Ginger

Ginger is what people call a root, though it is really a rhizome — an underground stem. Whatever you call it, choose it by weight and feel: a good piece feels heavy for its size, firm, almost dense in the hand. Snap it, and it should crack, not bend. If it bends, the ginger has gone soft and tired, losing moisture through the skin a little every day. Smell it too: good ginger smells sharp and clean before you even cut it, not musty, not sour. Thin, tight skin is a good sign; wrinkled, loose skin tells you the piece has been sitting around too long. Cut a fresh piece and the flesh underneath should look pale and juicy, with beads of juice showing almost at once.

Some people say ginger should always be peeled before use. No! A thin-skinned young piece barely needs peeling at all — a good scrape with a spoon is enough. That misconception leads to a common mistake in the kitchen: cooks slice away a thick layer with a knife, taking good flesh along with the skin, and throwing out exactly the part they meant to use in the first place.