Actually, it is not only white truffles, but truffles of all kinds.
In the old days, truffles were only found in the wild, and the method of choice to find these little pods of flavour were pigs.
They would be able to go into the forests and, using their sensitive sniffers, root out the spots were these treasure troves of flavour lay hidden in the soil.
Today, methods have been found and established that help people farm and cultivate the little mushrooms that demand so much attention of the culinary world.
This is not to say that white truffles or black truffles are easy to come by or one can purchase them for small amounts.
It takes quite a bit of care and effort to cultivate such an item, so the prices stay in the higher end of the spectrum.
The law of supply and demand keeps prices on such rarities higher than most foodies would like to pay, but for those special occasions, where people will spare no expense, the truffle still reigns supreme in the culinary kingdom.
Not only do the little mushrooms hold sway over the culinary labs of modern food-ologists, but the oil that is produced from the little fungi continues to be sought after for the flavour profile it adds to the mix of foods.
Getting truffle oil is not quite as difficult as purchasing fresh truffles, and is less expensive, but if you are planning a budget based meal, truffle oil is not likely to be on the shopping list.
In years past, one would have to find a specialty shop in order to be able to buy white truffles, black truffles, or even truffle oil.
In recent years, many shops have sprung up that carry these expensive, yet tasty treats, as a regular item in their inventory.
The difficulty is in getting to those shops before someone else snatches up the small amounts they carry.
You might be able to get on a list for special orders, but usually this means paying a bit more than the shelf price for the same item that you could get for less if your timing were better.
Fortunately, today there is another option available to those who wish to purchase a piece of fungus with loads of flavour.
As with nearly everything that we want or desire, there are places on the internet in which you can place an order.
Yes, that is right; you can buy truffles online these days.
You will probably want to look closely at the location of the store and take into consideration shipping times from the seller's location to your front door before you pay out the money to purchase these little delights.
The best truffles are fresh, not dried or old.
So the transit time is something that you should take seriously.
Whether you are looking for food applications, such as sauces, side dishes, or as an accoutrement to a main dish, you can find these mushrooms online.
Of course, many people know the medicinal roots of the plant and will order them to make decoctions and concoctions for health.
Whatever your impetus, people today can find fungi on the web.