Creative Sanctuary

ginger

Ginger Cookies

By Allison

ginger cookiesWe often said that Grandma Mary Ellen was a “cookie grandma” rather than a “pie grandma.”  She always sent us home from her house with a bag or two of cookies from the big freezer in the basement—chocolate chip, starburst, or cut-out cookies…  We each had our favorites.  One of the stars in her cookie repertoire was her ginger snap cookies.  These crispy molasses cookies seem to please everyone—the ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are warming and serve to balance the molasses.

Growing up, we ate Grandma’s ginger cookies year-round.  I was well into my 30s and living in Strasbourg before I realized that this type of spice cookie is perhaps best suited to the winter holidays.  So this year, I dusted off Grandma’s recipe and got to work on making it my own.  Her recipe calls for vegetable shortening, but that’s not an ingredient I keep on hand, so I swapped in softened butter.  I admit that the butter makes for a less crisp cookie.  My brother Jack says my version has less “snap.”  To be perfectly honest, I prefer my slightly softer ginger cookies to Grandma’s firmer rendition.

Ginger cookies call for a beverage pairing.  My dad prefers a stack of frozen ginger snaps with a tall glass of cold milk.  I pair them with a full-bodied black tea that stands up to the spices and molasses.  I am sure that coffee would also complement the flavors of these ginger snaps.

Ginger Cookies

Created by on December 17, 2019

ginger cookies For the most part, I am maintaining the format and wording of this “vintage” recipe.  I like how simply it reads and how easy it is to prepare.  If you prefer a more “snappy” cookie, substitute vegetable shortening for the butter.

Ingredients

This recipe has no ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Cream: 1 c sugar and 1/4 c room temperature butter until light and creamy, about 4 minutes.
  3. Add: 1 unbeaten egg, 4 T molasses, and 1 c flour. Mix well.
  4. Into 1 cup add: 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1 tsp ground ginger, and 2 tsp baking soda.
  5. Fill cup with flour, sift into egg and molasses mixture. Stir until just incorporated.
  6. Chill for 2 hours to over night.
  7. Use a tablespoon to scoop dough. Roll into balls with hands, then roll in granulated sugar. (For a more "sparkly" cookie, use turbinado sugar)
  8. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Cool a few minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to wire rack.

 

Ginger Water

By Allison

I can easily drink tea all day long, but I like to have some caffeine-free sipping options on hand as well—sparkling water, a chamomile infusion, or ginger water.  Ginger water is new in my kitchen.  I make it by the liter and drink it at room temperature—plain or with a squeeze of lemon juice.  A splash of sparkling water is nice.  For a little sweetness, you could stir in a tablespoon or two of honey before the water cools.

So why ginger water?  It is tasty yet gentle, and I find it to be simultaneously soothing and revitalizing.  I rehydrate with a glass first thing in the morning, and I often have another in the afternoon.  Drinking ginger water helps me to feel healthy, but if it weren’t delicious, I wouldn’t drink it.  It’s my no-sugar ginger lemonade.

 

Inspirations

The Chopra Institute lays out the benefits of ginger here.

If you’re craving something sweeter, I recommend Chocolate and Zucchini’s recipe for ginger lemonade.

 

Ginger Water

Created by on May 5, 2018

More than a recipe, this is a method.  Use a little less or a little more ginger, more or less water.  You could also boil the water and ginger on the stove top for a stronger ginger flavor.  I leave the pitcher of ginger water on the counter during the day and put it in...

Ingredients

  • 3 inch piece of ginger
  • 1 L filtered water

Instructions

  1. Peel ginger with the back of a spoon
  2. Slice ginger and place in large bowl
  3. Bring water to a boil, and pour over ginger
  4. Steep until water has cooled to room temperature, about 45 minutes
  5. Strain through a sieve and pour into pitcher
  6. Drink at room temperature or chilled. Ginger flavor is more pronounced when water is at room temperature.

Le bon thé de Sahar

By Allison

Cardamom TeaMy friend Sahar is a cardamom tea connoisseur.  Milky and minty with a bold cardamom profile, her morning sips are robust and comforting.

On a recent visit to her home in Sydney, I studied her technique through my bleary morning fog. Her cardamom teabags are an easy reach from the electric kettle.  As the water comes to a boil, she places one or two teabags in her favorite mug.  She pulls fresh mint and milk from the refrigerator.  She places a small container of cardamom pods on the counter.

When the water reaches a rolling boil, Sahar pours it into her mug, leaving room for milk.  She brews a strong cardamom tea, sometimes boosting the flavor by dropping a cardamom pod in the mug.  She pinches three or four mint leaves from a branch and slips them into the mug.  The tea steeps for several minutes. Before drinking, she adds a splash of milk.

I was thrilled by her cardamom tea ritual, and she sent me home with cardamom teabags and loose tea.  Sahar shared Wagh Bakri, Ahmad, and Premier’s Cardamom Tea.  I have enjoyed preparing all of these teas à la Sahar.  When I make “her” cardamom tea, my mind drifts back to her warm welcome and gentle spirit.

I have made a small adjustment to Sahar’s morning cardamom tea, adding about ½ teaspoon honey to each serving.  Sometimes I zap the milk in the microwave for 15 seconds before adding it to the tea.  I have also used her method to prepare Masala Chai, a symphony of black tea ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, black and white pepper, clove, and nutmeg.  I find the fresh mint to be a lovely addition.  This fall, I plan to work up a caffeine-free Sahar tea with this Chai Rooibos Caffeine-Free Infusion.

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