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A teaspoon--or even a baby spoon--makes short work of peeling ginger's gnarly skin.

When I peel it, I use a sharp paring knife.

But a recent peek at Apartment Therapy's Kitchn revealed a new way to remove ginger’s gnarly skin—with a spoon.

Could it be? I went right down to my own kitchen, pulled a knob of fresh ginger out of the fridge and began scraping with a teaspoon. In moments the fragrant root was naked, ready for grating or chopping.

This is an easy alternative to peeling with a knife, especially if your blade is a bit dull. For best results, use a teaspoon with a thin or tapered edge—Serendipty’s silver baby spoon, which I now use for serving condiments, was ideal.

And if you’re wondering how best to grate ginger once you’ve peeled it (or not), see SpiceLines' Tools of the Trade on our grater competition.