Markman Ellis News Today

When a US chemist suggested adding salt to tea, a storm brewed online. But why does tea, and the right way to make it, strike such a nerve for so many people, especially in the UK?

Amitava Ghosh’s latest book ‘Smoke and Ashes’ explores the remarkable history of the opium poppy, and how it has shaped – and is shaping – the world around us.

A polarising ingredient in much of the world, coriander is an unsung hero of Indian cuisine. And one chef wants to bring it into the limelight, giving it "the glory it deserves".

In the addictive, historical, non-fiction book, The Coffee-House: A Cultural History, we learn about the rise of coffee over centuries.

Home to Portugal's "mountain of stars" and some of Europe's least light-polluted skies, the Alentejo region is best seen at night.