You May Think There's Only Room for One Thing in Your Glass on New Year's Eve. Trust Me, You'll Want This Instead.

"Living in New York City, I'm often asked if I go down to Times Square for the festivities on New Year's Eve. That's a hard no; I can't think of a worse way to mark the occasion than fighting with strangers over a foothold of fenced-in asphalt in the cold, all for the privilege of watching mediocre performances on big screens ... just like you could at home."

"We menu-plan and assign dishes weeks ahead, and text each other about the delicacies we've procured on our shopping trips. There are always at least six fixed courses, not including hors d'Oeuvres (oysters, soup, lamb or beef, granita, salad/cheese, and dessert), and we've been known to push it to seven or eight with a homemade ravioli or tuna tartare. Dessert is usually served after a midnight pause for toasting, and we end the night with cognac, chocolates, and espresso's nudge out the door."

Many New Yorkers avoid Times Square crowds on New Year's Eve, favoring intimate semi-formal dinner parties with close friends. Hosts menu-plan and assign dishes weeks in advance and coordinate purchases by texting each other. Typical meals include at least six fixed courses—oysters, soup, lamb or beef, citrus granita, salad or cheese, and dessert—and sometimes seven or eight dishes such as homemade ravioli or tuna tartare. Dessert usually follows a midnight pause for toasting, and the evening often ends with cognac, chocolates, and espresso. The effort and expense express care, and a citrus granita topped with champagne serves as a simple elegant palate cleanser. Granitas are frozen treats usually made from fruit juice and sugar.

Read at Slate Magazine