Here's the scoop: Delightful gingerbread houses originated in Germany
What has sweet crunchy walls, a gumdrop roof and candy cane accents glued together with sugary frosting? Hint: it's every child's dream house, though for Hansel and Gretel, it became more of a nightmare.
Throughout December, gingerbread houses can be seen everywhere, from store shelves to kitchen tables and even under some Christmas trees. Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, it's easy to be enamored by these quaint, colorful houses that double as dessert.
Ten-year-old Jaime looked at the gingerbread house kits for sale at Target in Schaumburg and asked why she only sees them during the Christmas season.
If, like Jaime, you've ever wondered how this deliciously cherished tradition began, here's the scoop.
Let's start with a quick time travel back to ancient China, where ginger root was used for medical treatments. Merchants eventually brought it to Europe, where it was used as a spice until sometime in the 15th century, when it took the form of cookies - but not the little round-headed men with white outlines and buttons.
No, these were fancy-schmancy cookies, gilded with gold leaf, elaborately decorated and sold at fairs throughout the year. The shapes and decorations would change with the seasons and holidays.
It was the Germans who took gingerbread to the next level by creating fancy little houses made from the popular cookie recipe. They eventually became a Christmas tradition, then soared in popularity after the Brothers Grimm tale of "Hansel and Gretel" was published in 1812.
When early German settlers brought the tradition to the United States, Americans said, "Yes! We love those things!" and a new tradition took root (pun intended).
Today, many stores sell gingerbread house kits, complete with cookie walls and all the necessary sugary decorations.
Of course, you can also opt to make your own from scratch, with the right amounts of ginger, flour, butter, molasses and so on. The latter involves rolling out the dough, placing it on a baking sheet, and using templates for the walls and roof to precut the dough before baking it.
And, that's just the beginning.
With all those steps, it's no surprise the kits have become a popular item.
But whether they come in a kit, emerge from an oven, or sit on a bakery shelf, gingerbread houses will likely remain a delightful tradition for many years to come.
• Sources: pbs.org/food and thespruceeats.com
Did you know?
• The biggest gingerbread house, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was created by Traditions Club (USA) in Bryan, Texas, in 2013. It was 60 feet long, 42 feet wide, and more than 18 feet tall. Visitors gave donations to see it and meet Santa Claus, and all donations were given to St. Joseph's Hospital to help build a trauma center.
• Queen Elizabeth I came up with the idea to make gingerbread cookies in the shapes of kings and queens, decorated to resemble the dignitaries who visited her court.
• Ginger is still used medicinally for nausea, morning sickness, indigestion and other ailments, just like it was used thousands of years ago.