Courtesy of Salem Museum
Gingerbread is a classic holiday dessert, for both eating and decorating. This 1942 McCormick ginger tin hints at how long this spiced dessert has been popular, but the history of gingerbread may be deeper than people realize.
Ginger has been used as a spice in cakes and breads for thousands of years, first recorded in ancient Greece in 2400BCE. Gingerbread was a luxury in medieval Europe, since it contains multiple imported spices. According to legend, Queen Elizabeth I invented the first gingerbread men, having them decorated like visiting dignitaries. German bakers in the 1500s went a step further and introduced gingerbread houses.
In the 19th and 20th Centuries, the mass production of baking ingredients made gingerbread easily accessible. Its association with the winter holidays ensures its popularity endures from year to year.
To see wonderful gingerbread creations made by your local friends and neighbors, come to the Gingerbread Festival this weekend! On Saturday December 2 from 10am-2pm, visit the Salem Museum to see Salem’s amazing gingerbread creations. Then head to Longwood Park to visit the rest of the Gingerbread Festival.
