Used widely in South America, Mexico and Caribbean dishes, Allspice (aka Jamaica pimenta, comes from the unripe, dried Pimenta dioicais fruit and) is seen as a wonderful, multi-purpose spice. It can be used in sweet and savoury dishes due to its pungent and fragrant smell. Allspice has also been ...

Custard apple is a tropical fruit, originally native to South America, however Australia has become one of its largest producers nowadays. There are 2 main types, Pinks Mammoth and African Pride that can easily be found around the world, both have a light green colour when ripe and easily ...

Water is doubtless the most important fluid with 60% of your body being composed of it. Water enables vital chemical reactions, digestion, getting nutrients into cells, toxin removal and regulation of body temperature. Having said that, tea continues to be one of the most commonly consumed ...

The sociable South American tradition of passing around a gourd of Yerba (‘herb’ in Spanish) mate leaves soaked in warm water has now developed into a health craze in the Western world. With the botanical name 'Ilex paraguariensis' a member of the holly family, Yerba mate is known for its ...

With no agreed place of origin, a multitude of myths from a host of cultures surrounding their uses as signs of social hierarchy through to symbols of immortality and their ambiguous position in nature in which they are considered more closely related to humans than plants – the prehistoric ...

Passion fruit originates from South America (Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina) and is part of the psychedelic, funky-looking ‘Passiflora’ family – recognised for both its delectable culinary qualities, as well as its potent medicinal value. It is now cultivated in the majority of temperate, warmer ...

Cacao beans are the seeds of the cacao tree (or Theobroma), which are grown, for example in Mexico and several other South American countries. Cacao beans are then processed and heated to make cocoa, which is used in conventional chocolate bars. In its raw, unprocessed form however, cacao retains ...