Ginger and Its Roots

About author / Lauren Braun Costello

The competent cook; food stylist; cooking instructor; graduate French Culinary Institute. To die for dish? Maple glazed bacon wrapped roast turkey. Yep, bacon wrapped.

Nostradamus made a magic love potion from it.  Confucius professed to have never eaten a meal without it.  The Irish concocted a rich, dark ale marked by its flavor.  Ginger has been a cherished spice for nearly three thousand years, everywhere from Shanghai to Shannon.  

Although typically thought of as an Asian spice because it is native to the region, ginger was also widely used in ancient Rome.  When the Roman Empire fell, so too did access to this unique ingredient.  It was not until one famed Venetian traveler's journey to the Far East that ginger reemerged as a revered spice in Europe.  So, we have to thank Marco Polo for more than just noodles!

We get the name "ginger" from the Middle English word gingivere, which stems from the Sanskrit smgaveram, meaning "horn root", an obvious reference to its appearance.  Ginger is a root plant belonging to the same botanical family as cardamom and turmeric.  Fresh ginger is the bumpy, gnarled outgrowth.  It should not be wrinkled or soft.  The knobs, known as "hands" of ginger, should be firm and smooth, except where broken off from a larger piece.  

Ginger comes in many forms other than fresh.  Today we can purchase it dried, powdered, pickled, crystallized or candied.  Its application can be both sweet and savory, whether raw or cooked.  Each form can be used for specific cooking needs.  For example, powdered ginger is excellent for baking in order to incorporate the flavor evenly.  Pickled ginger, on the other hand, is used mostly as a garnish to accent a dish.

Peeling, Cutting or Scraping
Peeling fresh ginger can be done with a peeler, knife or spoon.  A peeler can be a bit difficult depending on the outer texture of the knob, and a knife works well but leads to more waste than necessary.  The spoon method is the most economical by far, and very easy to do.  Hold the ginger in one hand and a spoon in the other.  Turn the edge of the spoon over the ginger skin and scrape.  The skin will come off and there will be little waste.

Slicing, Chopping or Grating
Fresh ginger can be stringy and tough, especially when old and dry.  If you peel ginger and don't like what you see, there is not much point to going any further with it.  But if the ginger is moist, it can be sliced, chopped, or grated.  

To slice ginger, place the flattest side of the peeled hand down on the cutting board and use a chef's knife.  If you want to chop ginger, cut thin strips from the slices and then cut small pieces from the strips.  Grating ginger can be done with a box grater, a microplane (also known as a rasp), a serrated grapefruit spoon, or a porcelain ginger grater.  The grating process releases the most juices, which can help to extract more flavor.  

More Than Just a Spice
Ginger is coveted for both its gastronomical and medicinal properties.  Ayurveda, an ancient Indian holistic medical practice, recommends ginger and honey as a cough suppressant.  In Jamaica, where some of the world's finest ginger is grown, a ginger-infused tea is made to remedy both head colds and nausea.  Ginger has even been employed to combat indigestion and motion sickness.  

So, experiment with ginger.  Try the different peeling techniques for fresh ginger, and find the method that works best for you.  Infuse your favorite tea with some fresh ginger slices to help you digest a heavy meal.  Now that spring is here, you can even top your favorite fruit tart with my quick and easy ginger ice cream.

Serves/Makes: 1 batch

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger