[Sca-cooks] Ginger: Root or Powder

[David Tallan]

Mirhaxa asked:
> Is there any evidence as to whether ginger was the fresh root or the dried
> and transported for months variety?

For what it's worth, this is what John Russell's Boke of Nurture (15thC) has
to say in the "How to Make Ypocras" section (starting Line 129):

[thorns silently expanded to "th"]
Se that youre gynger be well y-pared / or hit to
    powder ye bete,
And that hit be hard / with-owt worm / bytynge,
    & good hete ;
For good gynger colombyne / is best to drynke
    and ete ;
Gynger valadyne & maydelyn ar not so holsom
    in mete.

It seems to me that he is working from the root, as apposed to having
purchased it in powder for. However, his concern that it be "with-owt worm"
might suggest that it was not freshly grown locally.

I hope that this helps,
Thomas Grozier / David Tallan