On Saturday, February 25, 2012 8:39:10 AM UTC-10, z z wrote:
> I love candied ginger but I find the quality widely varies. I bought raw
> unpeeled ginger root for the first time last night.
>
> First I stood awhile in the store studying the pile of ginger
> roots-piled high so you cant just pull what you want out without sending
> others tumbling!
>
> I began to notice that many people had cracked off the deformed "limbs"
> and left them behind. From this I concluded the best part is the biggest
> central body of this strange animal.
>
> I also noticed the long undesirable "whiskers" (tough fibers) extending
> from the center of long thin limbs.
>
> I sniffed several bits and pieces and could not smell the slightest hint
> of ginger.
>
> So I sorted til I found one with body and took it home limbs and all. I
> quickly decided peeling the very thin skin off was a messy frustrating
> waste of time and used a paring knife to chop off the limbs and reduce
> the body to neat raw rectangles. NOW it smells like ginger.
>
> I mentioned fibers? There seems to be a grain to this stuff like wood.
>
> I wasted a lot cutting it my way. The scent is heavenly and I am betting
> the raw wastage down the garbage disposal will freshen your disposal
> just like orange peels do?
>
> I decided to try a raw piece-it smells just the same as cooked. It was
> very hot, slightly bitter at first, same texture as raw potatoe or maybe
> green apple, and tastewise it kind of reminded me of hot celery if there
> was such a thing.
>
> Did I mention the scent is heavenly? My fingers smell so good. I want to
> put slices in my closet! Reminds me of lemon scented dishwashing soap
> also.
>
> So my next report will be what I've tried to do with raw ginger :-)
> First things first, I am going to fry in butter, taste, then begin to
> sweeten, taste by taste.

Eating ginger while on a boat is a cure for seasickness. Well, that's what they say over here. No Gilligan's Island jokes please...