Stem ginger is young ginger rhizome — the underground stem of the ginger plant — cut into round pieces, simmered until soft, and bottled in a sweet syrup. The result is a soft, translucent, golden preserve with a warm, sweet heat that is milder than fresh ginger. It is sold in jars in its syrup and is a classic ingredient in British baking and desserts: chopped into ginger cakes, puddings, and ice cream, or served with the syrup drizzled over. The syrup itself is a useful flavouring for glazes and cocktails. Nutritionally it is essentially a confection — the preserving process loads it with sugar — so it is used as a flavouring accent rather than a health food, despite ginger’s reputation.