Christmas is soon approaching us, and what better way to get into the holiday spirit than with some sweet treats? For many families, decorating a gingerbread house is a tradition. The term gingerbread meaning 'preserved ginger' was not used in desserts until the 15th century. Now, gingerbread is used to describe the familiar treats made with ginger, honey, and molasses. Whether shaped like a house or people, these edible figures bring joy to many throughout the holidays.
Ginger root was first cultivated in China, and it was used as a medical treatment. Then, ginger spread to Europe through the Silk Road. In Europe, it was a spice known to disguise the taste of preserved meats. Even today we use ginger as remedies when we are sick, and we include ginger in our foods to add flavor. According to Rhonda Massingham Hart, the first known recipe for these cookies came from Greece around 2400 BC. The hard cookies were a must-have at Medieval fairs in England, France, Holland and Germany. As the seasons changed, the shape of the gingerbread changed. Queen Elizabeth I is credited with the idea of decorating the cookies after she had different ones made to resemble dignitaries visiting her court. The most common decoration at the time was a gold leaf.
Gingerbread houses are popular Christmas decorations covered in candy and icing, usually built by children. These edible houses originated in Germany during the 16th century. Decorating these houses became popular when the Brothers Grimm wrote the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel. The story follows two main characters as they come across a house made entirely of treats deep in the forest. After the story was published, German bakers started to bake houses out of gingerbread. These decorative and edible houses became very popular during the Christmas time for many children.
In 2013, a group of people in Bryan, Texas broke the Guinness World Record for the largest gingerbread house. The house was 2,520 square feet and had an estimated value of 35.8 million calories. The ingredients for the house included 2,925 pounds of brown sugar, 1,800 pounds of butter, 7,200 eggs and 7,200 pounds of flour. Visitors were allowed to meet Santa Claus at the house in exchange for a donation to St. Joseph's Hospital. The house brought Christmas cheer to both it's visitors and everyone at the hospital.
