Gracelynn Baker, age 10, of Prescott, Ariz., for her question:

WHERE DOES GINGER COME FROM?

Ginger is a popular spice that comes from the roots of the ginger plant. The plant is a native of the East Indies which has been very successfully introduced in Japan, the West Indies, South America and West Africa.

Stems and grasslike leaves of this plant spring directly from a knotty, root bearing underground stem called the "rhizome." On the stems grow clusters of white flowers, streaked with purple.

To make black ginger, the roots of the ginger plant are dug up and dried whole after the leaves wither. To make white ginger, the roots are scraped and washed before they are dried.

The ginger can be preserved if it is boiled and dipped in syrup every 24 hours for a week.

The finest ginger comes from Puerto Rico and Jamaica. It is usually sold in extract form. Most preserved ginger is imported from China.