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| Main ingredients | Ginger root,honey ormolasses |
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Gingerbread refers to a broad category ofbaked goods, typically flavored withginger,cloves,nutmeg, andcinnamon and sweetened withhoney,sugar, ormolasses. Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a moist loaf cake to forms nearly as crisp as aginger snap.[1]
Originally, the termgingerbread (fromLatinzingiber viaOld Frenchgingebras) referred to preservedginger. It then referred to a confection made with honey and spices.Gingerbread is often used to translate the French termpain d'épices (lit. 'spice bread') or the German and Polish termsPfefferkuchen andPiernik respectively (lit. 'pepper cake' because it used to contain pepper) orLebkuchen (of unclear etymology; either Latinlibum, meaning "sacrifice" or "sacrificial bread," or GermanLaib for loaf or German for life,Leben). Pepper is also referred to in regional names like Norwegianpepperkaker or Czechperník (originallypeprník).[2]
The meaning ofgingerbread has evolved over time. For centuries the term referred to a traditional European pastry, very like a moderncookie, traditionally used to makegingerbread men. In the United States the first known recipe for "Soft gingerbread to be baked in pans" is found inAmelia Simmons' 1796 cookbook,American Cookery.[3]
Gingerbread is claimed to have been brought to Europe in 992 AD by theArmenian monk Gregory of Nicopolis (also called Gregory Makar and Grégoire de Nicopolis). He leftNicopolis (in modern-day western Greece) to live inBondaroy (north-central France), near the town ofPithiviers. He stayed there for seven years until he died in 999 and taught gingerbread baking to French Christians.[4] It may have been brought to Western Europe from the eastern Mediterranean in the 11th century.[5]
Since the 13th century,Toruń gingerbread was made in Toruń, thenState of the Teutonic Order (nowPoland). It gained fame in the realm and abroad when it was brought toSweden by German immigrants. In 15th-century Germany, a gingerbreadguild controlled production.[6] Early references from theVadstena Abbey show that the Swedishnuns baked gingerbread to easeindigestion in 1444.[7] It was the custom to bake white biscuits and paint them aswindow decorations. In England, gingerbread was also thought to have medicinal properties.[8] 16th-century writer John Baret described gingerbread as "a kinde of cake or paste made to comfort the stomacke."[5]
Gingerbread was a popular treat at medieval European festivals and fairs, and there were even dedicated gingerbread fairs.[5]
The first documented trade of gingerbread biscuits in England dates to the 16th century,[9] where they were sold in monasteries, pharmacies, and town square farmers' markets. One hundred years later, the town ofMarket Drayton in Shropshire became known for its gingerbread, as is displayed on their town's welcome sign, stating that it is the "home of gingerbread". The first recorded mention of gingerbread being baked in the town dates to 1793, although it was probably made earlier, as ginger had been stocked inhigh street businesses since the 1640s. Gingerbread became widely available in the 18th century.
Gingerbread came to the Americas with settlers from Europe.Molasses, less expensive than sugar, soon became a common ingredient and produced a softer cake. The first printed American cookbook,American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, contained seven different recipes for gingerbread.[10] Her recipe for "Soft gingerbread to be baked in pans" is the first written recipe for the cakey old-fashioned American gingerbread.[11]
In England, gingerbread may refer to a cake or a type ofbiscuit made with ginger. In the biscuit form, it commonly takes the form of agingerbread man. Gingerbread men were first attributed to the court of QueenElizabeth I, who served the figurines to foreign dignitaries.[12] Today, however, they are generally served around Christmas. Gingerbread was a traditional confectionery sold at popular fairs, often given as a treat or token of affection to children and lovers "sweethearts" and known as a "fairing" of gingerbread – the name retained now only byCornish fairings. This crisp brittle type of gingerbread is now represented by the popular commercial version called theginger nut biscuit.[citation needed]
"Parliament cake" or "Parlies", a very spicy gingershortbread, were eaten (in the same way as salty snacks with beer), with whisky, rum or brandy, during midday breaks, by the members of the original (pre-1707)Scottish Parliament, in a secret backroom (ben the hoose),[13] at a tavern and shop in Bristo Street inEdinburgh'sPotterrow, behind the university, run by a Mrs Flockhart,AKALuckie Fykie, the landlady who is thought to be the inspiration for Mrs Flockhart inWalter Scott'sWaverley.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20] The recipe is mentioned inChristian Isobel Johnstone'sThe Cook and Housewife's Manual (also known asMeg Dod's Cookery)[21] (1826) published under the pseudonym of "Mrs. Margaret Dods, of the Cleikum Inn, Saint Ronan's", evoking the character of Margaret Dods, the hostess of the Cleikum Inn inWalter Scott's novelSaint Ronan's Well (1823). It was immensely popular, and in which, she used characters Scott's to give commentary on preparing national specialties.[22][23]
Parkin is a form of soft gingerbread cake made with oatmeal and treacle which is popular in northern England, originating inYorkshire.[citation needed]
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In the United States, this form of gingerbread is sometimes called "gingerbread cake" or "ginger cake" to distinguish it from the harder forms. Frenchpain d'épices is somewhat similar, though generally slightly drier, and involves honey rather thantreacle and uses less spice than other breads in this category.[citation needed]
In Panama, a confection namedyiyinbre is a gingerbread cake made with ginger and molasses; it is typical of the region ofChiriquí. Another popular confection isquequi orqueque, a chewy biscuit made with ginger, molasses, and coconut.[citation needed]
In Brazil, "Pão de Mel", literally meaning honey bread, is a popular treat; it consists in a type of gingerbread made with honey and other spices in small circles with a chocolate covering and can be found traditionally filled withdoce de leite.[citation needed]
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In Germany gingerbread is made in two forms: a soft form calledLebkuchen and a harder form, particularly associated with carnivals and street markets such as the Christmas markets that occur in many German towns. The hard gingerbread is made in decorative shapes, which are then further decorated with sweets and icing. The tradition of cutting gingerbread into shapes takes many other forms and exists in many countries, a well-known example being thegingerbread man. Traditionally, these weredunked inport wine.
AtOktoberfest inMunich, it is customary for men to buy large gingerbread cookies in the shape of a heart, with a ribbon for their sweetheart to wear around their neck. The cookies are iced with romantic phrases like "Ich liebe dich" (I love you).
InAshkenazi Jewish cuisine, thehoney cake eaten atRosh Hashanah (New Year) closely resembles the Dutchpeperkoek or the GermanLebkuchen, though it has wide regional variations.
InSwitzerland, a gingerbread confection known as "biber" is typically a two-centimeter (approximately ¾ of an inch) thick rectangular gingerbread cake with amarzipan filling. The cantons ofAppenzell andSt. Gallen is famous for biber, which are artfully adorned with images of the Appenzell bear or the St. Gallen cathedral respectively by engraving or icing.
In theNetherlands andBelgium, a soft and crumbly gingerbread calledpeperkoek,kruidkoek orontbijtkoek is popularly served at breakfast time or during the day, thickly sliced and often topped with butter.
In theNordic andBaltic countries, the most popular form of ginger confection is thepepperkaker (Norwegian),pepparkakor (Swedish),peberkager (Danish),piparkökur (Icelandic),piparkakut (Finnish),piparkūkas (Latvian) orpiparkoogid (Estonian). They are thin, brittle biscuits that are particularly associated with the extended Christmas period. In Norway and Sweden, pepperkaker/pepparkakor are also used as window decorations (the pepperkaker/pepparkakor are a little thicker than usual and are decorated with glaze and candy). Many families bake pepperkaker/pepparkakor/brunkager as a tradition.
InRussia, a gingerbread maker was first mentioned inKazan cadastres in 1568.[24] Gingerbread confections are calledpryaniki (sg.pryanik), derived from the Russian term for 'spices'. Historically three main centers of gingerbread production have developed in the cities ofVyazma,Gorodets, andTula. Gingerbreads fromTver,Saint Petersburg, andMoscow were also well known in theRussian Empire. A classic Russian gingerbread is made with rye flour, honey, sugar, butter, eggs and various spices; it has an embossed ornament or text on the front side withroyal icing.[25] A Russian gingerbread can also be shaped in various forms and stuffed withvarenje and other sweet fillings.
InPoland, gingerbreads are known aspierniki (singular: piernik). Some cities have traditional regional styles.Toruń gingerbread (piernik toruński) is a traditional Polish gingerbread that has been produced since the Middle Ages in the city of Toruń. It was a favorite delicacy ofChopin when he visited his godfather,Fryderyk Florian Skarbek, in Toruń during school vacation. Kraków gingerbread is the traditional style of the former Polish capital.
In theCzech Republic, gingerbread is calledperník and it is a popular Christmas biscuit and a decoration. Common shapes include hearts, stars and animals andgingerbread houses are also popular. Towns associated withperník includePardubice[26] andMiletín.
InRomania, gingerbread is calledturtă dulce and usually has sugar glazing.
A variety of gingerbread inBulgaria is known asмеденка ("made of honey"). Traditionally the cookie is as big as the palm of a hand, round and flat, and with a thin layer of chocolate. Other common ingredients include honey, cinnamon, ginger, and dried clove.
InUkraine,medivnyk ("made of honey") means either dry honey cookie (aprianyk, also calledmedyanyk) or a spongy honey cake (a fruitcake).Mykolaychyky are traditional Western Ukrainian cookies or gingerbread that are baked for St. Nicholas Day and given to children.[27][28]Panyanky usually baked for Christmass eve in Eastern Ukraine. They are pink because they are colored with beet juice.[29]
Parlies, or Parliament cakes, were once baked and sold on Edinburgh's streets as far back as the 1800s, earning their name from their popularity among the judges, lawyers and businessmen who enjoyed one of these thick, crunchy, ginger biscuits with a whisky, rum or brandy at midday. Perhaps the hot ginger flavour helped to keep out the cold as they walked around Parliament Square in solemn discussion about the day's business and politics. Eaten with a stiff drink, this must have been the original shivery bite.
The old hard style of Gingerbread was known in Edinburgh as Parliament cake. The judges, lawyers and men of Parliament Square would meet for a midday break of whisky, rum or brandy accompanied by a salver of ginger biscuits or parties. Very strongly ginger-flavoured, to match the strong drink, the recipe appears in Meg Dodds (1826)...: 'With two pounds of the best flour dried, mix thoroughly one pound of good brown sugar and a quarter pound of ground ginger. Melt a pound of fresh butter, add to it one of treacle, boil this, and pour it on the flour, work up a paste as hot as your hands will bear it, and roll out in very large cakes, the sixth of an inch thick or less; mark it in squares with a knife or paper-cutter, and fire in a slow oven. Separate the squares while soft, and they will soon get crisp.'
Parlies or parliament cakes (to give them their Sunday name) were the creation of Mrs Flockhart (locally known as Luckie Fykie) of Potterrow here in Edinburgh. She had a little general grocer shop and tavern (which incidentally is no longer there because the student union is now there) which was allegedly visited by esteemed gentlemen of the Scottish Parliament, including the father of Sir Walter Scott, allegedly. The story says that these gentlemen would visit the shop but head through the shop into the back rooms (orben the hoose as we would say), where they would drink whisky and eat parliament cake. Mrs Flockhart's parlies are described as crisp square cakes and she apparently offered round "snaps". So my version is not exactly accurate to hers, as mine are round, but they are tasty treats all the same. If you wanted to make yours square, you could roll the dough and cut it into squares.
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