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As the holiday season approaches, plans are being made to bake tasty treats. Some of these may include ginger, such as gingerbread and gingersnap cookies.
The use of ginger in medicinal uses dates back thousands of years. The Chinese use it as a digestive aid and to prevent nausea. It was Queen Elizabeth I who is credited for developing the first gingerbread man Christmas treat. In 1907, a Canadian pharmacist patented “Canada Dry Ginger Ale” that became popular during the American prohibition era. It is an essential ingredient in Indian cuisine.
For culinary use, ginger is available in several forms such as fresh ginger root, dried ground ginger, and crystallized ginger. The flavor of ginger is described as citrusy, musty, soapy, pungent, and bitter.
Ground ginger is readily available in many grocery stores. Besides gingerbread and gingersnap cookies, it is often used in apple or pumpkin pie. Ground ginger tends to be less pungent than fresh ginger.
Fresh ginger is found in the produce aisle of grocery stores. Peel off the outer skin then grate, chop or julienne into small pieces. Fresh ginger has the most pungent flavor.
Candied or crystallized ginger is typically used in desserts, either as an ingredient or garnish.
Learn more about ginger from the McCormick Science Institute.
