“Can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man”

Ginger is not just an unattractive root we pass by in the local markets. It is one of the oldest known spices that date back some 3,000 to 5,000 years ago. It’s not clear if the root originated in India or somewhere in Southeast Asia. But it is a root that has flavoured our food and made us healthier people for thousands of years.

As the old nursery rhyme suggests, ginger was never meant to stay in one place. During the Roman Empire, Arab merchants controlled the spice trade bringing ginger from east to west. To keep the Romans from taking over their business and the east, they portrayed the east as a dark and dangerous place. For some reason, after the fall of the Roman Empire, ginger almost disappeared through out ancient Europe. Marco Polo is credited for reintroducing the root back into the hungry mouths of Europeans. As time went on, people thought, why keep this spicy root to ourselves. Soon ginger found its way down the eastern coastline of Africa and made its epic voyage to the new world.

Since the discovery of ginger, people have used the root in various ways. 19^th century England, pub owners placed ground ginger on the tables for pub crawlers to add a little spice to their beers. Thus began the great love for ginger ale.

Further back, Queen Elizabeth I is credited for giving the world the Christmas treat of gingerbread men. During her rein, she had the bakers make gingerbread men in the likeness of her important guest. She then presented the little men as gifts. Since then, gingerbread men have been jumping out of ovens all over the world.