The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-13


from the green grocer's ana UNBEATABLE, in
| London?
IL they could have leg of mutton, an
| apple pudding and glass of sherry, they
would do well, but they must shine, they
must outdo their neighbors."
| And that is the first mistake; people with
sS'4O year should not try to emulate
dnose who have $4,000 year. And
Ihackeray says again: But there is no
harm done, not as regards the dinner CIV
efs, though the dinner eaters may have TO
sufier. IL only shows that the former are
hospitality inclined and wish to do the
very best In their power. If they do badly
now can they help it? They know no
The first thing at which young house.
keeper must aim is to live WE'LL every day
her tabiecloth must be fresh, her glass
ana silver clean, a few flowers must be on
her table to make it dainty. few dishes
well cooked, such table as will be healthy
LOT her children and acceptable to her hus-
Dand, and then she has but to add ''lit-
Tie more" and it is hit for any guest, and
any guest will be glad to join such din
ner party. But here | am met by the
most unanswerable argument, that the
simplest dinner is the most difficult to
produce. Who knows how 10 cook beef
steak, TO roast a leg of mutton so that its
natural juices are retained, to roast it so
that "the blood shall follow the knife" to
mash potatoes and brown them, to make
a perfect rice pudding, that cook is said
deserve that Gordon blue which Vatal
Ude and Bechamel carved"
The young housekeeper of today. with
very modest means, has, however, now to
meet condition of prosperity which even
twenty five years ago was unknown. All
extremes of luxury and every element of
proiusion is now fashionable and, one NAV
say, expected. But agreeable young peo-
pie will be entertained by the man who is
worth $4,000 day and they will wish to
return the civility. Herein lies the diff
culties in the "art of entertaining" but
let them remember that there is one SIM
pie dinner which covers the whole ground
which the poor gentleman NAV aspire to
give, and to which he might invite a
prince. The essentials of comfortable
dinner are but few. The beauty of a Gre
clan vase without ornament is perfect,
You may add cameo and intaglio, vine,
acanthus leaf, satyrs and fauns, handles of
rams horns and circlets of gems to your
vase If you wish, and are rich enough, but
unless the outline is perfect, the splendor
and the arabesque but render the vase vul-
gar. SO with the simple dinner: il is the
Grecian vase unadorned.
And remember that rich people, stiaed
with luxury at home, like to be asked to
these dinners. A lady in England very
N.
said she INTENDED to devote herself to the
amelioration of the condition of the upper
classes, as she thought them the most
bored and altogether the least attended to
of any people" and we have heard of the
rich man in New York who complained
that he was not any longer asked to the
little dinners" There is too much
worship and fear of money in our
country. In England and on the Cont
nent there is no shame IN acknowledging
i cannot afford it" have been
asked to a luncheon in England where a
cold joint of mutton, few potatoes and a
plate III peaches constituted the whole re-
past, and | have heard more delightful
conversation and have met more agreeable
people than at much more expensive
feasts? Who in America would dare to
give such lunch? The simple dinner
might be characterized thus, giving the
essentials as soup. fish, roast, one
entree. salad, an ice and fruit-simply
the fruit-in season, cup of coffee after
wards, with a glass of sherry, claret or
champagne, good enough for anybody;
such dinner is possible to the person 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 hagons of ruby
glass, bound in gold with Benvenuto Gel
may be gradual. In the one the table,
cloth is of spotless damask, in the other it
may be of duchesse lace over red, with vel
vet 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, fan, ribbon painted
with her name, basket or bonbonniere
to take home with her. The courses
are often sixteen in number. the wines
are of fabulous value, and antiquity
Each drop is like the River Pac-
tolus, 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, arti-
chokes from Marseilles, oranges and straw
berries from Florida, game from Arizona
and Chesapeake bay, mutton and pleas
ants from Scotland, luxury from every
where The primal condition of this
banquet is that everything should be I'M
usual. 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
picture no doubt. But it need not appal
the young hostess who desires to return
the clVlllty.
y vase OF MOWERS OF II DdshcL Ol STcWliS
plants can replace the epergnes. Some
dinner cards etched by herself with a
Shakespeare quotation showing personal
thought of each guest chow compliment
tary). Her 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, per-
haps desert over which she has fingered,
a bit of cheese, a cup of coffee, smiling
host and a composed hostess, congenial
company, wit withal. who shall say that
the little dinner is not as amusing as the
big dinner? To be composed; yes, that is
the first thing to be remembered on the
part of young hostess. She may be es-
sentially nervous and anxious, particu-
larlv if she is Just beginning TO entertain,
but here she must resolutely put on
mask of composure and assume virtue
if she have it not" Nothing is
of much importance excepting her
own demeanor. 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 a din
ner. The author of Cecil" tells his niece
that if 'stewed puppy dog is brought to
the table she must not notice 1t. Few
hostesses are subjected to so severe an
ordeal as this, but the remark contains
goodly hint.
As. however, 1T is a great intellectual feat
to achieve Il perfect little dinner with a
small household and small means, perhaps
that form of entertaining may be post
pOned a few years. Never attempt any
thing which cannot be well done. There
~. al ~lnF VFNF