Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-25


II made, would. we believe prove finan-
cialiy beneficial. and at the same time
DC or advantage TO patrons. This IL
the dinner question. Probably Of the
tens or thousands who. IN the next two
months. Will be the guests at hotels
along the seashore OF New England or
among the mountains OF this group Of
states, not one I'm ten Is accustomed at
nome TO have his or her dinner, the
principal meal. IN the middle OF the dag.
IL has ceased In the United States,
among the dwellers OF the cities, 10 be
the custom Of merely a select few 20
dine late I'm the afternoon. Thirty or
forty years ago most persons IN Boston
had their dinners at / o'clock. Those
who affected style had this principal
meal served at o'clock, and until quite
| recently there were some old-fashioned
Boston families who still looked upon 3
| o'clock as being the appropriate time
for dinner. But in the last generation
among the class who patronize summer
hotels radical change. has taken place.
and 6, $50, or 7 O'Clock y. NJ. are the
| times considered most suitable for the
| chief meal Of the day.
Why those accustomed to this allOt-
! ment Of meal hours should be compelled
when they 90 away for the summer 70
entirely reverse their ordinary methods
OF life simply to suit the whims Of land
lords is incomprehensibe The proprie-
tors Of seaside hotels sufficiently near
our great centres Of population TO per-
NIT businessmen 20 pass the night with
their families, when these are staying at
them. may find some economy in having
a MONDAY dinner. because the grown
male members OF the family are in most
I q "a rrfr 10 ia
I'm the food bill. But the shrewder OF
these landlords have discovered that this
piece OF economy IS not profitable; and
that, as an inducement TO lure custom.
It IS better 10 hold out the attractions
OF late dinner at which all Of the family
can be present. With the hotels IN the
mountains or az the distant seashore,
where guests 70 to pass n definite term
Of vacation, the excuse Of saving in the
board bill is not possible, while the mid
day dinner, the principal meal OF the day.
frequently stands as n barrier in the
way OF all-day excursions, which the
guests might otherwise like TO take.
Another and equally important reform,
bearing on the same subject, is the char
actcr Of a summer hotel dinner when it
IS served. Why Is IL not possible TO
have these meals served in the hotels
of this country as they are at the hotels
in the summer resorts Of Switzerland,
Germany, France, England, Norway,
and Sweden, on the table d'hote plan?
The system that we have here OF pre-
pairing a long and diversified bill OF fare,
from which the guests choose what they
like IS a tremendously wasteful method
If carried out in it's entirety.
The proprietor of hotel seems ordina-
~ to delight in tho length of his bill or
fare rather than in tho quality OF that
which he furnishes. An American sum-
mer hotel dinner table IS crowded with
a collection Of little crockery dishes con-
tanning spoonfuls Of this and dabs Of
that, portions which, when they reach
those who order them are commonly in
q chilled and uninvting condition. If
relatively simple menu was prepared
and the main dishes containing the food
supply were passed, as IS customary in
Europe from guest to guest, each one
could then supply himself with food In
q relatively warm and hence edible con-
dillon. The same amount Of money
spent IN endeavoring TO get up an elabo-
rate bill of fare, covering articles many
Of which none OF the guests will call for
would. # utilized I'm the purchase OF fewer
frst-class materials and the employment
Of frst-class cooks, give TO the guests
their money than they now commonly
receive.
Under such circumstances It should be
possible to materially simplify the ser
vice. 1t would not then be necessary
for waiter having TO serve six or eight
people IT a table to run out into the
kitchen with her head filed after q
fashion with fifty or sixty orders OF
meats. vegetables and condiments, and
cndeavor in a few minutes time, in con
tention with a score Of others, TO fill
these various orders. II there was
regular service II would 90 in an orderly
and sufficiently expeditions manner, with
out the clash and clatter that are char
acteristic Of the dining room OF an
American summer hotel during the hour
that dinner is in progress. As what we
have suggested is nothing more than tho
method pursued by all civilized people in
the world outside of the United States,
fit does not seem to be asking too much
TO suggest that in this respect we copy
the better methods of our neighbors.