Party at home
Prefer to keep your distance from the hordes of tourists? Nothing wrong with welcoming 2017 in the comfort of your own home. Here are some tips for keepin’ it fun.
Go for the classics
Dean & DeLuca’s head merchant Michael Scibilia recommends the gourmet market’s Jonah Crab Claws ($90) to complement a nice dry Champagne, or a whole Brie de Nangis ($50): The cheese’s creamy and smooth texture with a slightly chalky center becomes runny with age and pairs excellently with bubbly on the fruitier side. 560 Broadway and other locations; DeanDeluca.com
Shuck it all
Fresh oysters will add a touch of elegance to your night in: Buy a bunch ($1.15 to $1.80 per oyster) from the Lobster Place and shuck them yourself at home. Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave.; LobsterPlace.com
Cold comfort
Babeth’s Feast on the Upper East Side sells frozen food with an elegant twist, from coq au vin ($20.99) to chocolate lava cake ($8.99). 1422 Third Ave.; BabethsFeast.com
Make festive cocktails (and drink them)
There’s no need to spring for overpriced drinks that will have you“celebrating” little but the annual New Year’s Eve markup.
Meaghan Montagano, bar manager at Mario Batali’s new restaurant La Sirena, recommends this festive prosecco cocktail, which you can make at home — by the glass or in a large-batch cocktail punch.
“Sparkling white wines are great for lengthening a cocktail or punch,” says Montagano.“I enjoy using prosecco or cava as the base of a cocktail to help keep it less boozy and more drinkable, something you won’t regret come NewYear’s Day.”
And getting festive in the garnish department — lemon twists, rosemary sprigs, pomegranate seeds — can elevate the simplest of cocktails.