Fresh and tan

As the weather finally begins to cool, spicy warming foods start to sound fantastic. If you've only tasted ginger in soda or gingerbread, that's not the real deal. Look for plump, healthy fresh ginger at Asian farmers market tables. Besides adding it to stir-fries and curries, use fresh ginger to make a soothing tea for sore throats or upset stomachs. Magically scrape off the razor-thin tan skin with the edge of a teaspoon, then thinly slice and mince the fibrous root. Stir fresh ginger into pumpkin soup or roasted eggplant. You can even make your own ginger ale with natural fermentation to produce lively bubbles.