, 1879-08-16
HOW TO DINE.
a Scientific nnt1 ArtIattn yiow Of an Impor.
tn,lt Subject.


tnnt Subject.
Fir H'nrv 7homDtnn IN sAe Ntns.ttntA tentuYp.
dinners arc Of Two kfnds,-tilc ordinary meni
Of tho fomi1y, and tho dinner 10 which guests
arc Invited. There Ia third dinner It, this
country, OF couimon--too commot,--occurrence
viz: tho public dinner, which is essentially a
British Institution, nnd cannot bc passed hY In
silence. The late dinner should mover include
children. 1t is meal whicl, Ia In every way ut,-
suited to them. and they arc quIto untitled 10
take part In its functions; besides, tho foilr-
meal system Is hotter adapted to their require.
meuts of growth mud digestion In In cnrly life, A
family dinner may usually consist Of soup, fish,
entree, roast, and sweet; the enlrco may oven DO
omitted; on the other hand, II tho meal Is re-
0utred to DO moro substantial, o joint may bs
served in addition aitcrthc nsh; but this should
bc very rarely necessary. A dtsh Of vegetables
maS DO ndvantaEcoualy placed before or altar
1'le roast, according to circumstances; ard sup
Elementary vegetables should bo always at
hand.
The rationale Of the initial soup has often been
diac1lsstd: Romc regard 1t ns calculated to d.
mfn!sh digestive p0Her, on the theory tatsa
much fluid taken Of first dilutcs the gastric juices
But there apDcara to DO no foundation for thiA
belief: Il clear soup, or tho fluid constituents OF
uurcc, disappear almost Immediately aitor en-
ternE tito stomach. being absorbed bY thu
proper rcsscls, and In no way Interfere with ths
Castr!e Juice which Is stored In tts nppropri-
ate cells ready far action. The habit of con-.
iHenctnE dinner with soup has, WITHOUT doubt,
tts origin IN the fact That alfmcnt in this fluid
fcrm,-in fact, ready dgc.seti-soon enters the
blool anl RAPIDLY ref!eshes The hungry man,
who after considerable fnst md much nctiv..
~. Blts down with q senge OF cxhauatton to com.
meuce his principal meal. In twn or three min.
,'tcs afser takine plate ot good. warm con-
somme. the fcutIn!. Of exhaustion disappears, and
'rrftahtlity gives way to The gradually ristng
scnso Of Cnolfetlowship with tho circle. Somd
pcrsons have the custnfn Of alfaying exhaustion
with E!ass OF shorty hofoso foot, d,-a gastronou+
tc no less than physiological blunder, tnuring
the stumact, and depravtng the palate. The soup
Introduces Mt once Into the system q small In
stRllH1cnf Of ready -dtEestcd 1n0d, Anu saves the
short period Of time which mtst be spent By the
stofnacll n deriving SONG portion Of nutrincnt
from solid aIImeut. as we'll as Indirectly strcnrtl-
cnl,g The osgnn OF Itself for ltH forthcoming du-
ties. Few will be found to tltepute tho second !
plnce IN order to ash, although this arrange
mcnt ts In some quarters an opc'l question. lts
discussion, however, c1st scarcely he regarded IS
within the limit Of cur Bpnce The third sllsh
slluu!d consist OF tho chief meat, tho JOINT, IT
desired; II not, ono OF tho smaller dishes OF
meat. such rs fricadcau, outlets, tilet, OF
ssesthroatl. before spoken Of. we'll Earntshed,
will bc appropriate mud to 1nanr preferable.
Next The wcl.ropstcd b!rd.-ofgame or poultry,
--nccompanicd or followed br salad, aud a dish ;
Of choice vegetables. Then ono LIGHT slmnln
swect, for those rlIo take IT, and q slight
savorT biscuit or morsel OF cheese completes tl,e
rcpast. Such n meal contains within its limits
nil that can bc desired for daily enjoyment and
,,se. II we'll und lbcrzlly served II is complete
tn every sense Of the word. Dessert aud its ex-
tent Is matter Of individual taste; OF wines,
coffee. anu liquors shall speak hrrentter.
Of course, 1t must be understood HAT willis
the dinner for nix or eight persona Is designed al
an harmonious wholc OF few, wcll-choacn d[sllos,
all of which ara intended 10 nc cntcn In tlctf
ortlcr. the menu oi the lnrEcr party must offer
various d!s!ses for choice t0 meet the dtfcrlnt,
tastes Of more numerous guests. and Il n,ltst,
hr met. First, thu aoups. It Ia the custom to
offer couso'nmu, which ought to be perfect In
clcasness, coloF, md snypr. to bo served per-
treaedoubtess hc 5est eon,mc';ecment Ts s rs
it Is the kcy.aotc Ut the dinner. revealing nsD.
rs IL does nine times out Of tct,, tic caIlbre OF
tho cool! to whose talent tho E'lcst IS tntEastcd.
But there IL mostly m alternative Of '.white
right, containing, as 1t generally
does, consider4ble proportioa Of
nusi yariety 10 foIios oxcaIteSt SOME soneties tu as
ono Ut three or four dishes, but dangerous other
wise to tlc guest VINO has not mn exceptionally
powerful digestion. But. suppose oystcrs, vine.
gar. n,Hi ci'ah'is hayc just been swallowed.
brown purcc, III Of gatne, or ono OF green vcE-
ctahtes, less frequently met with, would he far
safer. Two fish, OF course, should aiways be
served: Us, for EXAMPLE, slice Of Soyern OF
Chrt.tchnrrh salmon, just arrived from tho wa
for the sako Of its snticc and Earnts1l, which
plouh be. therefore, perfect. The next dish 10,
IN London, a question under discussion, viz: thu
question OF precedence to an entrce, or to tho
piece do resistance. Tho custom mas becn to
postpone tic nppeaEance OF tue lntter until
lighter dishes have been dispatched OF declined.
II, however, tlm Englsl, Joint is required at y
mchl already comprehensive ia the matter OF
ffin AIT IdfxI hCt1f ufJ1Nh
reasonable to servc It next to tho tlah, when
those who dcmAnd e!ics Of lnent muy bo cr-
peetcl to have an appropriate. appetite, which
will certainly be- impaired c9nally by accepting
Attcr the joint two light entrees may follow,
md these must necessarily bc either In them
selves peculiarly tcnlpting morscts or protl-
ucts OF culinary skil', Offering inluce-
t!te whlet. Ia no longer kcen. Then the
best roast possible IN seasou, and salad 0rst
ratio vegetable, two ehofcu sweets, ono OF which
may ba Iced. light, aayorY biscuit or n morscl
clrod in QUO Or two places Mt most IN town, VIII
complete The dinner. Fur dessert, tho finest
fruits n season To grace tho tAblo And for HIGHT
amusement after; Or simply nuts in variety. uud
bc, nnl l!ttlo more than Tho latter IL really
wanted; Only for decorative purposes fruit
ettuls flowers. But It lnay DO admitted that
tho diminished nnn'ber OF sweet ontrcmen1s
6kFEuE IlEtla kAG tlNA 4DE u 6Hpp1f u AGtttVl3
fruits, rendering the dessert useful and uErcea-
be, as moll as Ornamental.
The sn,all ttfnner-party should be seated Ut y
round ur oval table, large enough for puEsonal,
comfort, small enough tn admit ut conversation
In any direction Wltluut effort. The tabln should
OF coursu be furnished with taste, but Is not to
he tncunbered With ornaments tlorut or other. i
capahc Of obstrucs'ng sight anu sound. A per- !
feet co.,somu,e, u choice Ut twu f:h. tl!ot or q
cl,ateaubr!iuld, gtgot or frlcasicau; folowod'1
BY u cAa,lu!roiu, crcmc t!p volatile Garnt, ~
rna.t md sntal, rhoitu vegetable, anu Ill !crd I
sc,ltllo or charlotte; uAtl tn summer lnaccdotne
OF fresh fruits IN all old calsa family bowl. II!
there tB oup; and, Justly, d aavory biscuit, ac-
cou1punysns vegetables and appropriate wlnus,
tay bo regarded as furnialIlnE Bcl,cno for
such party, Or tllen1u Ut Wl,tch tho variations
aro onatpss. Scycn Or eight guests can thus ba ,
brought Into close coltuct; with u largo number
the party Is apt 10 foral two coterius, onu Oil
each slio III tha llost, Tho number Is n good :
otiu nisu iu relation to tho conntssnrlat 1eparr-
meut,-elgl. persons hoing well supplied by an
vIltreo III 0uc dish; willis two arv necessary for
tutI or twelve. Moreover, one bottle OF vino
divides wcI u hight: II. therefore, tho host de-
sire 10 glyp with the Eoast one Elass OF parttcu-
larly line rlpa Corton ur P0mard, u single bottle
IL equal to the supply; md 50 With any other
cl,n.tc spectrncn Of which single circulation Is
IL. tt,.x ali