我們不能接受沒有姜餅的圣誕節！

Gingerbread refers to a broad category of baked goods, typically flavoured with ginger, cloves, nutmeg or cinnamon and sweetened with honey, sugar or molasses. Gingerbread foods vary, ranging from a soft, moist loaf cake to something close to a ginger snap.

Gingerbread是指廣泛的烘焙食品：通常用生姜，丁香，肉豆蔻或肉桂調味，并用蜂蜜，糖或糖蜜加糖。姜餅食物的種類繁多，從柔軟潮濕的磅蛋糕（美國較多）到脆脆的姜餅（在歐洲、英國較多）。

Gingerbread dates from the 15th century and figural biscuit-making was practiced in the 16th century. The first documented instance of figure-shaped gingerbread biscuits was at the court of Elizabeth I of England. She had the gingerbread figures made and presented in the likeness of some of her important guests.

Gingerbread的歷史可以追溯到15世紀，而餅干的制作則是在16世紀。最早記載的人形姜餅是在英國伊麗莎白一世的宮廷中。她曾有心地安排制作且將姜餅塑像送給政要等一些重要客人。

Today, however, they are generally served around Christmas. Gingerbread was a traditional confectionery sold at popular fairs, often given as a treat or token of affection to children and lovers "sweethearts". 

后來啊，吃姜餅送姜餅傳統則通常在圣誕節前后。姜餅是常常在圣誕集市上出售的傳統糖果之一，通常被當作對孩子和心愛人“甜心”的一種愛慕之情或象征。

The global ginger shortage could last until FEBRUARY as China’s struggling harvest season is only just starting – but UK supermarkets vow to meet festive demand from British bakers

因中國艱難的收成季節才剛剛開始，全球生姜短缺可能會持續到2月，但英國超市發誓要滿足英國烘培師的節日需求

Tesco and Sainsbury's sold out of the ground spice online over the weekend, while Asda had none of the fresh root available, sparking fears for Christmas treats like gingerbread men. UK supermarkets remain adamant they can meet demand from eager British bakers after sales of ginger soared over the course of 2020. 

特易購（Tesco）和塞恩斯伯里（Sainsbury's）周末在網上售罄所有的姜粉，而阿斯達（Asda）沒有新鮮的生姜，這引發了人們對像姜餅人這樣的圣誕節禮物的擔憂。在2020年生姜的銷量飆升的大背景下，英國的超市仍然堅持要滿足“饑渴的”英國烘焙師的需求。

But with China's struggling harvest season only just getting underway, spice wholesaler Nilay Kamdar has warned the problem could persist all winter. Mr. Kamdar, director of spice supplier Pan United, told MailOnline: 'In general, there's been a shortage of high-quality ginger in the UK and Europe since July.

但是，隨著中國艱難的生姜收獲季節才剛剛開始，香料批發商尼萊•卡姆達爾（Nilay Kamdar）擔心地說，這個問題可能會持續整個冬天。香料供應商Pan United的董事Kamdar先生對MailOnline表示：“總體而言，自7月份以來，英國和歐洲一直缺乏高質量的生姜。

'Ginger demand has increased during the coronavirus pandemic, on top of a poor harvest in China, it's created a combination of factors that have caused the shortage.'

“在冠狀病毒大流行期間，生姜的需求增加了（題外話：好像喝姜茶、姜汁養生抗病毒在疫情期間也流行了起來），再加上中國收成不佳，多種因素的綜合造成了生姜的短缺。”

Mr. Kamdar explained a difficult start to the ginger season in November 2019 meant there were lower high-quality yields of the root, meaning demand grew for supplies from Brazil and Peru.

卡姆達爾（Kamdar）先生解釋說，2019年11月生姜季節開局艱難，這意味著優質根的產量下降，這意味著來自巴西和秘魯的供應需求增加。（中國出口不夠，巴西秘魯來湊，生姜質量差點咱也要收）

The ginger season is just beginning again in China, but Mr. Kamdar said there's 'not enough time,' to catch up with demand. Tesco and Asda say they will have enough stocks of ginger for shoppers, while there is not expected to be any sudden hike in prices.

中國的生姜收獲季節才剛剛開始，但是卡姆達爾（Kamdar）先生說，可惜沒有足夠的時間來趕上（節日的）需求。特易購（Tesco）和阿斯達（Asda）說，他們將有足夠的生姜庫存供購物者使用，且預計價格不會突然上漲。🧐

Mr. Kamdar said: 'Generally with supermarkets prices don't tend to rise. It's just the quality of the ginger that is going to be affected. Retail prices will remain the same but wholesale may change.' Asda said a delay at ports in November caused a 'temporary shortage on a single line of ground ginger'.  A spokesman from the retail giant confirmed it had 'good availability going forwards'.

卡姆達爾（Kamdar）先生說：“一般來說，在超市，價格不會上漲。受影響的只是生姜的質量。零售價格將保持不變，但批發價應該會改變。” 阿斯達（Asda）說，11月份港口的延誤導致“姜粉暫時短缺”。這個零售業巨頭的一位發言人證實說，“未來的供貨情況將是良好”。

China was responsible for around 37 percent of the world's ginger exports in 2019. 

2019年，中國占全球生姜出口量的約37％。

（購物者在 Tesco 排起長龍給家里囤貨）

In a statement, Tesco said: 'This year more of us have been cooking from scratch than ever before, using our time at home to discover new flavours and cuisines. 'As a result, some products such as root ginger are in higher demand than usual. We’re working hard to respond to this and have more deliveries coming to stores every day.'

特易購（Tesco）在一份聲明中說：“今年我們比以往任何時候都更加從零開始做飯，利用我們在家里的時間發現新的風味和美食。“因此，像生姜這樣的一些產品的需求量比平時高。我們正在努力應對這一問題，并且每天都有更多的商品到店。”

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: 'We are running low on some ginger lines in some stores. We expect to return to full availability very soon.' 

塞恩斯伯里（Sainsbury）的發言人說：“我們在某些商店的生姜線短缺。我們希望很快恢復足夠的供應。”

Reference：

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9026401/Global-ginger-shortage-February-supermarkets-vow-meet-demand.html