Hustle, Bustle, Enjoy!

For Mount Kisco Seafood Owner Joe DiMauro, the week of Christmas and before New Year's Eve is a busy time. It is also regarded as the precursor to what is widely accepted as the biggest party night of the year.

He seems impervious to the hustle and bustle of his workers, preparing cocktail sauce, cracking crabs and arranging shrimp while still attending to daily sales of fish and seafood. This morning he has the rare moment when only one or two customers mill about, and the previous weekend's impending storm that caused a mad dash, long lines and no parking is almost forgotten.

"This year we're really busy, for New Year's, everyone celebrates, and it's a better year," said DiMauro, alluding to the economic downturn that he said had last year's customers asking the price of caviar – something his business rarely encounters.

This week, as during all weeks, DiMauro follows the fishing boats and their catch. He has to anticipate what customers will want, as many New Year's orders, unlike those for Christmas Eve, are fairly last minute. His fax machine hums with reports from fish industry associations, announcing which fish are in abundance, which are being depleted and not available, and which to avoid overeating because of their mercury content.

He also speaks of his fish hotline, what looks like an arcane radio and telephone chain that lets him know how the fishermen and their catch are doing while still out at sea. Less mysterious is where he buys the fish when they are finally ashore: the new Fulton Fish Market at Hunts Point in the Bronx.

New this year is a sushi counter not far from the entrance. The two sushi chefs – one from Korea and the other from China – prepare carrots and matchstick-thin cucumber with Zen-like quiet, while music and clanging utensils hail from the kitchen in the back of the store. The soft sounds of steel wool on concrete come from a worker cleaning the floor near the refrigeration cases – the young man is doing penance for arriving late to work, and a clean fish store is a must.

DiMauro estimates that the sushi bar, in operation since July of this year, will generate approximately 10 percent of this year's New Year's party orders. Another 25 percent will include filet mignon and assorted meats, courtesy of Mount Kisco Seafood's butcher section. "The butcher came from Banksville, and he is as picky as I am," said DiMauro. The rest of the platters will include items such as tuna carpaccio-seared on the outside, rare on the inside, shrimp cocktail and perhaps some items for a raw bar.

The prepared foods such as bisques, crab cakes and pre-seasoned fish are courtesy of the in-store chef, Jonathan Everin. His domain is the kitchen, a little more crowded with seasonal workers hired to help with the large number of orders for Christmas and New Year's. For 17 years Everin has been the artisan behind the quarts of seafood bisque and sauces packed to be heated and served at home.

He tries to take the ebb and flow in stride. "I've learned over the years how to get things done in an easier way," he said. At that very moment someone knocked the radio off the counter. "That's happened before too," he said. It was picked up and set back, with the same continual rhythm of the sloshing sound of cocktail sauce going into plastic take-home containers, packed 96 to a case. "This is the kind of thing that at least can be made farther in advance," said Everin.

A little farther north is Mount Kisco Wines and Spirits, tucked away in a small strip of stores sharing the A&P supermarket and Target department store parking lot. The store is open and fairly airy for a wine and liquor store, with the familiar smell of cork that signals such stores and well-stocked home liquor cabinets. John Bueti, the store's owner, is no less busy selling wine than DiMauro is selling seafood.

"This is the night for champagne," said Bueti. "People will always celebrate New Year's Eve." His workers were fulfilling orders, many of them cases of various wines, sparkling wines or Champagne.

His nod to the recession has been not to order too much for his store. "Lean and mean" was how he described his buying philosophy. The shelves were packed, with only a few wine racks ready to accept some more bottles. To the customer, the place seemed anything but leanly stocked.

Bueti attributes this to his ability to take delivery on a daily basis. He has also added Internet sales to his retail business. Seasonal business means more packing and ringing up sales at the register, but he does not hire extra sales people. "You can't just teach someone about wine," he said. His sales personnel during this season are the same as year-round.

For the upcoming New Year's celebration, Bueti is a fan of Champagne and its cousins, sparkling wines from the United States, Italy and Spain. He also thinks that Champagne should be served throughout the evening, not just for what he refers to as the "pop at midnight." Different Champagnes and sparkling wines, he says, should be paired with different courses. As an example, he recommended a good

His store will remain open until 9 p.m. on New Year's eve. But when he leaves to celebrate it will be with Champagne, not sparkling wine or other appellation; most likely his list will include a couple of blanc de noirs (white wine from red grapes) that in his store are literally top shelf.

For food and wine tips for New Year's Eve, click here.