by Wanda Hennig

photography by Judi Swinks

STORY HAS IT THAT THE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE GOT ITS NAME because in its original form-cocoa-coated and misshapen-it resembled the famous, rare and expensive true truffle, prized by gourmets for centuries. That is, the odoriferous, wrinkly, irregularly shaped fungal delicacy usually sniffed out by specially trained pigs or dogs from a dank, earthy womb beneath the surface of the ground.

Widely considered the most desirable is the black truffle, or black diamond, found in France's Périgord and Quercy regions and in Umbria in Italy. The next most popular is the white truffle of Italy's Piedmont region. A Web search gave buyer estimates of between $450 and $900 per pound. Comparing favorably with the Italian truffle, I learned, is the Oregon truffle, which commands $150 per pound at www.oregonwhitetruffles.com.

While I love the pungent, earthy, exotically perfumed flavor/aroma, I don't feel inclined to buy a pricy bit of fungus that can quickly rot (it can only be stored in the refrigerator for around three days) and lose its intensity. I'd rather enjoy it when it comes my way in a restaurant or at home via truffle oil.

A friend bought me a small bottle (TartufLanghe, $17.99) from A.G. Ferrari Foods (www.agferrari.com) after we shared a starter drizzled with the oil at Pearl Oyster Bar and Restaurant (5634 College Ave., 510-654-5426). I have drizzled it similarly on starters and cooked pasta and tossed a couple of drops in with salads (a little goes a long way). Recently I spotted truffle oil at Trader Joe's (www.traderjoes.com)-it's available, inexpensive and easier to store in the kitchen than a pig with a reliable snout.