extending shelf life

[Suvir Saran]

Any hints on extending the shelf (refrigerator) life of ginger?

I put mine into the dirt. It remains fresh for years. When I need some I cut some out. It also has very pretty leaves.

[coolhandluke]

I was curious to know how everyone handled prolonging the shelf life of food(anykind).  I find myself having to throw out a lot of food because it goes bad too fast.  I have been thinking about getting one of those food savers you see on TV at 3am, any thoughts?

I purchased one of those green "extra life" discs for the vegetable crisper and must say, to my surprise they do work. Loosely wrapped, vegetable and herbs keep for at least twice as long. I've had basil and parsley keep for over a week in the crisper. Best purchase in quite a while.

[foodgeek]

I have a friend who swears by these for fruits/veggies:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/thegadgetsourc...7092122419.html

[Nick]

And I've had carrots sealed in a plastic bag go moldy after a week, and at minimum fridge temp. What are your year-old carrots made of?!  

Edit: And the fact that you have a couple of year-old carrots in the fridge tells me things I don't want to know!  

John - the carrots are not "sealed" in a plastic bag. I just use plain plastic storage bags without a tie. As far as what the carrots "are made of", they're grown by a friend of mine who has had his garden in the same place for the last 20-25 years and has paid attention to his soil. I believe it was Sir Albert Howard that said, "The health of the people is in the health of the soil." My friend attributes that quote to me, but I'm quite sure AH said it first. (Suvir, you may have heard of him as he did much of his work in India.) Howard

I don't often buy carrots at a store, but when I do they will go by in a few weeks using the same method. Also, while the carrots are nearly a year old, I've only had them since last spring. Before that they were stored in my friend's dirt-floored cellar. He stores all root crops down there including onions and shallots.

And, yes John, you don't want to know about my fridge. There have been times when I didn't want to know either but finally had to face it.

[Suvir Saran]

I believe it was Sir Albert Howard that said, "The health of the people is in the health of the soil." My friend attributes that quote to me, but I'm quite sure AH said it first. (Suvir, you may have heard of him as he did much of his work in India.)  Howard

I have read about him and heard about him.

He worked in the area that our friends Maharaja Richard Holkar and Maharani Sally Holkar came from.

And yes in India, at least in "Kitchen Gardens", great attention is paid to the hygiene and health of the soil. For t he very reason you speak about.

[mixmaster b]

Any hints on extending the shelf (refrigerator) life of ginger?

I put mine into the dirt. It remains fresh for years. When I need some I cut some out. It also has very pretty leaves.

Survir-

Would you elaborate on this? Can I just plant a ginger root in a pot?

Thanks!