National Gingerbread Day

When most of us think of gingerbread, we think of holiday houses covered in frosting, so why is National Gingerbread Day on June 5th? While gingerbread houses, and indeed National Gingerbread House Day, are much more suited to December, gingerbread in and of itself is a treat that can be enjoyed anytime of year. 

Gingerbread gets its distinct flavor from the ginger, but also from the use of honey or molasses instead of sugar. It can be hard, like the kind used to construct tiny sweet houses during the holidays, or soft like a cake loaf.  

Evidence shows that gingerbread was used in ancient Greek and Egyptian ceremonies as far back as 2,400 B.C., but, as the story goes, a more modern version of gingerbread was first introduced to Europeans by an Armenian monk who came to France in the year 992. He spent the remaining 7 years of his life teaching priests how to make gingerbread. 

More substantial evidence shows that nuns in Sweden were using gingerbread as a way to ease indigestion in the year 1444. By the 17th century, you could buy gingerbread biscuits from monasteries, markets, and pharmacies, and then, in the 18th century, they became widley available and began to shift in texture as newer baking techniques were implemented. 

Celebrate the long history of this tasty treat in a shape and texture other than that of tiny building materials this June 5th for National Gingerbread Day.

Contact us today to spice up your next product with that little extra kick of flavor!