Italy is famous for its white truffle; France the beloved home of the black truffle. Black and White truffles are of course both very different types of truffle. After that a few other differentiations arise: there are winter and summer varieties, the former the stronger of the two, while the latter is more subtly but more accessibly priced. The other great difference is between the fresh and preserved truffle. Fresh truffles are freshly harvested and flown in weekly during the season. Preserved, canned or jarred truffles are available year-round, but undergo several stages before arriving to the buyer. While not as aromatic as the fresh, they are a good alternative in the off-season. Preserved truffles have different categorizations: "Extra" is the highest quality truffle and a truffle in this category must have well-rounded form, and must be unblemished and smooth with no visible defects. "First Choice" truffles are whole and of great quality but present some visual faults or flaws that do not affect the quality or taste. There are truffle pastes, and truffle peelings, truffle concentrates and truffle oils… and that is just the beginning…explore all the different truffle varieties below.