The Boozy Guide to NYE at Home

The older I get the less I want to leave the house on New Year’s Eve. I have come to call it amateur night. It’s a night where everyone is out and about drinking not just a little bit, but A LOT. Not only this, but most of these people are people that really don’t drink any other time of year. The bars are packed with people who can’t hold their booze, and the roads, which are already hazardous are full of people who probably shouldn’t be driving in the best conditions even half as inebriated as they are.

I have gotten to the point where I don’t try to throw a fancy party since everyone has their own traditions and things they like to do on the biggest party day of the year. With my hubby being a musician, that goes double for us since most of our friends are either other musicians, performance artists, or promoters, or any mix of these. They have shows to attend, perform, or put on, as well as parties, and bar events.

The other thing is, NYE happens to be my birthday. You may think I seem odd, but it really is no fun going out on my birthday when everyone else who is out that night has something bigger to be celebrating. It kind of takes the shine off things a bit. If you want to read a little about how I usually celebrate this day I wrote about it in a friend’s 20 Minute Blog Challenge and you can read that HERE.

However you plan to spend your New Year’s Eve, the Boozy Housewife is here to help!

If you want to plan a rocking party, check out my POST on planning drinks for a gathering. In this guide, you will find basic bar service must-haves including planning drinks for a crowd on the cheap, what you will need for garnishes and mixers, and even suggestions for beer and wine so that everyone is happy.

Finally, I have a few drink recipes here I think set the mood for this glamorous night.

Fairy On a Flower Punch (adapted from Frankie Solarik of BarChef’s ‘Floral Absinthe Punch’)

• 4 ounces Absinthe
• 4 ounces Saint Germain
• 2 ounces Campari
• 750mL orange soda
• dry champagne
• fresh rosemary
• edible flowers
• blood oranges (sliced)

Combine your Absinthe, Saint Germain, Campari and Orange soda in a punch bowl, stir and float the wheels of one blood orange, 2 sprigs of rosemary, and three edible flower blooms in the bowl. Ladle serve over ice, top with dry champagne. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and blood orange wheels

My favorite cocktails for New Year’s Eve are prohibition era concoctions and other vintage favorites.

The Sidecar

• 2 ounces of cognac
• 1 ounce of Grand Marnier
• 1 ounce Sweet and Sour mix
• sugar
• lemon twist

Sugar the rim of a chilled martini glass. in a shaker, combine cognac, Grand Marnier, and sweet and sour mix over ice, shake, strain into sugar-rimmed glass and serve with a twist.

The French 75

• 2 ounces London dry gin
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce simple syrup
• 2 ounces Champagne
• lemon twist for garnish

Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker over ice, shake well, and strain into a large champagne flute. Top with Champagne, garnish with a twist.

If you are looking for more basic cocktail recipes, you can find them in my post:  Basic Cocktails 101. As always, if you haven’t found your favorite, let me know in the comments, I probably know how to make it, and would be happy to share with you!

Happy New Year from the Boozy Housewife!