#3 Gingerly

I can't decide about ginger. I usually like it in controlled doses. A little ginger in my stir fry is a beautiful thing, but do I want to drink a glass of ginger beer? Not so much. I do, however, like ginger snaps an awful lot. Which is why I recently bought a package of Newman's Own Ginger-O's (think Oreos with gingersnaps instead of chocolate cookie). I have to say, they're really awesome. Enough ginger to give you a little bite, but not enough to make you want to scrape your tongue out. Plus you're supporting the lovely Paul Newman and charity at the same time! A co-worker said he had tried Newman's Own version of the Oreo and didn't like it. I said that was because it wasn't an Oreo, which are so ingrained on our taste buds that anything else tastes like crap (Hydrox, anyone?). There is no alternate version of Ginger-O's so you can approach it with a fresh palate.

Tip: If you buy a whole ginger root and only use a small amount for a meal, peel the rest and keep it in the fridge. It lasts forever and grates just as easily frozen as not.