Candying is the technique of preserving fruit, vegetables, or other food by cooking it in a concentrated sugar syrup until the syrup replaces much of the food's natural moisture, leaving a sweet, firm, shelf-stable product, often finished with a crisp sugar coating. The food is usually blanched or boiled first to soften it and reduce bitterness, then simmered in syrup, sometimes flavored with spices or herbs, until fully saturated; smaller items take hours, denser ones can take days. Commonly candied foods include citrus peel, ginger, cherries, berries, carrots, fennel, and squash. Candied citrus peel and candied ginger are widely used as garnishes for baked goods, drinks, and desserts; in China, candied fruits and nuts are traditionally given as Lunar New Year gifts, and candied rose petals are prized in Middle Eastern confections for their fragrance.