Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-26
A FIRST-CLASS FAMILY DINNER.
What should He on the Table when the
Servant Announces the Meal Ready.

In answer to the inquiry OF lady as 10 what
should be on the cloth when the bell rings for a
f1rst-class family dinner, the Philadelphia Ledqe7.
says, prefaclng that the bell should not ring but
the servant announce dinner ready: on the table
should be the soup tureen, II it is family dinner
II state dinner, the soup is brought in when the
guests are seated. AT each place should be plate
soup-spoon, square block OF bread or roll mo,
slice OF bread), napkin, lumber or goblet, and
as many knives and forks as you intend to have
courses. neutrality-suspicious. have decorative
flower pot or tray or fruit dish--whateyer you
choose 10 put on the tables the little pickle dishes,
or olives or sailed almonds or any such thing that
people like to nibble at, II you have them at all
are " Set with the table. Any dried fruits, bon
bons or small cakes also set at first upon the
table, as the idea Is not 10 cover II with heavy
dishes; the plate at each place Is not a soup plate
but dinner plate that may be either removed or
leit on Ior the next course. IL fish follows soup,
people like To have contrasting plates for IL to that
OF the soup service Note that at every course the
servant removes the plates from the individual be-
FORE taking The turern or fish, meat or game dish
from which the course was served. with the fish
have either one vegetable handed, usually pota-
toes In some form, or sauce In a sauce-bOat, Gu
cumberS shrimps, or anything you choose. II
you have an entree IL comes next, being handed
and net set upon the table at all. 1.-THE fisD may
DC cut up at the table, or handed in its dish
already cut, or served In portions on each plate
brought In, as you choose.l Then comes the joint,
more growing the custom, even at family dinners
10 have the vegetables served from side table
that is, handed in their Dishes and not placed on
the table at all. II makes less lifting over the
heads OF people at the table, II they handed at
all, 10 have them brought from the side table: OF
course the servant Is watchrul TO see il anyone
needs second help. We will suppose there Is
nothing, more TO come, at a family dinner next
but the dessert. Although after the joint, at a
formal dinner comes whatever you choose TO have
In the way or game, terrapins a salad. ham, a
cheese course with crackers, or cheese straws
The dessert viii be pudding Of some kind hot
cake with sauce over II. or Ice creams or fr1ltt
tart, an Omelette souflle with preserveS-apytLinU
YOU choose. Most desserts, including ice cream
are eaten with fork, but you have 10 take spoon
Tor Jellie and all OF those forks already on the
table. il you have apOllnariS eve are slppoSinp
dinner without wine) the slender, elegant little
IL saves some trouble TO have the water on the
table in carafe or Two; glass water bottles with
out shoppers, that are are easily pushed about
over the cloth, and from which each person can
repenish MS glass. After the pudding the finper-
glasses, each on It's fruit plate, with It's tlny
doyley under II, are put on. II is said that the
nnger-glasS is TO 'go out, but there seem TO be no
symptoms OF II at present. The table Is not
usaally brushed OF Its crumbs until Just before
with the crumb knife or nOisily brushed. An
attentive servant Will whsk 1t clean with
napkin. holding plate instead or the customary
ugly tray. The hors dGurres, as all the little
pickle plates, sailed almond or olive pl ties ieily
plates, &c., all come OF at this time except the
almonds and olives. You can have as many salt
cellars as you Ike but not "indiyiduals;" they
are most useful at hotels. A salt-cear for every
Two or three persons Is convenient enough and
HOTt eitRant Inc cOuee comes In last or all. and
you can have it brought on in cups with the
sugar bowl, handed, or else pour 1t at the table.
II you have particularly pretty service OF old
silver or china You will wish TO do this OF course
IL Is 10 be noticed that the way TO make dinner
elegant Is the absence OF hurry or confusion, the
plentiful changes of plates-hot Pidtes-and the
proper succession OF dishes
We have such temptation to put avalanches OF
vegetables on the table, In our American abund-
ance OF Them that few persons realize what AN ee-
CANT effect Is given by serving an asparagus
course, for instance, by ITSELF or sphaghctti mae
caroni and tomatoes) by itself; you can put this
next the soup, II you choose TO omit fish, or YOU
can have oysters In any form except raw, stew or
roast, 10 follow the soup, AS an entree Carrots
and peas are a pretty DISH served together as a
ntdeedotne, with drawn butter, and handed with
chopS. III you serve up either OF these or a beer
steak properly 1t will answer Tor a Joint. A wise
housekeeper gets rid OF the everlasting samenes,
by varying the Vegetables from day to day. When
you have potato salad. for instance toward the
end OF the meal, have rice crOquettes or boiled
rice with curry, to take the customary pOt arO
place. or hominy. or canned corn, or plain boiled
maccaroni, or the last gratin Drowned in a
dish, with cheese and bread crumbs. or roll the
boliedpotatoes In salt, and brown them Vary the
color and the looks OF things. You need not have
anything but soup, and joint, a vegetable and
dessert, you like: and your dinner Will be elegant
IA M rms houf