New Year's Eve Dessert Pondering...

I know what you're thinking.

"Good God Man, It's Not Even December Yet And You Are Talking To Us About New Year's Eve Already?!"

Like the fashion industry, restaurants need always be thinking ahead. Everyone plans a wedding and company holiday parties a year or more in advance, so we must always be thinking about the next holiday. When I was at Citizen Cake we had our first fall/winter holiday meeting in June.

Menus need to be written, press needs to be contacted, taste buds need to be teased and tantalized into signing on the dotted line:
        for, where do you want to be on the eve of this new year?

Me? I actually like to stay at home on new year's eve if I have the option. But this year I will be happily plating many a dessert plate with my team and the kitchen crew, waving in 2008 with my new family, in my new home.

So what to serve? What do most people want to have for dessert on the night of the big bash? What will be fun to plate minute after minute, hour after hour, until the wee hours? What will excite my assistants? Can I teach them something new? How can I challenge them and yet satisfy our diners?

What are the flavors most indicative of December turning into January?

Special events mean special menus mean new desserts to try out mean inspiration exploding and shattering over everything, new plates coming from wide reaching conceptualization.

On special nights I like to create delectables not found in the average mindbook, but I want to appeal to a wide-ranging set of palates and imaginations. I think a new year's dessert should be playful but not silly, sophisticated but not dusty, comforting and yet not too traditional.

Chocolate is obvious, but how...

Have you plans for December 31st? Do you do the same thing year after year and love the tradition of it? Do you love the countdown and the kiss? Do you hate the crowds and avoid the streets? Do you have your outfit planned or will wing it the night of? Did you make your reservations already or will you cuddle up with those you love?

One of my most favorite new year's eve nights was 1999/2000. Patrick and I took the dogs on a moonlight walk. Neither of us wore a watch so we had only the faintest idea of when midnight struck. The farm was quiet and the dogs were happy.

Comments

[jennywenny]

Oh what a tease! I was thinking about taking my mum and grandma on a california coast trip and maybe taking in Sens on our way, but I couldnt get reservations through open table!

I think I liked last year, I was asleep on a plane. I find it a little confusing over in the states as everyone is celebrating at different times. I liked it in England when everyone was celebrating at once.

[Anita]

We're heading out of dodge, staying for nearly 2 weeks in a jewel-box of a guest house up in wine country. If all goes to plan, we'll ring in the new year by the fire with a bottle of good local bubbly. We've utterly given up on the effort and expense of dinners out on holidays (although I am sure that the party at Sens will be something to see, and taste!).

[EB]

I rarely make pans for the "big" party. Especially in San Francisco- it just seems like so many people come in to town to experience what we are lucky enough to be able to do every night if we wished. The best New Year's nights I've spent have been at last-minute, spontaneous get-togethers. For treats on that night I always prefer something small but decadently rich-- hopes of wealth for the New Year I suppose. I love things like a bite of the blackest chocolate with orange.

[elarael]

Clementine caramel or raspberry caramel crystal shards of some kind with some kind of fluffy chocolate, kind of like those English (?) chocolate bars of flaky chocolate foam. Mmm. That popped into my head.

I usually am loving being at home, though I would love to be surprised by a kiss from someone that I would enjoy a kiss from. I think I will be at a neighborhood party this year. I hope. But! Why is it the ones you Don't Want are usually the bold ones in the stolen smooches dept??? God, they've taught me a lot about bravery. Expensive tuition though, really!

[Roberto N.]

Chocolate... or champagne??

[kayenne]

look for mangosteen or mangosteen jam... goes great with coffee... and i can imagine, swirled into a flourless chocolate cake. a local pairing here is mangosteen jam with coffee ice cream.

[Diane]

This year will be different for me. Usually I am traveling back from the east coast on new years - having just seen my whole family and celebrated my grandmother's birthday. That will not be the case this year as she passed away this summer, just short of her 100th birthday. So I suspect I will be both a bit sad and also a bit relieved at not having to be in transit at that time of year. I plan to build a fire in the fireplace. To make a nice dinner and roast some apples, and read a good book in front of the fire, feling very grateful for all that I have, and all that my grandma gave me over the years. Maybe take a walk in my neighborhood feeling the chill of the air and the stillness of the night.

[Fontessa]

New Year's Eve dessert? Personally, I adore wedding cake. Why couldn't you make a glorious new year's eve cake lavishly decorated (with yummy raspberry filling) like a wedding cake?