A news story from Metro presents a case of a restaurant owner trying to increase business. Bear in mind that China has a history of adding poppy powder to dishes, although it has been banned for some time.
The owner of a noodle restaurant in the Shaanxi province of China has confessed to lacing his trademark dish with opium, hoping his customers would keep coming back for more. However, one of his regular customers tested positive for opium during a routine traffic stop earlier this month.
The customer couldn't understand the result. After careful thought, he convinced family members to eat at the restaurant and then have themselves tested, thereby proving his innocence.
The restaurant owner consequently admitted to police that he had been grinding poppy buds into the food. In August, he had purchased 4.4lbs of poppy buds for $100 (£61) to crush over noodles to give them added flavor, thereby improving his business.
Luckily for the customers, the quantity in the noodles was not enough to be habit-forming.
They are just plants, with every right to occupy spare ground. However, I don't think I'll stop and harvest them to add to my noodles.
Have you seen any interesting plants on your travels?