Nougats made with purple sweet potatoes [Photo provided to China Daily]

Orders arrived one after another in quick succession. She started to make nougats for weddings, and the next thing she knew, all her friends were asking her to open a shop so they can buy regularly from her.

When it comes to working in the kitchen, Mao is both a perfectionist and a minimalist.

She only adds what is necessary and lets the ingredients take care of the rest. She buys butter imported from France, baby milk powder from New Zealand and cranberries from the United States.

As for the almonds, Mao chooses the fresh raw nuts harvested the same year and roasts them herself in case there are additives.

Maintaining quality is never easy.

"Everything is getting more expensive. The price of almonds has risen 50 percent in the past year." Unwilling to give in to inflation, Mao keeps looking for new ways to get good and safe ingredients.

As a frequent visitor to the Beijing Country Fair, the capital's most recognized weekly organic farmers' market, Mao decided to experiment with purple sweet potatoes.

In experimenting with locally sourced seasonal ingredients, she feels she is doing her part in promoting the healthy eating trend.