Tea glossary

Anise is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Apiaceae family. It can be found in North Africa, especially Egypt, where it has been cultivated for over 4,000 years. Anise is an aromatic plant that is raised primarily for its seeds and leaves, which are used as condiments.

The artichoke reached Egypt and the Mediterranean Basin some 2,500 years ago. It is a herbaceous dicot belonging to the Asteraceae family and Cynara genus. The artichoke that we eat as food is the plant's flower bud. The actual leaves, which are used in infusions, are found along the plant's stem.

The allspice, allspice (Pimenta dioica) is a tree of the family Myrtaceae. The Pimenta dioica tree, belonging to the Myrtaceae family, is found in tropical parts of the Americas. The Aztecs formerly used it to flavour chocolate. Today, the dried fruit, which has an odour similar to cloves, is the source of allspice.

​The fruit of the apple tree has juicy flesh whose flavour ranges from sweet to sour. Apples have been consumed since prehistoric times in the mountainous regions of Central Asia. There are now over 20,000 varieties of apple throughout the world. Today, they are used for many different purposes, including cooking and making cider.