The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-26
ELEGANT CHRISTMAS DINNERS.
Roanoke's Fine Hotels Guido
Themselves
La Their Preparations for Christmas
Beautiful Menu Cards and Something
or Them to Please the Most Epi-
cureGn--Everybody Enjoys Good
Christmas Dinner and hut Few Suffer.

The people of Roanoke fcastel On the
tat OF the land yesterday. For several
days the housckccpcrs of the city have
been storing away good things, and. not
withstanaing tho high prices and COM
parative scarcity at tho market in CON
sequence Of the recent inclcmcnt
weather. the tables in tho dining halls
OF the many elegant mansions Of Roam
oke were laden VII M. IT., ,."..xuries enou,rb to
satisfy the most cpicurean.
The turkeys that were left from
Thanksgiving day maintained the sway
of that festive bird as the monarch of
the feast
If the rich enjoyed their luxurics the
less favored Ivy fortune had bountiful
supply of substantials, and few were the
people Ill Roanoke who did not cnioy
good Christmas dinners.
All the hotels made especial prepara.
tons, and treated their guests to a royal
least. y number Of names were on the
registers Of the different hotels of the
city with tho word ''city" written oppo-
site. or these not Il few were young
men whose wives have not prepared
many Christmas dinners, and who pre-
tcrred taking their better halves to the
excellent hostlcr;cs OF tho city to make
their first attempt at preparing for this
important occasion. Under the adverse
circumstances OF the past week tho
young husbands were doubtless willing.
There were not many travelling guests
ut the hotels, bat all OF them had full
tables.
Tho menu card of the Hotel Roanoke
was beautifully gotten tip. 1t consisted
OF two cards fastened with Z bow of silk
ribbon. The front was etched, bcarinr
the words, "A Merry Christmas to YOU
all" Among tho fine dishes were green
turtle Ia Rothscild, supreme OF Phila-
deluhia capon with mushrooms, vcnison
cntlcts Il Ia Ma1chlc with French peas
canvas back duck and English phcusan nj
In l,uphin.
Tho mcnu card Of the Continental
was fastcn with d pink and bluc silk
cord between two folds Of an elegant
bristol card. will, Il bcautifully-colorod
front. Among the elegant dishes were
mock turtle IL IL Anglaisc, canvas back
duck young goose, curried labbit,
spaghetti. cscolloped oysters Virginia
style. and lobster mayonaisc.
AS crnsby's Cafe there were n largo
number of diners, who enjoyed an cpl
curcan treat. Lewis, the chef, was king
at this well-known house yesterday, and
he did himself credit. The menus were
printed on handsomely cngrossed satecn
cards. fastered III the ends with old
gold and pink silk ribbons. Among the
other dclicaCies served were Lynnliavcn
Fay oysters wild turkey. canvas-bacl
duck. Boston style: tcrrapin stow,
fresh crab salad, crazy patties, family
style: roast wild goose, and saddle of
Southdown mutton, winding up with
English plum pudding.
The menu of the Ponce De Leon was
on y notched glt-edgcd. hand-cut card,
embossed with raised letters in gold
Across Il q top OF the front part of the
card was Merry Christmas" This
was ono of Che most elegant and costly
of the cards Some OF Ike fine plates
were Delaware shad, stcwcd terrapin.
California pear frittes. salmi of wild
goose, roast wild turkey, ragou of vcni-
son.
The Hotel Fclix had good dinner
that WAS enjoyed by Il large number of
guests.
Marshall's cafe had Il large number of
diners and furnished an elegant dinner.
The following were some of tho deli
cacies on the menu: Young turkey
stuffed with chestnutS and rabbit, coun-
try style.