“Ginger is available in two forms – young and mature. Young ginger, sometimes called spring ginger, has a pale, thin skin that requires no peeling. It’s very tender and has a milder flavor than its mature form. Young ginger can be found in most Asian markets in the springtime. Mature ginger has a tough skin that must be carefully peeled away to preserve the delicate, most desirable flesh just under the surface. Look for mature ginger with smooth skin (wrinkled skin indicates that the root is dry and past its prime). It should have a fresh, spicy fragrance. Fresh unpeeled gingerroot, tightly wrapped, can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks and frozen for up to 6 months. To use frozen ginger, slice off a piece of the unthawed root and return the rest to the freezer. Place peeled gingerroot in a screw-top glass jar, cover with dry sherry or madeira and refrigerate up to 3 months. The wine will impart some of its flavor to the ginger – a minor disadvantage to weigh against having peeled ginger ready and waiting. On the plus side, the delicious ginger-flavored wine can be reused for cooking. The flavor of dried ground ginger is very different from that of its fresh form and is not an appropriate substitute for dishes specifying fresh ginger. It is, however, delicious in many savory dishes such as soups, curries and meats, a sprightly addition to fruit compotes, and indispensable in sweets like gingerbread, gingersnaps and many spice cookies. Ginger is the flavor that has long given the popular beverages ginger ale and ginger beer their claim to fame. ” Source: Food Lover’s Companion; Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst; 2009
Ginger
