Zingiber officinalis – Ginger family
in other words: Variety Ginger, Black Ginger, Zingiber, Jamaican Ginger, Jake Root
Ginger is one of those warming spices that we all too often take for granted. It is found in dishes spanning the globe. Thanks to the Spice Trail and the later international spice trade, this anti-inflammatory, warming digestive spice has long worked magic in seemingly every corner of the map, in human terms.
Modern herbalists utilize the benefits of ginger root in a variety of fresh and prepared forms. We like to make ginger glycerites, tinctures, honey, infusions and decoctions. Sometimes we encapsulate ginger. Many of us use ginger in our fire cider and chai blends. Chefs with a little concern for the health of their guests use fresh ginger and dried ginger in everything from appetizers to desserts… and perhaps in their before- and after-dinner drinks. Heck, even bartenders have discovered that ginger’s delicious blend of sweet-spicy-bitter notes nicely complements a variety of mixed drinks and bitters.