{"id":2052,"date":"2013-12-23T09:22:00","date_gmt":"2013-12-23T09:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bostonzest.com\/?p=2052"},"modified":"2013-12-23T09:22:00","modified_gmt":"2013-12-23T09:22:00","slug":"december-celebration-night-of-the-radishes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bostonzest.com\/?p=2052","title":{"rendered":"December 23rd Celebration: Night of the Radishes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you know that December 23rd is Noche de R\u00e1banos<\/a> or Night of the Radishes in some regions of Mexico? It's a time of celebration with displays of elaborately carved radishes. <\/p>\n

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Photo by Travis S.<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, this photo shows some of the little ones we know and love, but the main sculpture is made from giant radishes (they can be more than 6 pounds) grown for this purpose. More photos of fabulous carvings here.<\/a><\/p>\n

I remember carving radishes into roses and pointy floral designs to decorate cold cut trays for my parents holiday parties. I remember discovering the trick of cutting petals all around and then dropping the radishes into ice water so the petals would swell and open like a flower.<\/p>\n

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We might have forgotten this holiday except that over the years our original discovery of this holiday and a post we did on carving radishes<\/a> keep popping up this week in the list of favorite pages of BostonZest readers.<\/p>\n

For more about radishes in general, here's a post, "Radishes, Fireball to French Breakfast!,"<\/a> with more information about this sunny, snappy veggie. <\/p>\n

It's fun to learn about other cultures and how they celebrate. We'll soon be out looking at the ice carvings around Boston. Have you ever adopted a cultural event just because it appealed to you?<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is every tool you might ever need to carve radishes or any other vegetable. Or, how about whittling? That just takes a pen knife or here's a kit with everything you need.<\/a>\"\" <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

International Culinary Carving Set 80 Piece, Wood Case<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n