A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean fungus, usually found in close association with tree roots, often foraged with the help of an animal possessing a refined sense of smell.  Traditionally, pigs as well as dogs have been used for hunting truffles in order to be sold off to high-end restaurants around the world.  Oprah is said to carry her own stash of truffles to her favorite restaurants, famed restauranteurs have their own personal "truffle dealers" they call for quick deliveries, and now a small piece of fungus can be auctioned off for an exorbitant dollar amount to the highest bidder.  What a world!

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Now, the truffle has come to be known as a highly prized food these days, being deemed "the diamond of the kitchen" in international haute cuisine.  One of the world's largest species dug up in Tuscany sold for a record bid of $330,000 at a Truffle Auction, and in some countries, truffles are actually stolen right out of restaurants and then sold on the black markets and back alleys by a new "truffle mob," making the business of "truffle trade" a dangerous one in some parts of the world.  One thing is certain...the love and obsession surrounding a tiny piece of fungus, makes for a KILLER murder mystery!