India, May 15 -- Can you think of one international food that you have almost certainly eaten (unless you are bound by religious restrictions or vegetarianism) without ever realising that what you are eating is rubbish, a mere facsimile of the real thing?

And that the real thing is a food that has enthralled emperors from the days of Julius Caesar; one that is so prized that people will pay hundreds of dollars for only a small packet; one that is so valuable that whole herds of animals are not just bred specifically to provide it, but are also kept on a special diet so that the taste remains clean; one that is such a flavour bomb that often only a small quantity is required to transform the taste of other ingredients; and one that is pri...