Berry

The fragrant spices in this apple crisp are pure Christmas, and the cornmeal in the topping adds a rustic touch.

If you end up with a few extra shortcakes, they're great for breakfast.

A delicate, sparkling sugar shell transforms fresh cranberries and sage leaves into jewellike candies that beautifully adorn the cranberry grappa jelly and that also taste entirely appropriate with the main course.

Laced with grappa, this lovely molded jelly works well with the robustness of all the other dishes on this menu (and cranberries and grappa bring out the best in each other).

Ruby Port makes for a cranberry sauce that's all grown-up—and its robust flavors, paired with a bit of tangy citrus, complement all the other foods on the plate.

Cranberries are a rarity, even to this day, in Italy, so this crostata represents an achievement that's uniquely Italian-American. Though many crostatas employ jam, this one gets its zest from fresh cranberries cooked down and paired with an almond-scented crust—and the proportion of filling to crust is our idea of perfection.

Kumquats and cranberries turn out to be a perfect match, since their flavors are similar in intensity: The former contributes a pleasant citrusy bitterness to the latter's signature tartness.

This vibrant condiment takes its inspiration from the popular Cosmopolitan drink. The alcohol heightens the sauce's flavor, but for kids and nondrinkers, the recipe can easily be made nonalcoholic by substituting orange juice for the water and deleting the vodka and liqueur.

This is a dessert to remember: chocolaty cookie crust, creamy mascarpone filling, and a glistening cranberry topping.

Just three ingredients make a fresh and bright uncooked relish—and the colors are beautiful, too.

Boiling down the cider gives great apple flavor; parsley adds color and freshness.

Dried and fresh cranberries are simmered in Port for a not-too-sweet, grown-up take on the classic.

Find rose-petal syrup at ethnic food shops (or online at Kalustyans)—it's a deep red-colored liquid commonly served in the eastern Mediterranean. For quick drinks, mix it with soda or milk. Be sure not to confuse this syrup with rose water, though. If you are going to use flowers for decoration in the punch, be sure that they are edible and not treated with pesticides. Most good produce shops will stock chrysanthemums and orchids—both are good for sweet foods. Edible violets and pink roses can be found in some florists or farmer's markets.