The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-19
An AMERICAN DINNER.
The Formula Into Which 1t Resolves
Itself When Put Before
Guests.
Dishes In Which We Excel, Equal
or Fall Below Other
Hostesses.
Form OF Invitation Employed Sancttty OF
a Dinner Engagement-The Table
and the Service.
Written for THE SUNDAY 1N%pEpEspESr.l

ssHA ~ - 1850
Written for THE SUNDAY INDEPENpENT.l
~N AMERICAN DINNER RESOLVES
vi itself into the following formula:
/al The oyster IL offered first. The
~ American oyster in all his salt
zen freshness-raw. on the half-shell,
d perpetual stimulant to appetite, a
slice OF lemon, a bit of salt and
pepper, his own luscious juices, his perfect
flavor-what can equal an American raw
oyster? The jaded palate, worn with much
abuse, revives and stands, like Oliver. ask
ing for more.
The soup follows. To this great subject
We might devote a chapter. What visions
of white and brown, clear and thick fresh
beef stock or the maritime delicacies OF
cray fish and praun rise before us, every
color from pink, cream, to all tho shades
deep down to the heavy Venetian red OF the
mulligatawny OF, the deep smoke tints OF
knock turtle and terrapin--the subject
grows too large for mere mention; we
should give a chapter to soup.
Fish-here again the ocean even is made
uuate to hold them all. Have we not trout,
salmon, the great fellows from tho great
lakes; have we not the exclusive ownership
OF the Spanish mackerel? Have we not the
fee-simple of terrapin and the exclusive OK
~cellence of shad? This subject again re-
auires a volume.
The roast! All! here we once bowed to
our great mother, England. and thought
her roast beef better than ours. There are
others who think that we have caught up
on the roasts.
Our mutton docs not equal always the
English %Southdowns, but we are even I'M
proving in the black-nosed woody brethren
Who conceal such delicious juices under
heir WARM coats.
A roast saddle of nation with currant
elly-but let us not linger over this thrill
no theme! Our venison is the best in the
world.
As for turkeys-we discovered them-and
/ is fair to say that, after looking the
world over, there is no better bird than a
Rhode Island turkey, particularly II it is
sent to you rs a present from a friend.
lang him a week with a truffle in him, stuff
Tim with q chestnut sauce. h
But we anticipate. We dream.
AS for chickens-there France has us at a
disadvantage. There seems to be a secret
be fowl feeding, or rearing, in France
which we have not mastered. Still we can
ret good chickens in America, and noble
apons, but they are very expensive.
h entrees-here we must 90 again to
hose early missionaries to a savage shore,
he Dslmonicos. They were the high priests
Il the entree.
hese delicate expressions IN FOOD OF the
Ert Of dress-deserve a separate chapter.
And now the sorbet cools our throats and
ends us up to the game.
The American desserts are particularly
ich and profuse. Our pies have been
aughed at, but they also are eft" to eat,
specially mince pie, which is frat cousin to
n English plum pudding.
Our puddings are like our western scenery,
Eeavy but magnificent. Our ices have
cached, under our foreign imported artists,
he greatest perfection. Our fruit ID album
ant and highly favored.
We have not yet perhaps known how to
raw the line as to desserts. The great
too much" prevails.
Do we not make our dinners too long and
90 heavy2 How great an artist would he
10 who should SO graduate a dinner that
here would be M tomorrow in it!
The first duty of a guest who is asked to
ne of these dinners is to be punctual. Who
fishes to sit next Mr.. Many Courses when
70 has been kept waiting for his dinner?
Imagine the feelings of an amiable host
md hostess, who after having taken the
rouble Of getting up ar excellent dinner,
bel that it ia being spoiled by the hardness
+ one guest! They are n%ervously Watching
Ir. Many Courses, for hungry animals
re frequently snappish, and sometimes
angerous.
The hostess who knows how to invite her
uests and to seat them afterwards, is a
over in the state. She helps to refine,
Aevate and purify our great American con-
lomerate. But if sine says to herself: II
ill place those people near each other who
BE sympathetic" che will govern her fes-
We board with the intelligence of Eliz-
eth and the generosity of Queen Mar
harita.
And she must avoid too many highly
tented flowers. People are sometimes
cary of the rapture of, roses" Horace
hys: "Avoid at an agreeable entertain
tent discordant music and muddy per-
hme and peoples, mixed with SardineaD
oney; they give offense."
Which ID only another way of saying That
bme music may be too heavy, and the Ier-
lme of flowers too strong.
The number of guests invited is another
Dry important item. OF course this de-
ends on the size of the dining room and
10 wealth of the giver. Ten is a good
ked. One good waiter, at most two, get
easily. Twenty-four people often sit
own at d modern dinner table and are well
rived by a butler md two mon, although
bme luxurious Dime givers have q man
bhind each chair. That. however. in this
buntry, seems to SAVIOR of ostentation.
A lady usually issues invitations for a
nner party Il fortnight in advance, and it
well to have a printed formula.
MIR. AND MRS. HAMILTON
requests tho pleasure of IA
r. and Mrs. ~~ company at dinner on
hursday, ------ at seven o clock. (Ihe u.s.
Il hour for dinner parties in America, J
A gentleman is never asked without his
ife, or a wife without her husband, unless
eat intimacy exists, or unless the unex-
scted absence of one guest, from mourn
q or other cause, renders 1t necessary
u the place to be filled.
A great respect for the s~ancity of a din
pr engagement should be inculcnted. 1t is
AIRED that abr oud our nationalsins include
is heavy charge-that we do not keep our
inner engagements.
The service is a la Russe-that is, every
ing Is handed by the servants. Nothing
seen on the table but the ornaments, the
lver, the glass, the china and the candles
it'll their variously tinted shades and the
pwerr-which in America are ~profuse.
A