIEDE A LA TRUFFE FRAÎCHE, and created by French chef Michel Rostang, is no exception. It will appeal to purists mostly as it is amazingly simple: fresh truffles are sliced and placed on toasted country bread with salted butter. The sandwich sits for two nights (so the flavors can marinate together) and then the whole thing is lightly grilled on both sides. That's it. Heck, if you have some spare truffles lying around you can make this at home instead of a grilled cheese or something. Or maybe not. 98 €

Maybe this is the year you want to send a valentine to the planet, express your love for the environment, in addition to impressing the object of your desire.

Luxury gifts that just might turn the tide against climate change abound, and there are plenty more that are chic reminders that going green looks good these days -- like Stella McCartney's just-released organic lingerie line.

Don't forget all-organic romance: flowers (like the dozen roses at right, sustainably farmed and harvested using fair labor practices), truffles, champagne and candles. See the gallery for inspiration.

You may have been able to get away with the heart-shaped box of chocolates as a teenager but beyond that most expectant recipients on Valentine's Day would probably prefer a more sophisticated twist on the old stand-by. Enter Hedonist Artisanal Chocolates and their Valentine Spice Truffle Collection. Unique combinations of creamy chocolate truffles and unexpected spiced ingredients creates an unforgettable, mouth-watering experience. Step outside the chocolate box and enjoy Coconut Curry, Lemon Pepper, Orange Chipotle, Peanut Butter Cayenne and Raspberry Wasabi. Prices range depending on the size of box you choose ($12 to $54) but your enjoyment is bound to be an eleven on a scale from one to ten! Now...if I only knew of a wine that would complement each of these heated combinations...champagne perhaps?

[via Edible Finger Lakes]

Although many of us are tightening our budgets and spending less this year, some people out there are continuing to indulge themselves. One example: at an international auction that took place this past Saturday an Italian white truffle sold for $200,000. The tuber weighed just over 2 lbs and was bought by casino mogul Stanley Ho from Hong Kong, who must really love truffles because he bought another enormous white truffle last year at a similar auction for $330,000.

Climate change is largely to blame for the rising price of truffles, since they grow naturally in forests (and aren't commercially cultivated) they've been particularly susceptible to Italy's recent mix of drought and torrential rains.

How long to truffles keep? I'd be tempted to save it and resell for a profit!

Via Book of Joe

Red wine and chocolates, you can't get a much more perfect pairing for romance than that. The inspiration for the NOKA-RIEDEL Experience came from 10th generation glass maker George Riedel and his exquisite glassware, and it includes one of two combinations of chocolate and glasses. There's the "2-piece Vintages with 2 Cabernet Glasses" or the "4-piece Truffles with 2 Champagne Glasses."

Apparently when George Riedel visited the NOKA Chocolates boutique in Dallas for a tasting he said that combining the chocolates with champagne in a RIEDEL varietal-specific glass resulted in an experience that was "beyond words." $96-$104

Glenmorangie whisky have a new treat this Valentine season. The whisky maker has teamed up with Paul A Young Fine Chocolates, to create whisky truffles made from the Trinitario cocoa bean and the Glenmorangie Quarter Century. The truffles are handmade and hand painted with gold and gold leaf. The truffles are meant to be a perfect pairing for the Glenmorangie Quarter Century whisky. A box of eight sells for £40.

I've heard of signature spa experiences or hiring your own chef to cook at your vacation home but a luxury bath menu? Imagine soaking in a decadent bath at the St. Regis hotel while enjoying La Maison du Chocolate truffles, Krug Grand Cuvee champagne, perhaps some Caspian Osetra caviar and one of the most relaxing moments money can buy (for about $1,650). Choose from four signature baths while in residence at these grand hotels -- and don't worry about the hour, it is available around the clock.

It may not be the prettiest food we've ever seen but the 750-gram (26-ounce) white truffle shown above, is one pricey delicacy. The "Queen Tartufo" Alba ttruffle recently was auctioned off for $208,000 and will be served at a banquet in Hong Kong. The truffle had been shipped from Alba in Italy's Piedmont region to Hong Kong for the charity auction which benefits Mother's Choice, a charity that provides care for pregnant women.

It's an expensive year for the truffle market. A bad truffle season in Alba has driven prices up to an average of $4,000 a pound with small truffles less than an inch in diameter sells for around $50. Luckily you don't need a lot of truffle to make an impact. A few thin shavings over pasta or an omelette can make a simple meal luxurious. Black truffles from Italy are a cheaper alternative at $500 a pound. Or you can always go American, Oregon white truffles can be found for $40 for three ounces. They aren't held in quite as high regard as Italian truffles but they are gaining in popularity and there is even an Oregon Truffle festival held in January.