The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-03-13

The simple dinner might be character
lied thus, giving the essent ials as soup, a
hsh, roast one entree, a salad, an ice and
frult-slmply the fruit-in season, a cup of
coffee afterwards, with glass of sherry,
claret or champagne, good enough for any
body; such dinner is possible to the per-
son OF moderate means.
From this up to the splendid millionaire
dinners, served on gold, and silver, and
priceless Sevres Dresden. Japanese and
Chinese porcelain, with fagoIs of ruby
glass, bound in gold with Benvenuto Gel
lini vases, and silver candelabra, the ascent
may be gradual. In the one, the tablecloth
! is of spotless damask, in thefother it may
be OF duchesse lace over red, with velvet
mat under the silver epergne. The very
mats are mirrors, the crystal drops of the
epergne flash like diamonds 1t
may be served in picture
gallery Each lady has a bouquet,
far a ribbon painted with her name,
basket, or bolbonniere to take home with
| her. The courses are often sixteen in num-
Der, theswines are of fabulous value, arti-
guilty and age. Each drop is like the river
Pactobus, whose sands were of gold. The
viands may range from Algiers to ST.
Petersburg, Strawberries and peaches in
January, the roses of June in February.
| Fruit from the Pacific, from the gulf, anti
chokes from Marseilles, oranges and straw
berries from Florida, game from Arizona
and Chesapeake bay, NUT on and pheasants
| from Scotland, luxury from everywhere.
| The primal condition of this banquet is
that everything should be unusual.
But remember that, after all, it is only
the Grecian vase heavily ornamented. No
one person can taste half the dishes. 1t
takes long time, and the room may be too
! hot
THE LIMITATIONS OF A DINNER
should be considered. 1t is a splendid pic
| ture, no doubt But it need not appal the
! young hostess, who desires to return the
civllity.
A vase of flowers or basket of growing
plants can replace the epergnes. Some
dinner cards etched by herself, with a
Shakespeare quotation showing personal
thought of each guest (how compliment
tary). Rer spotless glass and silver, her
good soup. her fresh fish, the haunch of
venison roasted before wood fire, the
salad mixed by her own fair hands, perhaps
a dessert over which she has fingered, bit
of cheese, cup of coffee, smiling host
and a composed hostess, congenial COM
pany, wit withal, who shall say that the lit
tie dinner is not as amusing as the big din
ner? To be composed; yes, that is the first
thing to be remem bered on the part of a
young hostess. She may be essentially
nervous and anxious, particularly if she is
just beginning to entertain, but here she
must resolutely put on mask OF c0mpos-
ure and assume virtue il she have it
not" Nothing is OF so much Importance
excepting her own demeanor A fussy
hostess who scolds the servants, wrinkles
her brow, or even forgets TO listen to the
man who is talking to her is the ruin of q
dinner. The author of "Cecil' tells his
niece shat if 'stewed puppy dog is brought
to the table she must not notice it," Few
hostesses are subjected to so severe an Or
deal as this. but the remark contains q
goodly hint
As, however, it is a great intellectual
feat to achieve perfect little dinner with
small household and small means, perhaps
that form of entertainment may be post
poned few years. Never attempt any.
thing which cannot be well dene. There is
the afternoon tea, the musical evening, the
reception, the luncheon. they are ali easier
to give than the dinner. The young hos
tess, ambitious to excel in the "art of enter