I would like to welcome you to our series sharing Food Holidays: July 1st, 2022. It’s National Gingersnap Day and I wish my dad was here so we could have Gingersnap Cookies and Milk. Since my father isn’t here would you like to have a Gingersnap Cookie with me or I can wait for David to get home.
National Gingersnap Day is celebrated on July 1st every year and the holiday day is celebrated by enjoying Gingersnap Cookies which are prepared from Brown Sugar, and an assortment of Spices including Cloves, Ginger, and Cinnamon. Gingersnap Cookies are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of Tea. Gingersnaps are a healthier alternative to Cookies since Gingersnap Cookies are lower in calories. There are also the additional benefits of Ginger, Cinnamon, and Clove whose anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties keep heart diseases at bay. Cinnamon also helps to lower the amount of Glucose in the bloodstream, and Ginger aids in digestion, and Cloves prevent oral diseases and headaches.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL GINGERSNAP DAY
Gingersnaps are known as Cookies in some regions, and Biscuits in others. In Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom Gingersnaps are known as ‘Ginger Nuts.’ The recipe has mostly remained the same in all these Countries. Gingersnaps enjoy great popularity in the United Kingdom especially. Gingersnap Cookies are usually dry and hard to bite, the English prefer dunking Gingersnap Cookies in a hot cup of Tea before taking a bite. New Zealanders also prefer having their beloved Ginger Biscuits with a cup of Tea or other hot beverage. The cookies are known as ‘Gingersnaps’ mostly in the United States. While most recipes use Molasses and Brown Sugar as sweeteners, some like to add Maple Syrup to the recipe. Garnishing with Seeds or Nuts makes Gingerbread Cookies even more tasty.
Ginger has been around for a long time now and it is believed that Ginger originated in Maritime Southeast Asia and was likely used first by the Austronesian population. Once they realized that Ginger elevates the taste of food, they began to export Ginger throughout the Indo-Pacific borders during the Austronesian expansion, reaching as far as Hawaii. This took place some 5,000 years ago! Ginger is one of the first Spices to have been exported from Asia that arrived in Europe with the Spice trade which was widely used by ancient Greeks and Romans. In 2018, the world production of Ginger was 2.8 million tons. India was the leading Ginger producer, making 32% of the global total.
NATIONAL GINGERSNAP DAY ACTIVITIES
- National Gingersnap Day is incomplete without treating yourself to Gingersnap Cookies. You should sit down with a cup of Tea and enjoy a Cookie or two.
- Try your hand at baking Gingersnap Cookies, then share them with your family.
- Once Gingersnaps are fresh out of the oven, take a few snaps of them to share on your Social Media websites using the appropriate hashtags.
5 FACTS ABOUT GINGER
- Ginger is also known as ‘Gyin’ and ‘Khing.’
- India produces 30% of the world’s Ginger.
- Ginger can be used to treat nausea, stomach ache, and other illnesses.
- Even though Ginger might look like a root Ginger is actually a herb.
- Warm climates and the tropics are conducive to the growth of Ginger.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL GINGERSNAP DAY
- Gingersnaps are popular in many regions of the world and National Gingersnap Day brings Gingersnap enthusiasts together.
- Today is a perfect day to take time out of your busy schedule and bake Gingersnap Cookies with your children.
- Gingersnaps are best enjoyed with a hot cup of Tea, you can celebrate National Gingersnap Day as a way to relax and unwind.
Five Facts about Ginger
- Ginger helps digest fatty foods and break down proteins.
- Ginger can also treat motion sickness.
- Not only that, but Ginger even reduces inflammation caused by Arthritis.
- Ginger stimulates the circulation of blood and that’s how Ginger helps reduce inflammation.
- Ginger is also a natural decongestant and antihistamine.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
