Ginger

Often erroneously called ginger root, ginger is the underground rhizome of an attractive perennial plant that produces leafy stems and pretty pink flowers. Ginger has a peppery sweet flavor and spicy aroma. It grows freely in most tropical and subtropical regions. It was first cultivated in Asia and slowly made its way to Europe via the old spice route. The Spanish conquistadors introduced ginger to the West Indies, where today its production is a flourishing industry, especially on the island of Jamaica, which is currently one of the two biggest producers of fresh ginger in the world, the other being the Malabar coast of India.