There are two kinds of truffles in this world. One kind is an aphrodisiac mushroom that looks like a rock or gnarly potato; the other is a chocolate candy made to look like something like a mushroom truffle.

The mushroom truffle grows entirely underground, and draws its nutrition from the roots of oak trees. It produces androstenol, which is identical to a musky pheromone found in mammals. Dogs and pigs are trained to locate the truffles by smell, and they are then dug up.

There are several types of truffles commonly available:

• White Truffle - Tuber alba
• Black Truffle - Tuber melanosporum

I recently bought a bottle of black truffle oil at a Whole Foods Market when in Orlando. It cost around $10, and contains about 3.4 ounces. The oil tastes interesting. Not good. Not bad. But interesting. Am experimenting now to find out if keeping a spoonful in my mouth for 10-15 minutes will turn my breath ultra-sexy or make me a better kisser.

Truffle oils contain an extract of real truffles - sorta. It's easy to get the mushroom 'roots' (mycelia) to grow in vats, but the growers haven't found a reliable way to get the mycelia to form truffle tubers. But the mycelia does kick out androstenol and related compounds. Also present are ergosterol (ergosta-5,7,22-trienol) and brassicasterol (ergosta-5,22-dienol)... the brassicasterol makes the oil vaguely reminiscent of broccoli.

This chemical research makes me confident that (at the very minimum) sows and dogs in heat will find me more attractive.

The best truffles are outrageously expensive, but decent truffles are affordable. The essence is strong, and a little goes a long way. Truffles are a food like caviar or chilies - one eats a small amount. Truffles can be mixed into various pastes or spice blends.

Truffles are also available online: