"gingerbread day" news and stories

Nothing smells like the holidays more than a spirited serving of gingerbread. From gingerbread houses to gingerbread men, the dessert is deeply rooted in holiday tradition.

Dating back to 2000 B.C. when the Greeks sampled "spiced honey cakes," the treat has been variously adapted and differentiated by regions, from honey-and-allspice pain d'épice in France, to Queen Victoria's influence on the creation of gingerbread men in England, to New England variations relying on local ingredients like maple syrup or molasses.

Today we enjoy the complexity of spices in baked goods, from Gramercy Tavern's moist molasses-stout gingerbread or unique varieties like Gingerbread Bars or Gingerbread Truffles. And for the ultimate inspiration for gingerbread crafting, observe our step-by-step guide to crafting the perfect gingerbread house by the Black Cat Café's expert Vanessa Daou.

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Gingerbread: one of those foods that most of us only eat around the holidays. It comes in many forms: shaped like a loaf of bread, shaped like square cookies, shaped like human beings with really round heads and outstretched arms. You can even make a big house made out of gingerbread and then eat it (or just look at it).

Today is Gingerbread Day, and since it's right around the holidays maybe you can make some gingerbread men instead of just going to the store and buying them. Here's a recipe from Annie's Gingerbread Page for Crunch-Top Gingerbread, from the 1953 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. You can also make Gingerbread Man Ornaments (which are not edible because they include glue!). SouthernFood.about.com has a recipe for Gingerbread, and here's a recipe for Gingerbread Men from JoyOfBaking.com.