Of course, Shakespeare wasn't the first to discover the wonders of ginger. Long before the Montagues feuded with the Capulets, Confucius was eating ginger with every meal. And after Marco Polo made his historic trip to the Far East, ginger became a gourmet rage in Europe. In fact, Elizabeth I had such a love for gingerbread that her cook fashioned it into the likeness of her courtiers, thus creating the prototype for that traditional holiday treat, gingerbread men. All this excitement over a relatively ugly root certainly has just cause.
Nothing has the unique spice of ginger.
Just from looking at gingerroot, you'd never be able to guess at the intense flavor and sweet heat that lie beneath its gnarled, bumpy exterior. This plant with the pale flesh and knobby appearance grows in the tropics and boasts a spicy, pungent aroma. It's an addictive flavor. It's an addiction that can be satisfied in a number of ways, including fresh, ground, pickled or candied. Fresh ginger is usually hailed best by those in the know, and it -can be bought both young and mature.