>cardamom vs. ginger

Cardamom ice cream at Ici today in Elmwood, Berkeley, a classy little store.

Cardamom belongs in the ginger family -Zingiberaceae- along with turmeric, galangal, myoga.

Remembering that cardamom is related to the more familiar ginger might make cardamom menus even more approachable.

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>Erica's French Toast, challah bread dipped in orange-cardamom batter - Rick & Ann's restaurant, Berkeley, CA

>Freshly minced beef, seasoned with Addis Ithiopian seasoning butter and bird's eye red pepper spiced with cardamom and salt - Addis restaurant, Oakland, CA

>Seared foie gras with pumpkin ice cream, medjool dates, cardamom puff pastry and balsamic - Viceroy, Santa Monica, CA

>Apple crumble cardamom ice cream, green apple sorbet - Vong restaurant, London, England