what do truffles taste like?

Factual Questions
1

Maybe more suited for Cafe Society, but I"m not sure…

Anyhow, I was watching an episode of Iron Chef the other day, a friend of mine has a tape w/ a bunch of them (yay!), and the ingredient was truffles, a delicacy.
Now, truffles are some pretty vile looking things (as is a lot of food), and I’ve always wondered what makes them so great, because I’ll likely never try one.

So, what, exactly, do truffles taste like? And why are they such a delicacy?

2

Tastes are difficult to describe, but here goes.

The taste is most similar to mushrooms–but wild mushrooms, not the regular white ones from the grocery store–the taste is richer, “meatier” and more complex.

Part of the reason they are so valuable is that they have the ability to lend this rich taste to sauces, etc. Just a few shavings of truffle will enhance a whole dish.

3

They are very, very musky.