The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-15
A SCARLET DINNER.
Pretty Effects by a Combination
of Shades of Red.

EkT is great mistake to attempt too much
Ia in serving dinner. Those banquets
AZ that give the most pleasure are not the
ones with long waits between dishes, and
with so much variety that the palate becomes
satiated before the meal is half through.
The true epicure prefers his half a dozen
oysters, or his bit of melon; then a dish of
hot. strong, highly seasoned soup; then
two or three entrees OF entirely different
characteristics; rare but not raw roast;
dainty salad, and dessert of one dish.
5 sometimes baked fish may take the place
OF tile roast. Many do not serve roast at
all if they have fish served. They follow
that by two or three entrees and consider it
sufficient.
A dinner comprising more than eight COW
ers is an awkward affair. For pure njoyment
nothing can exceed the pleasure to be de-
rived from inviting your well-selected eight
PEOPLE often enough so that they will be-
come thoroughly at home with one another.
If you have one friend who is a good and
internIinable talker be sure and have him
on hand at every dinner. 1t will relieve
you of a wonderful burden OF responsible
ity. If you are fortunate enough to have a
highly polished square mahogany table l
can think OF no better motif for the deco
ratiOns and service than the richly varying
scarlets and sharp outlines Of carnation
pinks. There is a Royal Worcester ware,
known as 'Old IVORY" that comes in plain
shapes, satiu-surfaced and with tiny
thread of gold outlining the edge. 1t has
a most elegant and aristocratic eff CT. True
the plates are $50 dozen, the soup-tureen
is SIS and the covered dishes range from
IS 80 upward but if one collects piece
meal he will in time have as rich service
as it is possible to have, one that neither
time nor fashion can relegate to the past.
At each of the two corners diagonally
opposite to each other place a tall narrow
necked twisted flagon of Royal Worcester
or any creamy porcelain. In these put q
dozen scarlet plnks, cut with long stems,
plenty Of spiky blush leaves and soft gray
buds. Then take long piece OF Chinese
crepe of the shade known as Sultan" it is
a red that is most common in pinks neither
scarlet nor crimson, but partaking of both.
Lay this III loose serpentlne folds across the
table from flagon TO tlagon. Take whole
piece of No. II satin ribbon known as 124,
gather into loose punches eight bouquets Of
Dinks, four in the shade of the crepe and
four in the shade of the ribbon. Tie these
at intervals of TWO yards along the ribbon,
without cutting 1t, however; then lay tile
punches irregularly along the serpentines
Of the crepe, masslug the ribbon between
with careless grace.
Do not use fairy lamps for dinner of
this kind. They do not give enough light
to do any real good. Two tall piano lamps
in two corners OF the room, bank of fifty
scarlet candles OH tile buffet, another bank
of at least fifty on the mantel-shelf, If you
have one. These will give you light enough
if your diIing-room is not large. If, how
ever, the room is large, then more lamps
must be brought into requisltlon, or gas
Jets employed with soft pink shades made
Of surah silk laid over common white
globes.
On the buffet a Royal Worcester punch
bowl may be filled to heaping with the two
tones of red carnations used on the table,
and similar grouping placed on the
man tel-shelf. The beautiful effects OF these
flowers is greatly enhanced by the liberal
use Of the long, spiky leaves and grayish-
blue buds.
The soup should be bluish-green ST.
Germaine or PURGE Of sorrel.
The salad for such dinner should be
made of lobster, served with mayonnaise
dressing and garnished with the scarlet
claws of the lobster.
The fish should be salmon, served with q
sauce tartare or la HOllandaise.
CroQuettes or rissoles, cranberry Jelly,
chickens or squads fricaSseed with white
sauce and garnished with few deep-tinted
pinks; brains with tomato sauce, broiled
mushrooms with white sauce; macaTOni
au gratin, stuffed olives, white asparagus,
summer squash, stewed celery, green corn
any OF these dishes are available.
A lady who has dined at many great
tables made the remark recently that at one
Cincinnati table at which she was guest
fourteen knives and forks were spread at
each cover on the polished mahogany, to
avoid the confusion of frequent change.
How ridiculous to be greeted with such a
spread when one sinks into his chair and
begins to hunt for his soup-spoon! Quiet
servants will never be dsagreeably noisy;
and l think almost every one will admit
that the fewer implements there are on the
table the better is the general effect. Even
the menu card is dispensed with nova
days, and only the name card and bouton-
Mere are left.
At recent dinner given at a house noted
for its lavish and exquisite entertainments,
carnatiOn pinks were employed, but they
were SO mingled with yellOwish green oats
and ribbon grasses that half their charm
was lost Ii people would only learn TO use
one kind of flower at time it would be q
great stride in the right direction.
If carnations are not available any of the
following flowers may be used with the ap-
propriate crepes and ribbons:
PomegranateS with crepe and ribbon in
two shades Of scarlet, cardinal bouvardias,
scarlet cactus or cardinal aZaieas. Red is
such trying color that it is better to
avoid using il at all, unless one can get at
the scarlets and yellowish reds.
Jacqueminots and all blush reds pro-
duce most unpleasant decorative effect in
the gaslight EMELIE TRACY Y. SWEET.