Sometimes the answers to difficult challenges can lie in our own backyards – and, for some, quite literally. This thought crossed my mind as I concurrently pondered the sorry state of the world - and the gluai hom banana in my hand.

Depending on who you are, the word ‘bergamot’ is likely to elicit different associations. If you’re a tea-lover, maybe it’s the delicate aroma of Earl Grey tea. If you’re into perfume, perhaps it’s the warm citrus groves of Calabria. If you were around in mid-1980s Thailand - it’s probably the popular anti-hair-fall shampoo.

As a child growing up in New Zealand, I would always look forward to the days when we would host dinners for our Thai family friends. I would invariably be sent to the pantry to retrieve a coveted can of jackfruit, or khanun, and be in charge of releasing the soft, yellow, fleshy ear-shaped fruits from their syrupy metal prisons.