It is exceedingly rare to find a species so delicious yet highly suited to infusing and growing in the UK. Lonicera caerulea is a small, blue berry native to Siberia and Japan, but Scottish farmers are pioneering its cultivation here, producing
'super-food' berries that are reportedly richer in antioxidants than blueberries.
 
The dried berry's texture is like a flaky, crunchy cranberry, becoming pleasantly chewy when infused. Drunk alone, the complex taste is a blend of blue-berry, raspberry and blackcurrant, but not honey. As an infusion ingredient, it adds a refreshing depth to teas and cocktails.

How to serve

Add a spoonful of dried and broken berries to 95°C water, letting them steep for 5-10 minutes. The cherry-red infusion has a hint of tartness.

Where to buy

Arbuckle's Farm Shop at Inver-gowrie, Perth and Kinross (01382
214509; www.arbuckles.co.uk), Scottish Honeyberry Growers (www.scottishhoneyberrygrowers.co.uk), or grow your own.

Jonathon Jones tastes tea and exports English-grown tea worldwide.