The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-08-21

IL Invited to n Smart Dinner, Dine Before
You Go-How Dinners and Banquets Of
Fabulous Cost Are Got Up and Served by
Caterers.
An American author and musician
told a queer little story the other day
that ran like this:
"Went to the opera; sat in a box
with two ladies and three men; social
leaders; very swell; felt out of place;
heard nothing but talk and chatter;
missed all the singing and music; after
the opera, supper at the Waldorf; ex-
pected that, of course; went prepared
very hungry; all the dainties of the sea-
son ON the table, but nobody ate; wine
in abundance, all drinking; more talk
and gossip; wouldn't eat alone, so
starved; not polite to eat nowadays,
I'm told; proper to mince along, taste
morsel and talk; don't like it; no
more fashionable suppers for mep'
Another man, an habitual diner out,
remarked:
81 invariably eat my dinner at home
before going ont to dine Nobody thinks
of eating at public dinner nowadays.
1t is the height of i'll breedingl At pri-
vate dinners with ladies he who eats
is voted bore. He must sip and taste
and talk; that's all that is expected of
him. If didn't eat at home I'd starve
to death.
Perhaps something in recent years
has altered the belief that the nearest
way to a mans heart is down his throat.
Hosts used to feed their guests to put
them in good humor, to make their Wis.,
its agreeable. Everybody at the table
ate and drank and all went merrily.
Better dinners than those provided
today the world never saw, but they are
not eaten. New York dinners are supe-
rior in many respects to those Of any
other city in the world. The people have
money and are willing to pay for the
best the market affords, and there is no
doubt that the New York market is I'M
surpassed. There are more refinements,
| too, at an American entertainment than
elsewhere, more variety. Still it is well
to dine at your own table before going
| to the house of a fashionable friend. At
the latter you are expected to entertain,
| not to partake of what is set before you
Leave that to the servants or to the ca
terer. Rich folk used to have their own
servants prepare the dinner when guests
were expected, but nowadays every
thing is left to the caterer. 1t is SO
much less trouble, you know Why
worry for days arranging dinner for a
dozen or two of ones friends when it
can be better done by the caterer? We
have plenty of caterers Some have
| grown rich and proud on the feasts and
banquets given by the fashionable set.
When millionaire wants to give
dinner he sends for his favorite, tells
him the number of guests expected, ad-
vances a few ideas on the general style
of the entertainment, names the day
and hour, and says, II leave everything
to you. The menu is submitted, and,
if satisfactory, both as to price and dish.
es, the preparation goes ON.
The entire dinner is prepared at the
establishment of the caterer, after
which, on the day appointed, it is care
fully packed in hampers and boxes and
conveyed to the house where it is to be
eaten. Most private houses are fitted
with excellent ranges, and ON them the
caterers chefs do the cooking. Positive.
ly nothing is left to the home cook
The caterer takes entire charge Of the
kitchen. He could not be responsible foi
the dinner otherwise. The dining room
also is turned over to him, for the din.
ner itself is scarcely more important
than the arrangement of the table or ia
bles.
Certain unwritten rules are followed
in this respect When there are less than
20 persons they are usually seated at
one large table rectangular or round;
but when that number is exceeded it is
the custom to use small tables, as they
can be better served Six persons to q
table is the rule. The expansion of So
ciety in Now York in the last 10 years
has been very great, and the size of the
private dinner has increased enormously.
1t used to BIO considered big thing to
have 10 or 10 guests, but now it is COM
mon enough to have from 20 to so.
Where receptions few years ago num-
bered from 300 to 400 guests, they now
number from 600 to 1000.
The cost of dinner depends ON the
wines and flowers An excellent dinner
can be served for, say, 30 persons at $40
a plate, the flowers will cost about $l5
and the wines from 81 to $15 head
At Mrs Astor s famous ball. in the win
ter OF lSS9-90, the finest entertainment
she ever gave, the wines on the supper
| table We're very select Her Steinherpar
Cabinet cost $40 bottle.
The dinner to Charles O'Conor was
one OF the finest ever given in this city.
1t was managed by Sam Ward and cost
over $50 plate. The menus alone cost
20 apiece. The decorations were most
elaborate, the tables being literally COW
cred with rare flowers The wines were
the costliest that could be had. Some Of
Sam Wards priceless Madeira was
handed around The guests numbered 90.
The dinner to President Andrew John
son ON the occasion of his visit to New
York, in 1866, cost 800 a plate. Leland
Stanford dinner to Mrs. Grant, about
five years ago, caused great deal Of
talk all over the country. 1t was be-
lieved that the 70 guests ate from plates
of gold and silver; that the tablecloth
was edged with point duchess lace;
that under each wineglass there was a
napkin of the same costly fabric, and
under each finger bowl Japanese mat
that cost $50, and that the terrapin
were served in individual silver tureens.
New York Press.