Most ginger comes from Jamaica, followed by India, Africa and China. It has a tan skin and a flesh that ranges in color from pale greenish yellow to ivory. The flavor is peppery and slightly sweet, while the aroma is pungent and spicy. This extremely versatile root has long been a mainstay in Asian and Indian cooking and found its way early on into European foods as well. Europeans and most Americans, however, are more likely to use the dried ground form of ginger, usually in baked goods.
Fresh 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 during 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. It should have a fresh, spicy fragrance.