The Sevillano New Year!

I've figured out the tentative menu for my annual New Year's Eve bash. Since last year, we have decided to have it at 6pm -- New Year in Seville, Spain. Rafa, as a hard-core Spaniard, takes New Year's Eve very seriously. There are the four quarters of the bells and the twelve grapes that need to be eaten -- it's a whole affair. It's actually a lot of fun; and I've realized I'm the slowest eater of grapes imaginable. When my Dad joined us last year, he, a fruitaholic, downed his 12 grapes before any of us. He rang in the New Year at 5:59.50 pm.

My sister likes bringing in the New Year six hours earlier because it means she joins in the festivities with my brother-in-law and nephew. Liam's still a bit too young to bring in the New Year at midnight. This way, the threesome can join in the fun, and all in time for Liam's bedtime. I don't mind it either... I think I'm getting too old to stay up that late.

New Year's is usually a cocktail affair with Cava and boozy sangria. I lay out all the plates on the table and try to fulfill my New Year's resolution from earlier that year... RELAX! Well, we'll see how I do this year. I think I'll start drinking early!

Updated Menu

The Nibbles:

Red Kidney Bean Dip
Eggplant and Mint Yogurt Dip
Quartered pita
Gravlax
Serrano ham
Chorizo (both sliced and in cold-cuts form)
Marinated Olives (variation of an Emeril recipe)
Walnuts (in Union Square Cafe style)
Cheesy Feet and Snowflakes
Cucumber and Pomegranate Salad
La Pizza Rossa
Pizza Bianca

The Desserts:

Malteser Cake
Cranberry and Orange Pudding (sans almonds)
Bowl 'o' Fruit! (for the fruitaholics -- daddy dearest and B-I-L)

The Tipples:

Cava (2 bottles)
Wine (2 bottles)
The Un-Cola (un-boozy version)