They may look like unappealing little lumps, but truffles are the coolest kids in the foodie schoolyard, transforming plain Jane fettuccine into prom queens and nerdy salads into stars.

Frederico Balestra, president of truffle importer Sabatino Tartufi, shares his tips for mastering the rare and expensive delicacy.

VARIETIES
Black Winter: Black on the inside and out, this gem smells earthy and packs flavor notes of port wine and chocolate, making it fantastic with meats and foie gras dishes. It sells for about $60–85 per ounce and is in season from the middle of November until March. The black winter should be eaten within 12 days of harvesting for the best flavor.

Black Summer: Black on the outside and white on the inside, this truffle has about 20% of the flavor intensity of a black winter truffle, says Balestra. It’s wonderfully light and pleasant tasting, with truffle’s signature muskiness plus hints of coconut, walnuts and white wine. The lightness of this truffle makes it a natural addition to chicken, salads and light buttery pastas. Harvested from May through September (and sometimes even October), the black summer truffle retails for about $20–35 an ounce.

White: Selling for about $190 an ounce, the prestigious white truffle is available from the end of September until December 31 and has a teeny window for eating: within just 5–7 days of harvesting. This bad boy is 10 times more powerful tasting than the black winter truffle—“This is like a bomb in the refrigerator,” says Balestra. “You put it in there and everything in it will smell like truffles”—and yet it’s rich, sweet and gently earthy with hints of garlic. This variety is white throughout and gorgeous with scrambled eggs, pasta and showered on just about anything.

TRUFFLE TIPS
Get details at restaurants: When eating out, ask your server which variety of truffle is in your dish and how recently the truffles were harvested so you can be confident it’s fresh and the price corresponds with the truffle variety—don’t pay on par for white if a dish is made with summer truffles.

Buying and storing: Buy truffles from a reputable distributor who has a high-volume business to avoid older truffles that have lost their luster. Respected distributors will provide a harvest tag so you know exactly from where and when the truffle was plucked from the earth. Balestra advises storing truffles in the fridge in a sealed glass jar with a little bit of dry uncooked rice inside to absorb moisture.

Truffle oil: To avoid fakes, stick with brands that are USDA certified organic. Store bottles in a cool dark place (not the fridge!) for 3–4 months.