Hot ginger... mild ginger??

[Torsten]

I have been 'addicted' to cyrstallised ginger for a couple of years now, but the hot stuff is too hot (after eating a whole packet) and the mild is too mild. So I usually eat one of each at a time or at least alternating them.

So I am wondering what's behind the mild or hot? Are they different strains? Or is it in the processing?

Has anyone made their own crystallised ginger or fruit?

[theobromos]

According to Gernot Katzer's pages:

"The pungency of ginger is caused by a non-volatile resin containing the same type of hydroxyaryl compounds that are also found in other spices of the ginger family: Zingerone, gingeroles and shoagoles. The pungent gingeroles degrade to the milder shoagoles during storage; high gingerole content and good pungency thus indicate freshness and quality."

and under Origins:

"and Nigeria, whose ginger is rather pungent, but lacks the fine aroma of other provenances. "

[Torsten]

excellent. but why does the mild ginger taste moister then?? the hot one is all wrinkled.

[coin]

i think the difference may be young ginger (or new/spring/green/pink ginger) this is light coloured, little pink, bits of green etc..the one with the pinker really thin, soft skin (don't always need to peel this)..will have the bright pink tip things if not cut off.. it's far milder & sweeter & juicier and obviously less fibrous..excellent for juice, slivered for salad, or brief cooking...i pickle this with lemon juice, salt..half teaspoon before meals, melts in mouth, no fibres...lemon renders it that magic pink colour

older ginger more pungent..then mellowing out when stored, then skin goes wrinkly..not so fragrant, kinda musty, fresh taste is lost

[spiraleyes]

not sure about this,but id love a recipe to make my own.

[Darklight]

Torsten:

the hot stuff is too hot (after eating a whole packet)  

Ummm, don't eat a whole packet then

Is there anything else I can help you with?

[squiresk]

Slighty off topic but anyway..

I planted some ginger a year or so ago. It came up nice and big, about 6-7 main shoots about 2 foot high.

These are now begining to die. The colour is leaving the leaves. Is this due to winter, or is it dying?

Anyone know?

l8r, Kai

[Tryptameanie]

You could try moving it somewhere warmer.Some gingers die off back to a rhizome in winter.

Just hope this is what's happening to yours.

[Torsten]

squiresk - most (probably all) gingers would die back where you are. nothing to worry about. however I am not sure how they deal with deep frosts... it might be a good idea to lift the rhizomes and store them inside over winter.

[squiresk]

Thanks T and Trypt, you put my mind at rest.

Tis the season to put all the good stuff inside each night, pineapple, ginger, cacti, etc..

Its my only workout.

And I love to move myself to somewhere warmer.

k.

[ 03. May 2003, 11:06: Message edited by: squiresk ]