Click here to view our Resource Guide and learn how you can be part of it.

Related Articles

• Chocolate
• Countdown Cuisine
• Kitchen Community
• Kitchen Essentials
• Lobster

 Comments  Feed

Subscribe to Accent : Accent magazine Web feed Subscribe to Accent : Seasonal Influences

Jonathan King and Jim Stott

Click the titles to view the recipes:

Rosemary Rack of Lamb Spicy Green Salad with Pear, Blue Cheese and Sun-Dried Cranberry Vinaigrette Parmesan Potato Gratin Bellini Coconut Lemon Cake

New Year’s Eve is always cause for celebration, and most years we invite our closest friends over for a special dinner. Six guests is usually best, sometimes eight, but we always keep it small. It’s important to not make things too complicated so everyone can enjoy looking back at the year gone by and ring in the new one with hope for healthy and happy days ahead.

Timing for dinner on New Year’s Eve is tricky. Knowing your guests as you do will help you decide if a nine o’clock invitation is going to work or if you need to start things a little earlier. Remember, the point of the evening is to celebrate, not to force yourselves or guests to “make it till midnight.” You can toast to the New Year at any hour you wish!

One of the main things to remember is not to wear yourself out ahead of time preparing for the party. Keep it simple and elegant and everyone will be happy, including you, the host, who will have more time to spend with your all-important guests. Instead of making a complicated dinner from soup to nuts, focus on one or two dishes that have the WOW factor and keep the rest simple. Even though we love to cook, we don’t always feel the need to make everything on the menu from scratch. Check out your favorite gourmet market or Stonewall’s website for fabulous handmade specialties, from hors d’oeuvres to desserts that are pre-made and fantastic (we often serve homemade blueberry pies for dessert from Pie In the Sky bakery in Cape Neddick, Maine; with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, everyone is thrilled!).

New Year’s Eve is a great night to try shaking up some fabulous cocktails for the party. One extraordinary drink is enough, a special martini in a sensational glass with a chic garnish would be ideal. Stock the bar as you normally would and be sure to have chilled champagne on hand for a midnight countdown.

Don’t worry about the table, mix and match china if you like. Pull out the crystal and silver; tonight’s the night to definitely use it if you have it. Light plenty of candles and use some holiday decorations that sparkle and shine for a festive look. Do as much as possible before your guests arrive, take a nap if you can and relax and welcome ‘09 with good friends, good food, and a great time to remember in the year ahead.