Monday

More Ginger


These rare gems I don't have either but I can dream, right? Also on my list to own!
The ginger family (Zingiberaceae) is made up of a large group of tropical herbs. Most gingers are native to the fields and rain forests of Indo-Malaysia. The family, ever changing, consists of about 45 genra and around 700 species. The edible gingers have forever been items of commerce. Some are grown for their roots and sold in International
markets. Others such as cardamom have been used as flavoring though out the world and in India for millennia. Turmeric is another which is used in curry powder and as a yellow dye. Trade of ginger was developed first in Indonesian and along the coasts of the Indian Ocean. Later, other cultures discovered them. Gourmets in the Mediterranean area became well acquainted with them. Even the early Greek and Roman writings have recorded the use of ginger as a spice. Today our international cuisine has a constant demand on this wonderful spice.



Although more popularly known as a spice the flower of gingers are one of the more
widely used tropical plants. Their bright red flowers can be seen during festival times in the South Pacific as colorful dresses. Shell gingers are also quite attractive and are well used in flower arrangements.

Many gingers have medicinal uses from helping asthma to relieving stomach aches. Others gingers are used as perfumes and some are thought to have a supernatural values in casing away evil spirits. Many cultures used the foamy flower heads of the variegated wild ginger for shampooing hair and
quenching thirst.

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