Ginger is well known to most westerners as a spice used to flavor in
gingerbread, gingersnap cookies and the soft drink ginger ale. In Asia,
the root of the plant is a staple seasoning in many kinds of traditional
foods and spice blends, such as chicken curry and garam masala.
Ginger root is also used to make sweet treats confections, such as
Yorkshire parkin and German spekulatius, a type of cake and cookie,
respectively. In China, candied ginger root is fermented in plum juice
and enjoyed as both a confection and a soothing throat lozenge.
