GINGERBREAD HOUSE the

While ginger, originating in Asia, has been used both as a medicine for minor ailments and to sweetly spice food and drinks for thousands of years, we have the Brothers Grimm and their chilling 1812 tale of Hansel

and Gretel to thank for the mesmerising confection that is the gingerbread house. Gingerbread is thought to have been introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages, perhaps with the Crusaders. Once adopted, it was shaped and baked for religious festivals including Easter and Christmas. In Britain, various places lay claim to the best recipe for gingerbread, from Market Drayton (since 1817) to Grasmere (since 1854).