In the story "Hansel and Gretel" by the Brothers Grimm, there is a house made of gingerbread. The children were so hungry and overcome by the sight of a lot of candies that they began eating the house, which only drew attention to a witch. Although it's entirely a fairy tale, and a house couldn't possibly be edible, even though bakers have created fantastic looking designs made of food, were there such a house back in the woods in the past? Well sort of yes.
Now the story itself is far older than the version we know today. It's origins go back to the early Middle Ages. A solitary old woman, like the witch from the story, would've lived in a hovel during the Medieval period. She would've grown a splendid herb garden with fruit trees, berries, vegetables and spices growing all around with aromatic plants. The dwelling would seem magical to hungry children who found it. Most people from Medieval times were often half starved during a dismal age of famine and the Black Death. So they loved the concept of the Land of Cockayne, a place of utopia with plenty of food and happiness.
The ginger root is used for healing and teas. Once, it was stated by Henry VIII that enough ginger could resist the Bubonic plague. The ancient Greeks made the first gingerbread but it was during the Middle Ages in north Europe that it became decorative. Gingerbreads was a favourite among many, both rich and poor. so in England there were Gingerbread Fairs. In Germany, they started making gorgeous little gingerbread houses in the 16th century. Gingerbread is often associated with Yuletide and winter season because the food itself is spicy and warm. Some believe that this inspired the Brothers Grimm to make the gingerbread house in the story "Hansel and Gretel" to lure the children into danger but it was clearly much older.
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