The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-06-11
EATING AND EATERS.
IT is NOT GOOD FORM TO DO MORE
THAN TASTE AND SIP.

Caterers.
An American author and musician
told Il queer little story the other day
that ran like this:
event to the opera; sat in 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-
pcctcd that. of course; went prepared
very hungry; all the daintics of the sea-
son on the table, but nobody ate; wine
i'll abundance, all drinking; more talk
and gossip; wouldn't cut alone, so
starved; not polite to eat nowadays,
I'm told; proper to mince along, taste
Il morsel and talk; don't like it; no
more fashionable suppers for mel"
Another man, an hahitual diner out,
remarked:
Il invariably eat my dinner at home
before going ont to dine. Nobody thinks
of eating at a public dinner nowadays.
1t is the height of i'll breeding! AT pri-
waite 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 l didn't cat at home I'd starvc
to death. -
Perhaps something in recent years
has altered the belief that the nearest
way to Il mans heart is down his throat.
Hosts used to feed their guests to put
them i'll good humor, to make their Wis
its agreeable. Everybody at the table
ate aud drank and all went merrily.
Better dinners than those provided
today the world never saw, but they are
not eaten. New York dinners arc supe-
rior i'll many respects TO those of any
other city i'll the world. The people have
money and are willing 70 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, nj an American entertainment than
elsewhere, more variety. Still it is we'll
to dine at Your own table before going
TO the house of fashionable friend. At
the latter you are expected TO entertain,
not to partak e of what is set before YOU.
Leave that to the servants or to the Gu
tcrer. Rich folk used to have their own
servants prepare the dinner when guests
wcro expected but nowadays every
thing is left to the caterer 1t is so
much less trouble, you know. Why
worry for days arranging u dinner for
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
banqucts given by the fashionable set
When Il millionaire wants to give Il
dinner he sends for his favorite, tells
him the number of guests expected, nd-
vances few ideas on the general style
OF tho 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, OH the day appointed, it is care
fully packed i'll hampers and boxes and
conveyed to the house where it is to be
eaten. Most private houses arc fitted
with excellent ranges, and on them the
caterers chefs do the cooking. Positive
ly nothing is left to the homo cook
The caterer takes entire charge of the
kitchen. He could not be responsible for
the dinner otherwise. The dining room
also is turned over to him, for tho din
ner itself Is scarcely moro important
than the arrangement of the table or tn =
blcs.
Certain unwritten rules arc followed
i'll 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
tho custom to use small tables, MS they
can be better served. Six persons to "a
table is the rule. The expansion of So
ciety in Now York i'll the last 2 years
has been very great, and the size of the
private dinner has increased enormously.
1t used to be considered Il big thing TO
have 10 or II guests, but now it is COM
mon enough to have from 20 to so.
Where receptions few years ago num-
bered from 800 TO 400 guests, they now
number from 600 to 900
The cost Of dinner depends on the
wines and flowers. An excellent dinner
can be served for, say, 20 persons at $40
plate, tho flowers will cost about $l5
and the wines from 81 to $l5 a head
At Mrs. Aston S famous ball. in the win
ter Of 1SS900, tho finest entertainment
she ever gave, the wines on the supper
table We're very select Her Steinbcrgcr
Cabinet cost SO Il bottle.
The dinner to Charles O'Conor wac
ono of the finest ever given in this city.
1t was managed by Sam Ward and cost
over $50 "A plate. Tho menus alono cost
So 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