Come December 31, skip the crowds and host a celebration at home, such as the bubble-themed party described below—the details of which can be tailored to suit your own space and style. Think about new ways to entertain to start the new year.
Bubble-Themed Bash
What could be more appropriate for New Year’s Eve than an elegantly effervescent party? Stock up on sparkling wine and pick and choose among the following suggested elements.
If you don’t have the same (or even similar) punch bowl or glasses shown on page 354, scour your home or party-supply store for other ways to implement the theme. Even balloons and bubble wands can make any party a blast.
The Drinks
Carry out the theme on the help-yourself drink station.
Coupe glasses have a more fitting profile than flutes for serving sparkling wine.
For chilling cocktails, swap out regular ice cubes with round ones molded in special trays (see those in ice bucket at left); to give them similar pastel hues, tint the water with different liqueurs such as Aperol, Campari, or Limoncello before freezing.
Punches (like the rum punch at left) are even more festive with frozen melon balls to keep them cold.
For nonalcoholic options, serve bubble tea (with tapioca pearls), or pour sparkling water over the tinted ice balls or frozen melon balls.
The Hors D’oeuvres
Once you start looking for bubble-shaped food, you’ll discover lots of options. Take these as inspiration:
Caviar (and its less expensive cousin, salmon roe) can be scooped onto canapés spread with sour cream or crème fraîche.
Roll miniature goat-cheese balls in chopped pistachios, pink peppercorns, or finely chopped fresh herbs.
Gougères, or cheese puffs, are delicious freeze-aheads; bake just before serving.
The Desserts
Fluffy frosted cupcakes look as light as air—these are coconut, but any flavor will do, as long as the frosting is billowy and pastel.
Cream-filled pastry puffs are also bubble-shaped options; dust the pastries liberally with confectioners’ sugar for the same ethereal effect.
You can never go wrong with truffles; coat them in white chocolate or roll in chopped coconut.
Tip
To replicate the dessert stand shown at right, rest different-size Lucite cubes, sold at organizing stores, atop a beribboned or painted board.
