Adirondack King Cake. A Spanish and Mexican tradition is Rosca de Reyes, or King Cake. It is baked in a circular shape to symbolize the sky. Traditional King Cake is citrus-flavored; this is a maple-flavored version. (Photo provided —Yvona Fast)

It is still Christmas!

The shopping is over, the stockings are hung, gifts have been exchanged. Houses and halls have been decked out for the festive season. You had your special Christmas Eve and Christmas Day feast fare — whatever your family tradition.

But the celebrations are not finished!

Holiday decorations, songs and feasts vary. Every culture has different traditions — all festive. Christmas is a holiday of copious and diverse foods, with traditional dishes and desserts made only for that day. In many countries, special foods continue for all 12 Days of Christmas. Traditional beverages include wine and eggnog. Special treats include nuts and chestnuts.

Christmas comes from “Christ’s Mass,” a term coined in the Middle Ages when Christmas became a major holiday. The 12 Days from Christmas to Epiphany have been celebrated as a sacred and festive season since the Council of Tours in 567 AD.

In Ireland, Christmas is the biggest, longest annual festival, lasting from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6.

In Latin America, Christmas celebrations are a blend of Roman Catholic traditions and native culture. The feasting and celebrating continues until Jan. 6, or Dia de Reyes (Day of the Three Kings), which officially marks the end of the holiday season. In Mexico, tamales and Mexican hot chocolate are served on Three Kings Day.

A Spanish and Mexican tradition is Rosca de Reyes, or King Cake. It is baked in a circular shape to symbolize the sky.

The type of pastry used varies depending on the country. The Mexican version is made with a buttery brioche-type dough. In some other countries, King Cake is made with rich, dense pastry-type dough. In other places, it is a yeast citrus-flavored bread like a coffee cake. In either case, what makes the cake special is the small figurine of baby Jesus that is hidden inside.

In many central European nations, it is not customary to decorate the tree until Dec. 24 and the tree stays up until Three Kings Day on Jan. 6.

In Australia and New Zealand, Christmas comes in midsummer. Traditions resemble those of Great Britain. Christmas Day a big family dinner is served: ham or turkey, roast vegetables, salads, champagnes and for dessert, plum pudding and mince pies. Dec. 26 continues the celebrations with Boxing Day.

Sweet baked treats are common in every culture, and usually outlast Christmas Day. Pie and cranberry-nut bread sit alongside international specialties like German Stollen or buttery Spritz cookies; Italian Panettone or cucciddati; Danish kringle; British Yule log or French Buche de Noel. There are gingerbread houses filled with gingerbread men.

Holiday colors are red, white and green, and you can easily include these festive colors to brighten up your holiday meals with tasty veggies. Use them in salads, side dishes, even potatoes and grains.

For example, mashed potatoes can be dressed up using a sprinkling of fresh minced parsley and sweet red bell peppers. Create a colorful grain-based pilaf with red and green peppers, or with broccoli and cauliflower. A side dish of green and white vegetables, or a salad of dark greens sprinkled with white feta cheese and red peppers, is another possibility. Let your imagination flow!

In addition to brightening the short gray days, colorful vegetables have a myriad of health benefits. Vegetables’ rainbow range of colors comes from their phytochemicals, substances that help promote good health and ward off disease.

So for 12 days, decorate your home and your table in red and green. Add flavor and color to your dinner table with colorful, flavorful sides.

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Adirondack King Cake

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Traditional King Cake is citrus-flavored; this is a maple-flavored version.

Ingredients:

1 cup maple syrup

2 Tablespoons yeast

6 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

4 cups flour

1/2 to 1 cup each raisins, craisins, can also use chopped walnuts or pecans

2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in maple syrup. Set aside.

Combine flour with raisins, craisins and walnuts if using.

Stir maple syrup and yeast into flour mixture.

Beat eggs with sugar. Stir into the dough.

Melt butter, add slowly while beating. (electric mixer). Beat 5 to 10 minutes.

Place mixture in a ring-shaped cake pan (or other cake pan but King Cake is traditionally a ring). Hide a figure of baby Jesus at one end.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Allow the cake to raise until about double in size.

Bake in preheated oven about 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

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Red, White and Green Salad

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This salad is garnished with 2 seasonal favorites, cranberries and nuts.

Ingredients:

Dressing:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon tahini paste

Juice of 1/2 lemon (3 – 4 teaspoons)

1/2 teaspoon honey

Salad:

10 ounces baby spinach

10 ounces mixed salad greens

5-6 ounces Radicchio

1/2 sweet white onion

1 red bell pepper

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup walnuts, broken up

Directions:

Crush garlic with salt and combine all the dressing ingredients in the bottom of the salad bowl. Stir with a fork.

Peel the onion and slice thin. Wash and seed the pepper and slice thin.

Toss greens, onion and bell pepper into the dressing, and blend well to coat. Top with feta, cranberries and nuts.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook “Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers Market,” Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: Writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite@yahoo.com or on X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter: @yvonawrites.