Garden-Florida

I usually preserve the fresh ginger from my garden as Crystallized Ginger. The process is simple and the ginger retains its strong flavor. You can find a variety of recipes online, but I will describe the simple process I have used for years.

Thoroughly wash and clean the tubers.

Peel, then slice the ginger into thin pieces, discarding any discolored bits. Since the shape of the tuber is not even like a potato, I find that it helps to cut into even sections and then peel and slice. You can also use a potato peeler to slice the ginger into thin ribbons. This may be a bit more time consuming, but worth it in the long run.

In a heavy pan combine a tablespoon of water, two cups of sugar and the sliced ginger. Bring the mixture to a slow boil on a medium setting, stirring regularly but gently. Turn the heat down and let simmer until no liquid remains. This may take an hour. Now the candied ginger and the remaining sugar can be stored in an air-tight container until needed.

The little slices of sweet ginger are great to steep with tea to sooth an upset stomach or to calm the body in general. Also, the ginger can be used in cooking, or nibbled like candy by those who enjoy strong flavors.

The above describes how I usually preserve ginger. This year I decided to try something different.

My son enjoys experimenting with marinades. I had read somewhere that ginger is easily preserved in vodka. This sounded useful for meat marinades.

When I came for a visit this week I brought some fresh ginger from the garden. We cleaned and sliced the ginger as described above. Then placed into a container, which we filled with vodka – the cheapest stuff available will do nicely. My son thought the ginger needed sweetening so he added about three tablespoons of cane sugar, then he shook the container to dissolve.

After a couple of days the ginger had become tender and the vodka smelled like ginger. Both the ginger and vodka can be used in meat marinades.

We tried our own version of ginger teriyaki with some of the liquid and ginger to which we added some oil, soy sauce, a little more cane sugar, onion and various seasonings. After marinating I boiled down some of the liquid for a glaze. The ginger flavor was wonderful.

After using some of the liquid for marinades, add more vodka to the container. It will take on the strong flavor of ginger after a couple of days.

Ginger is easily grown in Florida. Simply purchase a nice tuber that is firm to the touch and tinged with green and pink. This means it is fresh. (I found one at the store a few years ago that had especially plump sections. This one has given me good, plump ginger tubers ever since.)

When you bring the ginger home from the store slice it into sections, usually 4 to 6 sections for a typical tuber. Let the ginger dry overnight and then plant in a container with good quality potting soil. I do this to give them a good start. After the first year, they go into the ground, in improved garden soil, in a sheltered location. They grow well in shade or partial shade.