Crystallized Ginger?

So, Beth is addicted to The Spice House's crystallized ginger slices. I admit, i love 'em too. They're crunchy and sweet and gingery and a little chewy. The effect it has on motion sickness is nice, too. $11/lb is fairly reasonable, but I've got this theory that we can make it for a third of that at home. Given that a pound will last us about 2 weeks, that's incentive enough.

Has anyone here had any success candying ginger at home? I found this recipe at recipegullet, and it looks like a good start, but I'd love advice or tricks from LTHers.

I have not made it at home, but TJ's carries it for about 1/2 that price. It's in the Dried Fruit/Nut section.

If you have The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion cookbook - the Curried-Ginger Scones in there are the best crystallized ginger delivery vehicle I have ever had.

TODG eats this stuff like potato chips. And then nearly dies, of course.

We've had good luck finding it at good Chinese grocery stores, where it is chunky and cheap.

Best value was Jay's Asia on Grand in St. Louis, where TODG snuck out with a pound of the stuff and like to died about halfway back to KC.

If you succeed at home, do NOT let her know.

Geo

It's the same affect that reduces nausea that causes the massive heartburn with excessive amounts of ginger: The active ingredient (too lazy to google for it) relaxes smooth muscle, reducing stomach rumbling, cramps and nausea, but also allows stomach acids to bubble up the esophagus.

Hi,

Since this post, what has been people's experience making candied ginger?

I saw this recipe, which involves quite a bit of cooking though relatively little personal labor: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/290866#1580552

Before I get launched, I hope someone has some experience I can use.

Regards,

I candy ginger all the time without a recipe but for a real recipe I implicitly trust my friend David Lebovitz http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2 ... inger.html

Every single recipe I've tried of his works. Plus I've had the pleasure of tasting David's recipes made by him, himself (yes, that's clumsy sentence construction, but there you go .

gleam wrote:So, Beth is addicted to The Spice House's crystallized ginger slices. I admit, i love 'em too. They're crunchy and sweet and gingery and a little chewy.

Ed,

Count me a fan, in fact I bought both slices and chunks just today. I cracked the package of slices in the car and in short order realized that if I did not reseal and toss in the back seat well out of reach I would eat the entire 1/2-lb pack before I got out of Evanston.

Far as making your own, I have not, but the Bittman recipe Louisa linked to looks a winner.

Enjoy,
Gary

HI,

I am going to try both approaches to making candied ginger: lengthy cook with multiple changes of water and the short & sweet method Louisa linked to. My gut feeling they will be day and night differences in taste: one mild and the other peppery ginger tasting.

Regards,

We make candied ginger quite often and use the method described by Dave Leibovitz (not exactly, but close enough). I guess the longer method would give you a softer product, but I kind of like the chewy texture that remains with the shorter method.

gleam wrote:So, Beth is addicted to The Spice House's crystallized ginger slices. I admit, i love 'em too. They're crunchy and sweet and gingery and a little chewy.

I am hopelessly addicted to The Spice House crystallized ginger. Bought a bag this afternoon and its half gone already.

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

I am going to try both approaches to making candied ginger: lengthy cook with multiple changes of water and the short & sweet method Louisa linked to. My gut feeling they will be day and night differences in taste: one mild and the other peppery ginger tasting.

Regards,

Great seeing you today, what did you decide?

Hi,

I have been making the recipe Louisa Chu linked to a few years ago. I make it a few times a year in batches of 1-2 pounds. I will make some along with candied citrus peel soon for the holidays.

Louisa Chu wrote:I candy ginger all the time without a recipe but for a real recipe I implicitly trust my friend David Lebovitz http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2 ... inger.html

Every single recipe I've tried of his works. Plus I've had the pleasure of tasting David's recipes made by him, himself (yes, that's clumsy sentence construction, but there you go .

Regards,

Pete's Fresh Market usually sells it for around $4/lbs.