Ginger!

Ginger sprout - that narrow thing over on the left

N and I have been cooking a lot of stir-fry this year, so we've been going through a lot of ginger.  And I don't know where pumpkin pie (the best pie) would be without it.  "Can you grow ginger here?" I wondered. 

The answer - according to the internet - not exactly.  It's a tropical plant, so in my area you have to grow it in a pot and move it inside during the winter.  Ideally, though, you want the winter indoors to be cool so the plant doesn't expect a lot of sunlight.  Luckily I have the perfect spot - a bedroom that is typically 5-10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house due to poor (err...probably nonexistent) insulation in its two exterior walls. 

I bought some regular old ginger root at the regular old grocery store.  After spending a ludicrous amount of time finding (almost) just the right pot to grow it in, I soaked it in water overnight and planted it about an inch deep in potting soil.  From what I read I think it will work sort of like irises, only I get to eat the baby rhizomes.  The sprout looks pretty healthy and happy, despite the unseasonably cool weather we had after Irene came through.  Probably it won't produce nearly enough to keep up with what we consume, but if society as we know it collapses and it is no longer possible to buy exotic tropical foods at grocery stores, I'll be the girl with the ginger!