Posted by Tim Vidra / Thursday, November 10, 2011
Fresh Grown Local Ginger
You just never know what might show up at the South of the James Farmers Market (or any market for that matter). This week among all the fall greens, beets, onions, and late peppers, fresh ginger made its debut at several stands. I happened to pick mine up from Casselmonte Farm located in Powhatan, Virginia. I will be honest — I have never seen fresh ginger and was only familiar with the dry ginger in the supermarket that I am now wondering comes from where? I mean I didn't know I could grow ginger as silly as it sounds!
Armed with a little education, I believe I might tackle this spice in the 2012 spring garden. In the meantime, I can give you a few tips on enjoying the dry or fresh ginger you may purchase.
- Ginger does not keep long in the refrigerator. I always keep my pieces of ginger in the freezer in Ziploc bags where in reality they will keep for a very long time.
- Ginger can be taken out frozen and no need for thawing just grate the amount you might need for your dish. When done return it to the freezer for future use.
- In most recipes there is no need to take the skin off of the ginger just grate as mentioned above. If the recipe does call for a ginger dice then I would take the time to take the skin off.
Have you cooked with fresh ginger or with the stalks? Anything I need to try or know about planting this aromatic spice?
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I use only fresh ginger in all my cooking. I suggest adding it a two points to a recipe: early on in the cooking, to give an underlying ginger flavor, and then just like other fresh herbs, towards the end of cooking, if you want to revive the sense of "bite" that fresh ginger gives.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the obvious Thai, Indian, and other Asian cuisine uses, I use ginger in pies (Peach ginger cardamom? good god! Pumpkin? YES.), breads, scones and other baked goods to lend a spicy character. Also: if you're a homebrewer? I'm just sayin'...
I love fresh ginger! Wonderful in asian chicken dishes of course! Have you ever eaten crystallized ginger? Sweet, chewy and potentially good for a sour tummy. I can't imagine it's too hard to make. And I always LOVE the pickled ginger that is served with sushi. In that form it's rather spicy.
ReplyDeleteThat ginger is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love fresh ginger and I'm going to do some research to see if I can grow it here.
Besides using it in cooking my husband and I also enjoy juicing it when we make our (usually) daily juices.
It will be worthwile trying to grow ginger.I have a little quantity and use it as often as I can.Not to say when I have cold in tea with honey makes me feel immediately better;) Good luck:)
ReplyDeleteIt definitely shows my readers are better versed on fresh ginger than I. Thanks for all the tips and thoughts!
ReplyDeleteE.A.T.