Ginger

Fresh ginger is so much more interesting than the powdered variety, but fresh ginger is hard to keep around. It'll last 2–3 weeks wrapped in a damp paper towel in the fridge, but after that, you might as well throw it out.

So, as soon as you get it home, here's what you do. Peel the ginger, cut it into 1" chunks, put them in a jar, and fill the jar up with enough sherry to cover the ginger. It doesn't have to be very good sherry, pretty much any dry sherry will do.

This will keep in the fridge for a couple of months at least.

Next time a recipe calls for a teaspoonful of powdered ginger, take a chunk from the jar, cut it into thin coins, mash them with the side of a large knife, and mince them (or you can run them through a garlic press).

There's nothing needing ginger that'll be hurt by a few drops of sherry.