A spice from the underground stem or rhizome of a tropical (Africa, China, India, Jamaica) plant. May be obtained fresh as whole or dried and ground. Generally considered warm and spicy flavor.
Thousands of years ago, someone in India pulled a ginger root from the ground, decided that its most remarkable feature was the hornlike protrusions that grew from the main body of the root, and promptly named it horn-body, which in Sanskrit, an ancient language of India, was srngam-veram. Over time, this Sanskrit name evolved into the Greek zingiberis, then into the Latin zingiber, then into the French gengibre, then into the Old English gingiber, and finally ended up in Modern English as ginger. In English, the word is about as old as pepper, dating back about a thousand years to the eleventh century. Somewhat more recent is gingerbread (first recorded at the beginning of the fourteenth century), ginger-beer (the beginning of the nineteenth century), and ginger-ale (the end of the nineteenth century).
Tropical plant with pungent aromatic rhizomes.
A pungent, spicy material obtained from the root (rhizome) of the plant Zingiber officinale and used to flavor medicines and foods. It may prevent nausea, vomiting, and motion sickness in patients affected by these conditions.
The root of a herb that is commonly found in tropical or semi-tropical regions is utilized in a variety of forms, such as dried and pulverized, crystallized, preserved in syrup, or fresh. Although Western cuisine tends to favor the powdered variation, the entire root is employed in the production of ginger ale and ginger beer. Gingerbread and gingersnaps are among the most sought-after delicacies utilizing this spice, and it is a staple ingredient in the timeless Christmas treat of gingerbread men. It is an excellent seasoning for apples and most stewed fruits, and is frequently combined with cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg in pies, cakes, and cookies. Renowned since ancient times for its distinctive and fiery fragrance and flavor, the finest quality ginger is sourced from Jamaica, although other exceptional grades are also widely cultivated in Africa and India.
The rhizome of a plant resembling a reed is found growing in regions such as Asia, the West Indies, South America, Western Africa, and Australia. This plant’s knotted and fibrous roots, along with its stems, offer a distinctively hot taste, and both are used in various forms for culinary and medicinal purposes.