A variety of green tea, matcha is the uppermost and most delicate leaves of the tea plant, camellia sinensis, ground into powder. As the drink that is prepared and served at tea ceremonies, matcha is absolutely central to traditional Japanese culture. Matcha is growing ever more popular in the West, too. With its incredible ability to invigorate and energise, matcha is being hailed as ‘the new coffee’.

Curcuma longa, a genus of perennial herbaceous plants from the ginger family. The plant’s Latin name is related to curcumin, a natural dye found in the rootstalk. In addition to curcumin, the plant also contains essential oils. Today, turmeric is cultivated as a spice and a medicinal plant.

Kiwis are the berries of large, tree-like vines in the genus Actinidia. These plants were cultivated back in ancient China, but commercial demand for their exotic fruits was created only in the twentieth century by New Zealand farmers, who also gave the berries the name ‘kiwi’ for their resemblance to the flightless bird of the same name. Before this, the berries were called ‘Chinese gooseberries’. Indeed, the taste and aroma of kiwi and jasmine are reminiscent of a combination of gooseberries and strawberries.

A semi-fermented tea. After harvesting, the leaves of the tea plant, camellia sinensis, are allowed to partially ferment. This makes oolong less fermented than black teas, but more so than green teas. So oolong is the best of both worlds, with the freshness and purity of green tea, the richness and pronounced taste of black tea, and the fragrant aroma inherent in both.

This juicy, tasty fruit with a diameter of 5–13 cm is one of the five most popular fruits in the world. Apples are thought to have originated in Central Asia, where you can still find the ancestor of the modern apple tree growing wild. Archaeological research shows that people were growing apple trees 8,000 years ago. No other fruit features more often in mythology and folklore.