St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-14
SIMPLE DINNER PARTY.
How to Entert ain " ell on small
BaSis.

In a family where a retinue of we'll /
trained servants Is kept the giving of a
dinner is but part Of the ordinary
regime, and it passes into memory
without single harassing thought on
the part of the hostess. but where two 1
mediocre assistants are all that can be
called upon In case of social enler- 4
gency, the atmosphere of the whole
thing is changed and the giving of a
dinner under such circumstances means
infinite work and fDrethOught for Abe
hOusekeeper who wishes to have every
thing pass off successfully. 4
Not only must She give up gOodly
portion of the day on which she dines
her friends, but for at least a week
previous to the selected date she must
spend several hours in securing just
what she knows to be right and certain
to tend toward the enjoyment Of those
who are to share her hospitality. 1t be-
ing little dinner. three courses, or at
the most four, will he all that ought to
be attempted. 1t can readily be seen,
therefore, that whatever is to form the
principal dish at this simple feast must
be above reproach. If only beef is TO
be the piece de resistance, that beef
must be the choicest cut and tenderest
fiber. To secure this my lady must be
beforehand with her order. and likewise
Superlntend its cooking i'll person. At
o large dinner single course may 20
amiss without running the ensemble.
but at a small one each course must be
perfect or the result is fatal.
Having ranSacksd the markets for the
acme OF excellence in the way of meats,
vegetables and butter the woman OF
small means must 20 into the kitchen
and see that Bridget does not ruin the
choicest plates by too much or too little
cooking. The dining room is the hos
tess care as well, and it is there that
her individuality will be more marked
and her good management more neces-
sary than in the making of croquettes,
pateS and custardS. delightful though
they may be.
To her falls the duty of planning
what dishes will be used for each
course, and to give definite directions
about when TO remove the forks and at
what time the small silver snail be
washed, the cloth crumbed and the
cheese served. She must arrange the
decorations and see that the silver,
linen and glass are absolutely flawleSs.
| If her maid in waiting is not -oyerbrili-
liant her task is doubly hard. for then
| she must set out in the kitchen each
Individual change with a written re-
| minder as to when such a course is to be
| served, SO that even the most stupid
domestic cannot appear with the ice
| cream intended for desert in place of
| the sorbet.
If oysters are to be served first they
| should be OH the table when the guests
enter, each oyster plate standing IN
another plate. Ii soup is to be the first
| course. an empty plate should be at
| each place and the soup served as SoCn
as the guests are seated. After the first
| course the waitress removes the oyster
| plates and substitutes the filled soup
| plates, leaving the original plate where
II was at the beginning. After the soup.
this plate is taken away with the soup
plate. and is Immediately repiaceddby
one for the fish OF entree. This chang.
ing OF an unused plate may seem a bit
of unnecessary and foolish style, but as
it is the custom in perfect serving, the
hostess who wishes to be regarded as
| ALL fait Will follow the line set by those
who ebtertain much, for it mems only
| just little extra Mlnute for the
| waitress, after all. { =
| Plates are not served from side table
or pantry, but the empty one is set be.
fore the guest and the servant passes
the various dishes, permitting those
seated Al the board to help themselves.
When fish is served sauce aud pota-
toes i'll some form always accompany it.
The meat dish is carved outside. Sorbet
COMES between the meat and the game
1t is served in individual cups or glasses.
Salad is served with game, and may he
eaten from the same plate or q smaller
one placed to the left Of the other. Two
| plates are better from all epicurean
standpoint, as the plate that is hot
enough for the proper serving of game
will OF necessity wilt the leaves of tie
salad. Biscuit and cheese form course
by themselves unless game is absent, in
which case they accompany the salad.
AT this time the table is cleared, leav
ing only glasses and carafes. The
crumbs are removed by folded nap,
kin or metal Scraper, and dessert il
served. Ices are served always in in.
dividual forms. after which fruit plate.
are brought in, and fruit and coffee
follow:
Six is an excellent number for such
all affair as hostess with two servants
feels competent to undertake. The
meal is announced by the white-cappel
waitress. Nc regular order Of entering
the dining room need to observed al
such all informal function. though il
frequently cbviates all embarrassment
by having the host lead with the woman
euest-oi-honor. being followed by the
other guests in couples. the hostess
coming last with the man she consider.
worthy this honorable attention. Menr
and place cards are quite ont of order a,
such dinner ana should be reserved
for more stately functions.
Pleasing effects in decoration sugges
themselves readily, and the we'll advised
entertainer will never strive to produce
over-showy effects. In these days OF
pretty and odd dishes almost any table
can be made to look well with the addi
ton of few carefully selected flower.
and silk-shaded lamps. Pink, yellow
and green and white are the most easily
managed cOlors at small functions
Avoid flowers with heavy scents anc
beware of cheap candles. Do not nil
the tones Of your decorations, but keeI
to one-colUr idea it you wish the beS
results. All roses. primroses or carna
tons are much better than a eombina.
ton of the three.
A word to the hostess just here. Keel
your eyes open to the wants of you
guests, but do not sit in Hurried ant
helpless agony that has paipably de.
pressing effect upon. those whom yor
are most anxious to please. do all tina
you can beforehand to achieve success.
for your entertainment. bnt do not tel
your worriment of mind follow you like
Il specter TO the table. Ii mistakes occul
pass them over lightly. for in the ma
Jority of cases the guests never realize
the contretemps unless the face OF the
hostess evidences her dismay. Cop
genial spirits. weli-cooked dinner aHl
hostess quite at ease will form a com,
bination that will win only warIpes
praise for the little dinner.
White Hair.
Speaking of white hair, CORRESPOND.
| IN 10