Bonsoir!

Today we celebrate wild ginger, the 6th day of Ventôse. It turns out that wild ginger is not even related to the cultivated ginger we eat nowadays and according to Wikipedia, is quite toxic.  It’s rhizome supposedly tastes similar to ginger root, so one wonders how the Jacobins were consuming wild ginger.

I’ve decided to use traditional ginger root and have made candied ginger. It will leave you feeling less sea-sick and is a welcome addition to ice cream, tea and trail mix. There are a bunch of recipes online, but they are all basically the same.

Candied Ginger 

1/2 pound of peeled and sliced ginger

1/2 pound of sugar

First, peel the ginger and slice thinly, with a mandolin, perhaps. Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the ginger seems tender. Pour out the liquid, but reserve it. Back in the pot, add 1/4 cup of the ginger liquid and the sugar. Cook until the liquid seems to have evaporated. Pour out onto a baking sheet and let cool. Enjoy!