[Photo provided to China Daily]

Spring is coming fast, and although roses are just starting to leaf out across most of China, Cafe Flatwhite is getting into the season early. Its new rose coffee, 38 yuan ($5.88), is a freshly made latte laced with rose syrup and festooned with bits of dried rose petal for a pleasantly aromatic brew. In China's southern province of Yunnan, meanwhile, look to local markets - especially in the Dali area - for a more intense bite. For about the same price as the rose coffee, you can get a small bag of cane-sugar cubes studded with roses petals and essence. It's concentrated, so stir a little into coffee or your baking batter and taste.