Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-01
PREPARING A BANQUET.
HOW A BIG FEAST is MADE READY
AND SERVED.

ton Necessary Everything Murt Bc
| Done Ncntiy, quickly and systcnnti-
| cnlly work of the cher aud Assistants.
Few of the many who attend ban
quets, says the Detroit Free Press,
have any adequate idea of how such
feasts are prepared, and their appre-
citation of tue countless details that tit
together like piece of mechanism IL
limited to what they see before them.
Usually the menu tickles their pal.
ates, the decorations are deemed
handsome, and the nimble walters
PERHAPS come in for share of the
comments. How the whole thing is
prepared is of little concern to the
well-fed guest, and his curiosity sell
dom prompts him 10 peep behind the
swinging doors. whore small army
of cooks, carvers, dishwashers and
others are at work.
70 serve u banquet for $50 persons
requires no more help, with the eX-
cCrtion Of extra walters, than is
employed in getting up the regular
meals. though this fact is hard to be-
lieve until it is demonstrated. Tho
primo minister of the kitchen and its
environments is the steward, and his
judgment is supreme. Though never
in evidence, he is very busy man,
aud his responsibility is great. He
must not only bc Il good chef, but IA
fnancier, and have no little oyecu-
tive ability. To him is left the ar
rangement of all the details. First OF
all, the price per plate Is decided upon,
and the steward must then get up an
attractive menu, figuring the entire
cost TO such nicely that there will
be profit left for the hotel. Steward
Lukcs of the Russell House was re-
Gently asked how it was all done, and
he modestly answered: lyon had bet
ter come and see for yourself -
The banquet is set for o'clock, and
it is within half an hour of that time,
Walters are hurrying about iilling or
ders for the regular suppers, but the
expected hustle does not materinli2c
In the big dining-room tie decorations
are receiving the last touch, electric
lights are being tested and the head
NUlltt 10 VI WI 10 VI NNNlNN'
ants. issuing such orders ~, make
~ little noise a. possible" Serve
guests from the left" and other in.
structions. Then the Walters file in
and out with their trays ~ that they
will know their exact places. The
long tables have already been set, AMI
"a few minutes later the dining.room
is cleared of everyone except the head
waiter, who takes u position at tho
entrance. In the kitchen the steward
is in command and hurries from one
department to another to satisfy HIM
self that everything is in readiness, the
result Of several days planning.
Everything needed for the banquet
is ordered the day before, aud tho
things to be cooked are turned over
to the chef, which means that lie aud
his assistants will have their hands
full for the day. Some Of the dishes
can be prepared earlier in the day, brit
the fish and the birds have 20 he served
hot, and they are put in tho oven so
"a to be done just when that particu.
! lar course will be called for. Dishes
aud glasses are important items AMI
for banquc! Of 100 persons fully $500
| will he used, aud it is safe to assert
that very few Of them will he broken.
TO prevent any delay, the dishes and
| glasses for each course are taken from
the storeroom and placed III separate
piles after having been washed, and
M soon as used are again washed, and
put away Small plates for the appe-
tier are first brought To the kitchen,
and as soon as the guests are seated .
the walters carry them ont on their f.
trays. In the meantime half n dozen
young women have been distributing
rows Of plates along table, Upon
the top Of each il placed an oyster
plnte, and then one of the servers .
quickly fills them with cracked ice.
Another server runs To theice box and
returns with big trays containing blue
points on the half shell. These arc
quickly placed ON the ice ON the plates,
a piece Of lemon il dropped in the cen
ter Of each plate, and the course il
ready just AZ the walters come march
ing in. As they disappear again the
soup plates are taken from n heater,
and the chef is notified that il is time
to serve it. Next the sweltering as
sistant in charge OF the broiler deity
losses the portionso Of fish on to large
pan, and in few moments later the
guests are enjoying that palatable dish.
The birds, which we're put in the oven
Just before the banquet began, are
then taken out done TO turn. One
course follows another until the menu
IL exhausted. and at the end there is
hardly sign that anything unusual
has been going on. The wines and
cigars are kept in the stewards Office
until needed, the former in big tubs
Of cracked ice. Every bottle is &C.