 |
Ginger Root
Scientific Name: Zingiber officinalis
Family: Zingiberaceae
|
Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) is a sturdy, perennial, herbaceous plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae, which originated in Malabar and parts of India, particularly Bengal. It is now grown in many regions with warm climates. It is thought that ginger came to southern Europe from the Orient, just prior to the time of the Romans. From Europe, ginger, through Spanish domination, arrived in the West Indies where its cultivation spread rapidly. In the Middle Ages it was believed to possess miraculous properties, for example, against cholera, but today it is used exclusively in the distilling industry and as a spice. It is, however, still listed in some pharmacopeias. In cooking it is much used in oriental cuisine, especially Indian, and, because of historical connections with the latter country, in English cookery as well. It is sometimes mixed with oranges to make a marmalade with a sharp "bite." As Shakespeare's clown puts it, ". . . ginger shall be hot i' the mouth too." (Twelfth Night). [Bianchini, Francesco, Corbetta, Francesco, Pistoia, Marilena, The Complete Book of Fruits and Vegetables, United States Translation: Crown Publishers, New York, 1976; Originally published in Italy as I Frutti della Terra, Arnoldo Mondadori Publisher, Italy, 1973]