Buy Nevada-grown baby ginger at the Great Basin Community Food Co-op

Ray and Virginia Johnson of Custom Gardens Organic Farm has been growing baby ginger for a couple of years with great success.  The only way to get some was through their CSA , which has been full for years, or drive out to Silver Springs to pick it up.  Now we can get it through the Great Basin Community Food Co-op!

Baby ginger is very different from the fiberous tuber we see in the supermarket.  It is perishable and tender so needs to be used up or stored.  My friend Mackenzie buys a bunch of baby ginger each year and puts it in the freezer. 

Below is a bit of information and some recipe ideas from Ray and Virginia.  From my mailbox to you:

Here’s the whole scoop:


Since we harvest the root at an early or mid-growth) stage due to our climate (not quite Hawaii) Our baby ginger more perishable than the usual tough skinned ginger root you will find in a supermarket. Here are some tips and a recipe to help you discover and enjoy Baby Ginger. Look up how to candy it, on the Internet!

Storage, perishability and uses: Clean your ginger root by washing under running water, gently removing any soils or blemishes – the skin of baby ginger is quite tender.

Young ginger root can be stored in the refrigerator for 10-14 days – simply wrapped in a damp paper towel, and put into a zip-lock bag or a container with a tight fitting lid. Any part of the root not used for fresh purposes within two weeks should be frozen in a zip lock bag (air pushed out) then simply taken out or sliced, diced, grated for use.

Leaves: To prepare leaves to store for tea: Cut off the stalks-- about 2 inches above the ginger root. Pull off leaves - rinse, blot dry, then cut or snip into small pieces. Place cut leaf pieces on a paper towel allowing them to air dry on the counter. When thoroughly dried store ginger leaves in a glass jar or zip-lock bag.

When making and drinking your tea: If used medicinally, don’t add sugar. For regular consumption doll it up any way you choose, with sugar or honey, or other flavorings.

Tender shoots & stalks: May be cut into pieces and used, to taste, in stir-fry.

Ginger Root Pickles

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh baby ginger -- sliced paper thin with vegetable peeler or mandolin

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup natural rice vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

Directions: Stir all ingredients together in nonreactive stainless steel pan or glass saucepan and bring to a boil. Let mixture cool to room temperature and chill overnight (Pickled ginger keeps for several months in the refrigerator).

Use your baby ginger in any way you would use any fresh ginger, but know it is tenderer with less fiber than the tough supermarket ginger root.