Truffles are so scarce that they are hard to find. Yes, you can find them in every part of the world, but it takes a great deal of hard work, time, patience, and knowledge about various truffle species to be able to collect these precious finds. And you can correctly guess that it s their being elusive that makes them seductive, what with the human nature that drives people to want anything that is difficult to attain. They are made up 73% water, and several substances and minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium. They are also low in fat. Just like any other vegetables, they are free of cholesterol. In fact, there are several studies citing mushrooms and fungi to have to ability to lower down serum cholesterol. In addition, they are the only truffles that can be mixed with tomatoes. You can simmer them into sauces or soups. 2. Black truffles (Italian, French, and Chinese) - They complement red meat, dark meat poultry, red wine, sauces, wild mushrooms, apples, and soups. You can peel and slice thinly a fresh truffle or simmer it slowly. Chinese Truffles These truffles actually consist of three species with varying flavors: Tuber indicum, Tuber sinense, and Tuber himalayanse. Tuber indicum has fine white veins and brown meat, while Tuber sinense has huge ivory veins and dark brown flesh. The latter type of Chinese truffle is oily and chewy and leaves a bitter taste to the tongue. Proper care an maintenance would include maintaining a good irrigation system, keeping the trees with sufficient water. Weed control is also important. To control weed growth, you would need to cultivate, spray and even apply some mulch. Lime treatment, aeration and soil and promoting root growth of the host tree. Because these are widely available, Chinese truffles are the ones that are being exported very often to the West areas and are considered an inferior-quality substitute for black truffles. There are also other types of Chinese Truffles including the tuber melanosporum which are usually made into truffle extracts and is sold at a high price; the tuber himalayensis which looks very similar to the tuber melanosporum an is only harvested in the Chinese Himalayas; the tuber sinensis, which are also found in high places and the Chinese summer white truffle.