For those of you who do not already know it, meet:
Galangal
Think: mild ginger with a soupcon of camphor and a peppery punch if you use lots of it!
A root related to ginger, widely used in Far Eastern cookery, and described by German medieval medicine woman Hildegard of Bingen as “warm and healing”, particularly for those suffering from “heartache”.
For those with a bad back she recommends Glühwein with galangal.
In the kitchen Hildegard of Bingen paired galangal with quinces (as well as with pumpkin, fruit salads, jams in general and marinades).
Clearly a lady after my own heart and so I have followed her example: the very last of this years’ quinces have become
Quince Jelly with Galangal
And what a very good idea that was: love it!
An Edible Landscape 