Time-tested ginger spices up Christmas

By Joan Namkoong

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Dec 12, 2012

~~<p>Gingerbread is one of the holiday season's favorite flavors, rooted in a rhizome (plant stem) grown in the islands: ginger. It's a spice used for thousands of years by the Chinese, Egyptians, Persians, Babylonians, Greeks and others, delivered fresh, brined, pickled, dried, crystalized, powdered and in sugar syrup.</p>
<p>Besides gingerbread and gingersnaps, ginger is a key ingredient in ginger ale and ginger beer. The root lends its pungent flavor to both savory and sweet preparations.</p>
~~

Gingerbread is one of the holiday season's favorite flavors, rooted in a rhizome (plant stem) grown in the islands: ginger. It's a spice used for thousands of years by the Chinese, Egyptians, Persians, Babylonians, Greeks and others, delivered fresh, brined, pickled, dried, crystalized, powdered and in sugar syrup.

Besides gingerbread and gingersnaps, ginger is a key ingredient in ginger ale and ginger beer. The root lends its pungent flavor to both savory and sweet preparations. Login for more...