Shelling out thousands on bottles of Cristal in a club so loud you can’t even hear a pal wish you happy New Year is a good way to start 2015 — if you’re looking for a splitting headache and an empty wallet.
But there is another option: You can throw a party at home.
Dana Cowin knows her guests expect a lot when she has a bash at her Upper West Side apartment — she’s the editor-in-chief of Food & Wine magazine and author of “Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen.”
“I wish I could say, ‘Oh, I don’t care at all,’ but when I’m planning a menu I want to be sure that my guests are well-fed and they’re not like, ‘My grandmother could have made that.’”
And for Vicky Wang of Dinner Bandits, a service that helps your party by supplying décor, sourcing a chef and finessing details (prices begin at $75), “the key to a great party is personalized touches.”
For a New Year’s Eve fête that feels both lavish and personal, that means splurging where it’s needed, taking a few shortcuts, and tying it all together with a dash of good humor.
Here are simple tips from the pros to make your party a success.
Serve buffet style
Cowin says, “I never do plated food, because by the time the last person is served, the first person’s plate is cold. It seems more elegant to serve plated food, but in the end, it’s just not.”
Buy prepared foods (but splurge a little)
“The answer to a seamless, enjoyable party is to buy two-thirds of it,” says Cowin. “Especially appetizers and dessert, premade, and to know when other people can do something better than you can.” When you do make something, she says, “Pay all of your attention to the quality of the ingredients instead of going for an overly complicated recipe. You might want to get some American caviar from Russ & Daughters — to go with their blinis — or oysters. Get the best of whatever it is.”
Wear something that sparkles
You can welcome a glittery New Year with the right outfit. “I have a silver sequin jacket that I can wear over my daily uniform of black on black,” says Cowin. “It’s really nice to get just a little dolled up, because there aren’t that many nights I feel that way. Basically, anything that will look good while you’re holding a glass of Champagne.”
Don’t buy new décor
“I actually scout through my entire apartment before setting up my dining room,” says Food & Wine mag editor-in-chief Dana Cowin. “I have a lot of candlesticks that are all clear, whether it’s glass or crystal. Some are modern, some are from the ’50s. I add white candles so it feels very glowy and sparkly.”
Lighting is key
Go crazy on the sides
When Cowin throws a party, she makes five side dishes that can be served at room temperature, like a beet or a grain salad. “I think it’s a much more modern way to eat than to have one big meat and one big starch. There’s something for a vegan, for a vegetarian, for a very hungry person, for a very picky person.”
Don’t be too serious
Kitschy is in for Cowin. “With a serious prime rib and caviar and Champagne, it’s nice to have something that undercuts that seriousness and that makes it a little less sweet,” she says. “When you have 2015 glasses on, everyone’s having a good night.”
Go green
“In place of expensive floral arrangements that can cost anywhere from $50 to a few hundred dollars, cut off small branches from your Christmas tree and place them in vases to dress up the table with green centerpieces,” says Wang. A sprig from your tree placed on a plate is another festive — and inexpensive — way to decorate.
Make It Personal
Don’t lose your glass
Who hasn’t misplaced a wine glass at a party? Cowin threw a recent party with the Dinner Bandits who, she says, printed a piece of vellum with a personal message for each guest. “You punch a hole in it and tie it to the stem of your wine glass with kitchen twine.”
The perfect playlist
Jonathan Toubin (above), a DJ (newyorknighttrain.com), says the secret to the perfect New Year’s Eve playlist is “setting an upbeat, celebratory mood, one that keeps people dancing.” He’s deejaying in the New Year at LES club Home Sweet Home “till 7 a.m., so you can’t really have too many contemplative songs.” These are among the old-school tunes he’ll be spinning — “all on the original 45 rpm records, of course.”
♦ Della Reese, “It Was a Very Good Year” (1966)
♦ MC5, “Kick Out the Jams” (1969)
♦ Carl Holmes, “Soul Dance No. 3” (1966)
♦ Charlotte Leslie, “Les Filles C’est Fait Pour Faire L’amour” (1967)
♦ H-Bomb Ferguson, “Midnight Ramblin’ Tonight” (1961)
The toast
When it comes to public speaking, Adam Wade knows what it takes. The New Hampshire native has won 18 Moth StorySlam championships (essentially, the Olympics of open-mike nights) in the city and teaches a storytelling course at NYC’s Magnet Theater. Here’s what he says it takes to get the New Year’s Eve toast just right.
Keep it short
“Don’t talk too long, try to get to the point, and don’t oversell your speech.”
Try to make eye contact
“It’s a tough thing with social media and everything, but it’s important to remember that you don’t have to have the greatest speech ever if you are actually looking at people. If you can connect, you’ll own the room.”
Don’t use cheesy quotes
“Don’t quote [someone like] Deepak Chopra. If you need a jumping-off point, pull from something like ‘The Simpsons’ or ‘Anchorman.’ If you do something that’s a bit less serious, you can get away with being more heartfelt in the rest of your speech.”
Be specific
“New Year’s Eve is just about appreciating the little things. Let’s face it, those little moments are as meaningful as the big triumphs; they’re the stuff that keeps you going. You might not have gotten a big bonus this year, but hey, there’s a woman at work who brings you a couple of chocolates now and then. Mention her in your speech. Why not?” — Sarah Horne
RECIPES
Roasted Peppadews stuffed with tuna and white bean tonnato dip
One 7-ounce can water-packed tuna, drained
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more for sprinkling
¼ teaspoon crushed
red pepper
Put all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Stuff into roasted Peppadews, available in the antipasto section of stores like Zabar’s or Dean & DeLuca. (Serves 8)
Salmon sliders with giardiniera special sauce
½ cup finely chopped giardiniera (pickled vegetables, available jarred or at the olive bar in Italian markets)
1 ½ tablespoons giardiniera pickling liquid
1 ½ tablespoons ketchup
9 slider buns
9 store-bought salmon cakes
Stir ingredients together in a small bowl. To assemble the sliders, place a dollop of sauce on each bun, along with some arugula. Use store-bought salmon cakes to keep things simple. (Serves 9)
Smoked mussels and caper berry skewers
1 jar caper berries
24 skewers
Cut the caper berries in half; add 1 to each skewer, then 1 smoked mussel.
Shrimp salsamole
1 cup finely diced seeded cucumber
¼ cup finely diced
white onion
½ jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
¼ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon fine salt, or more to taste
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or more to taste
2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and roughly diced
tortilla chips for serving
2 cups cooked and tailed shrimp, roughly chopped
Put the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and lime juice in a medium bowl and toss well. Add the avocado and shrimp and toss well to combine. Season to taste with more salt and lime juice if necessary.
Serve with tortilla chips. (Serves 6)
French 75 cocktail
1 ounce gin
½ ounce lemon juice
½ ounce simple syrup
4 ounces Champagne
Combine the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup in a cocktail glass, and top with Champagne just before
serving. (Yields one drink)