SC - Re: SC: Candied Ginger

[linneah at erols.com]

David Salley wrote:
> 
> I've had candied ginger twice at an SCA event.  Both times it looked like
> dark brown crystals.  I've also seen candied ginger in the exotic foods aisle
> of my supermarket although I've never bought it and it also looks like dark
> brown crystals.  I recently tried making candied orange peels, nutmegs and
> ginger.  I used the recipe from _Delights for Ladies_ by Sir Hugh Plat in
> Cariadoc's cookbook.  Everything came out tasting as I expected it, but the
> ginger looks like dried ginger root, not dark brown crystals.  I'm not
> really surprized at this as the orange peels look like dried orange peels
> and the nutmegs look like glossy nutmegs.  Why does the stuff at the super-
> market look so different?  And was the stuff I ate at SCA events only
> commercial candy rather than homemade?  Or is some way of making it come out
> as crystals.  Frankly, it's easier to get someone to try a dark crystal than
> bite into something that looks like a ginger root.
>                                                         -- Dagonell

When I buy candied ginger, it is slices of the root - half dollar sized - with some 
sugary coating.  I then chop it up and end up with, what you might call, 
crystals.  They aren't that dark, though.  Maybe the sugar syrup is brought 
almost to a carmel stage with chopped ginger.  I have tried nibbling on the 
large slices and found it pleasant - sweet at first with a definite but nice bite.

Linneah