Q: What is the best way to store fresh ginger? - Alva T., Houston, Texas.

A: When buying fresh ginger, select "hands" that feel heavy for their size and have a smooth, unwrinkled skin. Wrinkled ginger is older and will be dry and stringy.

If you'd like to keep the ginger for a week or so, just put it in a paper bag and store it in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator.

For a longer term solution, separate the hand into knobs and peel them. Place in a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid and cover with dry sherry. Screw on the lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. The ginger will lose a bit of its flavor to the sherry, but you'll have the convenience of fresh ginger whenever you need it. You'll also have the bonus of ginger-flavored sherry to use in soup, stir-fries and sauces.

–Food Network Kitchens