New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-11
A CHRISTMAS DINNER.
HOW TO SAVE TINE AND TROUBLE IN PRE-
PARATION.

In all household work order and system count FOR
at least onchalf. and in many cases for much more
II the work Is Systematically thought ont and arranged
so that each step OF the work follows naturally upon
the preceding one. it requires half the labor 10
complsh II, than II IS done by haphazard method.
This Is especially true OF dinner service. The ac-
complshed butler. who works by rigid rules. serves
his dinner so noiscessly. so quietly. apparently
without effort that it seems but the simplest task
How different from the pcmel efforts Of the IN
trained waitress. who never delivers anything In per.
fecon who forge's the spoons, in her hurry spills
the soup or falls into equally cupablc blunder
No household long enjoy domestic peace and com
fort without some rigid rules.
When there IS n large dinner like n Christmas
dinner 10 serve II Is well 10 schedule out the work.
Law out the time for cooking and serving everything.
so that no more dishes may be ordered than can be
cooked within the limits Of the stove. II Is impossible
TO roast turkey game chicken. pies and sweet pastries
in the limits OF one ordinary oven ana nave them come
on the table In perfection.
Where all these included In the bill Of fare. and
,here Is only one oven tho pies must he made the
before md those that 20 be served hot must be
warmed np lust before they arc served. Where n
Christmas dinner calls for FISH, soup turkey and game
with sauces vegetables and desserts. tie greater part
OF the work Of preparation must be done the day
before This Is especially true where there is only
one or rwo servants. The soup can almost always
Ia made the day bcfoc. though II IL l. n soup
the cream or milk should not be added 10 the stock
iii II is finally prepared for the table. All earnshcs
OF forcencat balls croutOns OF Drowned bread, fancy
htters balls OF paste and fried vegetables which
served whole In the soup must be put In fresh, Just
before the soup Is put on the table
Fish must he a freshly served possible. and
nothing can be done toward cooking II Ill the day II
is served The turkey. the grande piece de resistance
OF the Christmas table. should be- drawn ~ soon rs
Il comes 20 the house. but the dressing should be pro
pared the morning II IS roasted ard II should come 10
the table directly from the roasting oven. Tie
chicken for the chicken pic should be boiled the day
before and all the making II should be got ready
II Is better 10 roll out the pastry and line The dish
and make the pie from the cooked meat on the morn
ing Of the dinner II may be cooked before ho turkey
Is put in and may be kept warm in the heater closet
and heated up again. after the turkey Is served In
time for IL 10 come on the table IN IS course
Where game Of small birds IS served. II may be
usually cooked In the oven after the TURKEY Is taken
up. as II requires but short time. An OIL or gas
IL valuable for this purpose. as the exact heat
necessary for cooking the game may be had In very
short time while II Is not always possible to bring
n stove In which "A turkey and hi ken pie have
been cooked up 10 the proper pitch "i'hDut "hi.nS
"A considerable lime. II YOU hay" not such an ndai
tiOnnl oven. therefore, and your stove Is SLOW III
coming up Il Is better - serve the zane biO'd or
brazcd. In some way whereby IT may lie COOKED
on top OF the store
II mnyonnaise dressing is used br The salad. IL
NAV be prepared the day before and kept on the lee
The vegetables should b" scIap"d. peeled ana put III
pudding. which plays 50 Important part on the iaDls
Of the day. II II Is to be properly mad" IS b died
10 attain It's fun npcness. on he morning y christ
mas is simply plunged In boiling water and left 10
that all the pans necessary 10 cook The dinner. ana
all the dishes. napery. etc. necessary 10 serve IL On
the table are In perfect order the day b,f ana
here need be no reason for any hurry, turmoil Or
failure at the fenst.