Spicy Way also has a visitor center in northern Israel, where customers can order hand-blended herbal tea infusions and culinary seasonings.

"Who would imagine that a British person would drink anything other than tea with milk - which I do still drink at 4 o'clock, of course - but these tea infusions are just something else again, and they are quite extraordinary," says Marian, one of England's growing aficionados of Spicy Way herbal teas imported from Israel.

Herbalist Avi Zithershpieler, owner of the Spicy Way shop and visitor center in northern Israel, has entered some of his infusions in international competitions, and has met success with blends such as Posh Pomelo and Melon.

"This new concept, very new and fresh, [is] you don't only drink your tea," says Zithershpieler, who also hand-blends seasonings from 300 varieties of seeds, leaves, roots, fruits, nuts and vegetables. "You eat it, and it's also a meal."