Asian Cuisine

Central / South America

North American & European

Asian Cuisine

English Name: Aloe vera

Botanical Name: Aloe vera

Aloe very is one of those useful easy to grow plants that is utilized world wide. Mostly in cosmetic type products, raw it is also used extensively by people who have small burns and especially sun burns.

English Name: Betel Leaf

Botanical Name: Piper betle

Betel leaf is no doubt most commonly used the betel nut chew concoction. However it is lesser known about its use as a wild pepper. Being very closely related to black pepper, and having the same growth habit and fruit structure, its an easy alternative.

Botanical Name: Butterfly Pea

Butterfly pea is a member of the bean family used in SE Asia as a natural food colorant. Depending on the variety, the color can range from violet, blue to purple. The most popular color being blue, this tropical vine is an easy, sustainable plant to produce lots of blue colors for food and drink!

English Name: Cassava

Botanical Name: Manihot esculenta

Cassava is one of the main staple food sources in the warmer regions of the world, probably only falling behind rice and corn in abundance. The tubers are eaten in many ways not so unlike other root crops. Tapioca is an example of a product made from cassava. One should be aware the raw plant is considered poisonous and proper cooking procedures are required to use this plant as a food. Research how to cook it before ingesting. We offer raw plant material only, nothing is prepared.

English Name: Chives

Botanical Name: Allium schoenoprasum

Chives look and smell quite similar to green onions when used. The thin, hollow, green lean leaves are often cut into smaller species and used as garnish or in cooking. Quite a strong flavour, without as much of the burn as other green onion types.

English Name: Cinnamon

Botanical Name: Cinnamomum

The cinnamon genus has numerous useful plants, including many edible species of cinnamon. Members include: Cassia, Cinnamon, Camphor, Bull Camphor etc. Aside from the spice Cinnamon, this genus gives us lots of useful products such as essential oils and even a rare new mushroom from Taiwan related to Reishi mushroom.

English Name: Cumin

Botanical Name: Cuminum cyminum

Cumin seed is used a lot in Indian and other Asian styles of cooking. One of our personal favourite spices for almost everything, its added to most any dish.

English Name: Dragon Fruit

Botanical Name: Hylocereus undatus

Dragon fruit, like all cactus species, comes from the new world, specifically Mexico south through Central America. Many species exist but a handful are used commercially for food production. Bright pink skin that peels off leaving a soft juicy white flesh. Other species have purple or red flesh and some have yellow skin. Many breeding programs are underway in many countries creating new varieties of this new amazing fruit.

English Name: Galangal

Botanical Name: Alpinia galanga

Galangal is a type of "ginger", though from a different Genus as regular ginger. The species is used in much of SE Asia, especially in Thai food. Great for use in curry, sauces and soups.

English Name: Garlic

Botanical Name: Allium sativum

Garlic is an onion like plant in appearance and is grown mostly for its aromatic bulb. Other parts of the plant are edible, however it’s the bulb and to a lesser extent the scape that receives most attention.

English Name: Ginger

Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale

Ginger is the thick rhizome of a tropical plant. Very healthy, and very spicy in flavour. Great for making into cooking, baking, drinks just about anything. Black sugar ginger tea, amazing!

English Name: Ginger, Shell

Botanical Name: Alpinia zerumbet

Shell ginger is a lesser known species not used so much for culinary purposes outside of Asia. Within Asia, the leaves are used to wrap food, flowers and seeds used in teas, and the rhizome (root) used in many different dishes. The root is probably the most underutilized product from this plant, and is held in quite high esteem in Japan for its health benefits.

English Name: Ginseng, American

Botanical Name: Panax quinquefolius

American Ginseng is grown mostly for the Asian market which uses this in both food and medicine. Great for energy and tasty in strong home cooked soups. Interestingly one of the biggest markets for Canadian Ginseng is Taiwan.

English Name: Goji Berry

Botanical Name: Lycium barbarum

Another great Chinese healthy plant. In East Asia goji berry is used extensively in food and Chinese medicine alike. The goji industry is a bit cloudy as there are numerous species and most of the imported berry being from China and not properly identified as to which species it is. Here we have identified the species we grow and keep detailed records. Organically grown in Canada on our farm!

English Name: Lemon Balm

Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis

Lemon Balm is a super beautiful lush green mint growing to a meter high. We love using this mint to grow at the ends of our raised beds, and as luck would have it this species is one of those few that will grow in ground all year in both our locations; Canada and Taiwan!

English Name: Lemon Grass

Botanical Name: Cymbopogon sp.

With a very heavy citrus aroma this tropical grass really does the job in cooking and beverages. Great as is for an herbal tea, or cooked into any number of Asian dishes. Lemon grass is easily stored and used for a touch of sour and big dash of citrus flavour.

English Name: Licorice

Botanical Name: Glycyrrhiza sp.

Licorice is a well-known root used extensively in Chinese medicine and now worldwide for its flavor. Used in candies, liqueurs/beers, drinks and health food products, it is not to be confused with the licorice candy of the west which uses anise as the main flavor ingredient. Licorice root is quite sweet to the taste and adds a sharp after bite to its flavor.

English Name: Luffa Sponge

Botanical Name: Luffa sp.

Luffa is a cucumber, or squash, relative. Being a tropical climbing vine it grows up its support and has anywhere from 200-2kg fruits, which when naturally dried leave nothing but the skin, seeds and fibers inside. When the skin is peeled away and seeds extracted we are left with one of nature’s most perfect sponges, useful in cleaning pretty much anything, including ones body.

English Name: Mango

Botanical Name: Mangifera indica

At least our personal favourite fruit, Mango is a king of kings in the plant food world. Made into almost anything, the taste, color and fragrance of the mango species is amazing! There are countless varieties, so come on inside and take a look at the varieties we grow and provide.

English Name: Moringa

Botanical Name: Moringa oleifera

Heard of it? Moringa is catching on in the west for its ease of growth and incredibly healthy vegetable product. The fresh new growth is eaten as a green (fried is amazing), tasting almost green bean like with a spicy twist similar to nasturtium. In Taiwan the trunks are scraped of bark and used to make soup stock.

English Name: Noni

Botanical Name: Morinda citrifolia

The Noni fruit is quite a neat little fruit. We fell in love with it on a beach as it will grow right near the ocean like a coconut almost in its salt tolerance. For eating, its equally as interesting, looking quite blob like. The ripe fruit is eaten fairly quick before it goes bad, but the dried fruit is often sold as fruit, or medicine to be used in cooking or beverages.

English Name: Oregano

Botanical Name: Origanum vulgare

Oregano is a common spice people especially enjoy using on meat. Fresh or dried, oregano leaf is really quite nice dusted on top of something. Another plant that grows well year round in both our farms in Canada and Taiwan.

English Name: Pepper, Black

Botanical Name: Piper nigrum

Black pepper, the spicy seeds of this tropical vine have gone round the world with a mission. Now its available everywhere! Great spice for food, adding some spice to the dish. All of our black pepper is grown in Taiwan.

English Name: Pepper, (Hot / Bell)

Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum

Peppers cover a few species of plants, and even a couple families! Unlike black pepper, which is a species of Piper, hot peppers belong to the nightshade family and can be anywhere from pleasantly sweet to a raging inferno.

English Name: Quinoa

Botanical Name: Chenopodium quinoa

Quinoa became famous in the west as an ancient grain coming from South America. Many people don’t know that there are a few races of Quinoa, some said to be native in other areas. We carry 2 "types" of quinoa, Peruvian and Formosan (Taiwan). We grow our Peruvian stock on our farm in Canada and the Formosan type we grow on our farm in Taiwan.

English Name: Roselle

Botanical Name: Hibiscus sabdariffa

Although an African plant used much for its fiber, roselle really caught on in Asia for its sweet & sour fruit which is seen all over much of warm Asia. Excellent as a herbal tea, or made into treats, jams, sauces or soups.

English Name: Spurflowers, Coleus

Botanical Name: Plectranthus species

A very large group of medicinal and ornamental plants. In Taiwan its used mostly as a skin remedy for various ailments that are treated topically. Very pretty, many very heavily scented.

English Name: Tea

Botanical Name: Camellia sinensis

Tea! Not much can be said that isn't already known. Perhaps the most widely used thing we put into drinks after water, Tea has taken over the world with its popularity as a stimulant, health tonic and just a good cup. All of our Tea is grown here in Taiwan!

English Name: Turmeric

Botanical Name: Curcuma longa

Turmeric is another spice related to the gingers. The rhizome (root) is used in many dishes around the globe. Used for flavor and more importantly adding an orange/yellow twist to any dish, it is more recently being regarded as a super food with amazing health qualities. All our Turmeric is grown on our farm in Taiwan.

English Name: Vanilla Bean

Botanical Name: Vanilla planifolia

Vanilla is an amazing spice, and a very valuable one. The "Vanila bean" looks like a bean after it has been cured for a few months. The bean is actually the fruit of an orchid, or a group of orchids. There are a few species of vanilla, one native to Taiwan, but the one we grow for our beans is Vanilla planifolia.

Latino Cuisine

English Name: Cacao

Botanical Name: Theobroma cacao

Cacao is the raw powder of the seed of a tropical tree that makes chocolate. The roasted seed itself is quite nutritious and considered a valuable super food. Can be made into any sort of food or drink.

English Name: Cape Gooseberry

Botanical Name: Physalis peruviana

Cape gooseberry is similar to tomatillo. Smaller berries of about 2-3cm taste like a much more flavourful fruit-like tomato with less water and more meaty flesh. The fruits are great eaten out of hand or used in salads, soups or basically anything a tomato is used in but could use a bit more sweet and flavor.

English Name: Cassava

Botanical Name: Manihot esculenta

Cassava is one of the main staple food sources in the warmer regions of the world, probably only falling behind rice and corn in abundance. The tubers are eaten in many ways not so unlike other root crops. Tapioca is an example of a product made from cassava. One should be aware the raw plant is considered poisonous and proper cooking procedures are required to use this plant as a food. Research how to cook it before ingesting. We offer raw plant material only, nothing is prepared.

English Name: Chives

Botanical Name: Allium schoenoprasum

Chives look and smell quite similar to green onions when used. The thin, hollow, green lean leaves are often cut into smaller species and used as garnish or in cooking. Quite a strong flavour, without as much of the burn as other green onion types.

English Name: Coffee

Botanical Name: Coffea arabica

Coffee is now grown in much of the warm world for its seed (Bean). The red berries are picked, skin removed and the seeds are sun dried after being cleaned. Once dried to the right moisture content they are either sold as white beans (unroasted) or roasted and sold as a ready to use coffee product. Coffee is a fairly good crop environmentally as it is usually grown under shade trees in the mountains, as opposed to cleared out mono culture type farms.

English Name: Corn

Botanical Name: Zea mays

Corn has many uses in food and industry. We offer mostly traditional varieties such as for corn meal or popcorn. Many Heirloom varieties.

English Name: Cumin

Botanical Name: Cuminum cyminum

Cumin seed is used a lot in Indian and other Asian styles of cooking. One of our personal favourite spices for almost everything, its added to most any dish.

English Name: Dragon Fruit

Botanical Name: Hylocereus undatus

Dragon fruit, like all cactus species, comes from the new world, specifically Mexico south through Central America. Many species exist but a handful are used commercially for food production. Bright pink skin that peels off leaving a soft juicy white flesh. Other species have purple or red flesh and some have yellow skin. Many breeding programs are underway in many countries creating new varieties of this new amazing fruit.

English Name: Garlic

Botanical Name: Allium sativum

Garlic is an onion like plant in appearance and is grown mostly for its aromatic bulb. Other parts of the plant are edible, however it’s the bulb and to a lesser extent the scape that receives most attention.

English Name: Ginger

Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale

Ginger is the thick rhizome of a tropical plant. Very healthy, and very spicy in flavour. Great for making into cooking, baking, drinks just about anything. Black sugar ginger tea, amazing!

English Name: Lemon Grass

Botanical Name: Cymbopogon sp.

With a very heavy citrus aroma this tropical grass really does the job in cooking and beverages. Great as is for an herbal tea, or cooked into any number of Asian dishes. Lemon grass is easily stored and used for a touch of sour and big dash of citrus flavour.

English Name: Mexican Pepper Leaf

Botanical Name: Piper auritum

This black pepper relative has a very strong and very unique aroma. Sweet, smooth, little spicy and something else i cant describe. Quite amazing to use in cooking. In Central America it is used also as a wrap. The massive heart shaped leaves are used as an edible, spiced up, wrap.

English Name: Mint

Botanical Name: Mentha sp.

Mentha is a big group with lots of members. Let’s just say mint...And all our mint types are listed inside here as there are too many hybrids and mixes, so we just lumped them all together.

English Name: Nopal

Botanical Name: Opuntia sp.

Nopal is a vegetable from Mexico and adjacent areas. The fresh growth of many Opuntia species, a genus of cactus, is sliced and made into all kinds of lovely dishes. The plant itself is slightly slimy, much like okra and birds nest fern, so people who enjoy the textures of that soft sticky nature will absolutely love this one. A common find in many Latino foods! We grow many cactus and are always searching better and new varieties of this vegetable, don’t be shy about emailing us for the latest on this one!

English Name: Oregano

Botanical Name: Origanum vulgare

Oregano is a common spice people especially enjoy using on meat. Fresh or dried, oregano leaf is really quite nice dusted on top of something. Another plant that grows well year round in both our farms in Canada and Taiwan.

English Name: Pepper, Black

Botanical Name: Piper nigrum

Black pepper, the spicy seeds of this tropical vine have gone round the world with a mission. Now its available everywhere! Great spice for food, adding some spice to the dish. All of our black pepper is grown in Taiwan.

English Name: Pepper, (Hot / Bell)

Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum

Peppers cover a few species of plants, and even a couple families! Unlike black pepper, which is a species of Piper, hot peppers belong to the nightshade family and can be anywhere from pleasantly sweet to a raging inferno.

English Name: Quinoa

Botanical Name: Chenopodium quinoa

Quinoa became famous in the west as an ancient grain coming from South America. Many people don’t know that there are a few races of Quinoa, some said to be native in other areas. We carry 2 "types" of quinoa, Peruvian and Formosan (Taiwan). We grow our Peruvian stock on our farm in Canada and the Formosan type we grow on our farm in Taiwan.

English Name: Tomatillo

Botanical Name: Physalis ixocarpa

Tomatillo is a popular fruit used in Mexican and Latino dishes. The almost ripe fruit is harvested and used in sauces, salsas, soups and more excitingly rice and eastern dishes. This should do well in curries and Indian style dishes as well!

English Name: Turmeric

Botanical Name: Curcuma longa

Turmeric is another spice related to the gingers. The rhizome (root) is used in many dishes around the globe. Used for flavor and more importantly adding an orange/yellow twist to any dish, it is more recently being regarded as a super food with amazing health qualities. All our Turmeric is grown on our farm in Taiwan.

North American & Euopean Cuisine

English Name: Blackberry

Botanical Name: Rubus ursinus

Blackberry is a love hate relationship. The berries are first class, great for fresh, jams, baking etc. Large size and large yields, blackberry is a top 5 berry for us. But the plants are covered in very sharp thorns and grow everywhere! Blackberries cannot be shipped fresh.

English Name: Cacao

Botanical Name: Theobroma cacao

Cacao is the raw powder of the seed of a tropical tree that makes chocolate. The roasted seed itself is quite nutritious and considered a valuable super food. Can be made into any sort of food or drink.

English Name: Cassava

Botanical Name: Manihot esculenta

Cassava is one of the main staple food sources in the warmer regions of the world, probably only falling behind rice and corn in abundance. The tubers are eaten in many ways not so unlike other root crops. Tapioca is an example of a product made from cassava. One should be aware the raw plant is considered poisonous and proper cooking procedures are required to use this plant as a food. Research how to cook it before ingesting. We offer raw plant material only, nothing is prepared.

English Name: Chives

Botanical Name: Allium schoenoprasum

Chives look and smell quite similar to green onions when used. The thin, hollow, green lean leaves are often cut into smaller species and used as garnish or in cooking. Quite a strong flavour, without as much of the burn as other green onion types.

English Name: Cinnamon

Botanical Name: Cinnamomum

The cinnamon genus has numerous useful plants, including many edible species of cinnamon. Members include: Cassia, Cinnamon, Camphor, Bull Camphor etc. Aside from the spice Cinnamon, this genus gives us lots of useful products such as essential oils and even a rare new mushroom from Taiwan related to Reishi mushroom.

English Name: Coffee

Botanical Name: Coffea arabica

Coffee is now grown in much of the warm world for its seed (Bean). The red berries are picked, skin removed and the seeds are sun dried after being cleaned. Once dried to the right moisture content they are either sold as white beans (unroasted) or roasted and sold as a ready to use coffee product. Coffee is a fairly good crop environmentally as it is usually grown under shade trees in the mountains, as opposed to cleared out mono culture type farms.

English Name: Corn

Botanical Name: Zea mays

Corn has many uses in food and industry. We offer mostly traditional varieties such as for corn meal or popcorn. Many Heirloom varieties.

English Name: Cumin

Botanical Name: Cuminum cyminum

Cumin seed is used a lot in Indian and other Asian styles of cooking. One of our personal favourite spices for almost everything, its added to most any dish.

English Name: Fig

Botanical Name: Ficus carica

Figs have been grown for hundreds of years as a fruit. More common in Europe and the Americas now, it has more recently become quite popular throughout the rest of the world as well, both as a dried and a fresh fruit.

English Name: Garlic

Botanical Name: Allium sativum

Garlic is an onion like plant in appearance and is grown mostly for its aromatic bulb. Other parts of the plant are edible, however it’s the bulb and to a lesser extent the scape that receives most attention.

English Name: Ginger

Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale

Ginger is the thick rhizome of a tropical plant. Very healthy, and very spicy in flavour. Great for making into cooking, baking, drinks just about anything. Black sugar ginger tea, amazing!

English Name: Gooseberry

Botanical Name: Ribes uva-crispa

Goose berry is a small to medium sized berry that grows in many of the cooler climates. The berries are sour and great to be used in cooking, jams or into drinks. Fresh gooseberries available in Canada Only.

English Name: Honey Berry

Botanical Name: Lonicera caerulea

Honey berry, or Haskap, is a blue berry that got stretched. They grow in quite cold areas such as Russia and Canada, and exhibit great potential as a commercial berry product in the near future. The fruits are easily baked or added into anything that one might add any blue berry into. In British Columbia Canada, this berry is also being made into liqueur.

English Name: Hops

Botanical Name: Humulus lupulus

Hops is surely known best for its purpose of adding flavour to beer, so much so the name in Mandarin is literally "Beer Flower" (啤酒花). Ever feel sleepy after a pint? Hops are also used quite a lot by people with sleep difficulties. Drinking the tea or sleeping with some under the pillow is said to aid favourably with getting to sleep.

English Name: Huckleberry, Red

Botanical Name: Vaccinium parvifolium

Red huckleberry is another great little Pacific Northwest berry! Used locally either out of hand or in jams and baking, this berry is fairly small, pea size, and relatively sour. Fresh berries can only ship within Canada July-September.

English Name: Lavender

Botanical Name: Lavandula sp.

Lavender, maybe our favourite scented herb in existence! So many types exist, but are mostly used for the scent they provide. Essential oils and dried herb make up the majority of products from lavender, relished by the cosmetic and food industry alike.

English Name: Lemon Balm

Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis

Lemon Balm is a super beautiful lush green mint growing to a meter high. We love using this mint to grow at the ends of our raised beds, and as luck would have it this species is one of those few that will grow in ground all year in both our locations; Canada and Taiwan!

English Name: Lemon Grass

Botanical Name: Cymbopogon sp.

With a very heavy citrus aroma this tropical grass really does the job in cooking and beverages. Great as is for an herbal tea, or cooked into any number of Asian dishes. Lemon grass is easily stored and used for a touch of sour and big dash of citrus flavour.

English Name: Mint

Botanical Name: Mentha sp.

Mentha is a big group with lots of members. Let’s just say mint...And all our mint types are listed inside here as there are too many hybrids and mixes, so we just lumped them all together.

English Name: Oregano

Botanical Name: Origanum vulgare

Oregano is a common spice people especially enjoy using on meat. Fresh or dried, oregano leaf is really quite nice dusted on top of something. Another plant that grows well year round in both our farms in Canada and Taiwan.

English Name: Pepper, Black

Botanical Name: Piper nigrum

Black pepper, the spicy seeds of this tropical vine have gone round the world with a mission. Now its available everywhere! Great spice for food, adding some spice to the dish. All of our black pepper is grown in Taiwan.

English Name: Pepper, (Hot / Bell)

Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum

Peppers cover a few species of plants, and even a couple families! Unlike black pepper, which is a species of Piper, hot peppers belong to the nightshade family and can be anywhere from pleasantly sweet to a raging inferno.

English Name: Roses

Botanical Name: Rosa sp.

Roses are in everyone’s world it seems. Most countries have some form of rose around. Our roses are the native wild roses of Western Canada. The flowers, buds and fruit are all used in cooking and beverages. The unopened flowers and the flower petals make exceptionally lovely herbal teas!

English Name: Salmonberry

Botanical Name: Rubus spectabilis

Salmon berries are similar in appearance to a small blackberry. The berries themselves are mostly just locally enjoyed in the wild, but they make good jams and beverages. We only ship out dried berries.

English Name: Tea

Botanical Name: Camellia sinensis

Tea! Not much can be said that isn't already known. Perhaps the most widely used thing we put into drinks after water, Tea has taken over the world with its popularity as a stimulant, health tonic and just a good cup. All of our Tea is grown here in Taiwan!

English Name: Thimbleberry

Botanical Name: Rubus parviflorus

Thimble berries look somewhat like a flatter, more fine raspberry. Like a thimble for sewing, the berry can be picked and placed almost perfectly over top a small finger. The berries do not ship well fresh, thus we only provide dried berries at this time.

English Name: Turmeric

Botanical Name: Curcuma longa

Turmeric is another spice related to the gingers. The rhizome (root) is used in many dishes around the globe. Used for flavor and more importantly adding an orange/yellow twist to any dish, it is more recently being regarded as a super food with amazing health qualities. All our Turmeric is grown on our farm in Taiwan.

English Name: Vanilla Bean

Botanical Name: Vanilla planifolia

Vanilla is an amazing spice, and a very valuable one. The "Vanila bean" looks like a bean after it has been cured for a few months. The bean is actually the fruit of an orchid, or a group of orchids. There are a few species of vanilla, one native to Taiwan, but the one we grow for our beans is Vanilla planifolia.