Gingerbread houses originated in Germany during the 16th century. The cookie-walled house has since become a Christmas tradition. The first gingerbread houses were decorated with foil and gold leaf. Ginger root was first cultivated in China where it was commonly used as a medical treatment. In Medieval England the name meant, "preserved ginger" and wasnt used for desserts until the 15th century. It spread to Europe where it became popular as an effective remedy for stomach ailments, and to build a resistance to the plague. Gingerbread houses were popularized by the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, "Hansel and Gretel", in which the children stumble across a house made entirely of treats deep in the forest.
Recently, the record for the world's largest gingerbread house was set by the Mall of America. The house spanned 40,000 cubic feet, and was constructed with 4,000 gingerbread bricks...and the house required a building permit. The recipe included 1,800 pounds of butter and 1,080 ounces of ground ginger.
From our house to your house, Nova Homes would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
Nova Homes is a custom single-family homebuilder, now celebrating 20 years providing families with "Personalized" homes in Naples and Marco Island, Florida. Prices range from the $200s to over $2 Million.