The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02
PERSONAL IND SOCIETY
A CHAPTER ON CONNECTIONS AND
CREAMS FOR A PARTY.
Pink Tea Had It's western Introduce
ton in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. for
National CoIors.


A lady OF fashion Of this city, who was
about to give a dinner one day, went the
rounds of the caterers to secure a concoc-
ton which she called plum beer. The ca
terers thought it was an intoxicating
drink and said either that they had never
heard of the article or that they never ma lie
drinks of that kind. Finally she went to
one place where there was a Frenchman,
an expert in his line as chef or caterer. He
knew what she wanted. Her pronunciation
was what had frightened the others, but he
spelled it ''plombe bierre' 1t is a special
kind of an ice cream. very delicious. but
at the same time very expensive, more ex-
pensive than ladies are in the habit of pay
ing for such a delicacy. and so none of the
other caterers knew what it was. Given
carte blanche, a caterer in this city can sup
ply almost anything. but, like in buying
women's gowns, most hostesses are willing
to spend more abroad than they do at
home.
When the day of color schemes for the
different teas was introduced, the confec-
TONERS had to invent coloring matter to
meet the demand for shades and tints in
candies, and the maker of ice creams had
to follow suit, and so did the caterer. The
pink tea was productive of all the rose
tints, from sandwiches tied with pink rib
bOns, through ices and cakes and candies,
and the enbroideries. ribbons and laces also
followed the same color scheme.
The first pink tea in this part of the coun-
try was given in this city, and the idea was
so new and attractive that persons living
here received letters from all over the State
asking for particulars, that the entertain
ment might be copied elsewhere. Previous
to that time vanilla ice cream and layer
cake was the acme of delicacies for recep-
ton. Since then, however, each hostess has
tried to have something new, and the in
ventive genius of the caterer has been
taxed To-day macaroons can be had of
seven different kinds, differing in shapes, in
colors and in icings. Sailed almonds and
peanuts have been used exclusively, but
now almost any kind of a. sailed nut is ac-
ceptable One of the most delicious cakes
is the meringue cake, filled with whipped
cream. This has to be made and served i'm
mediately, as it will not stand an hour An
order to the caterer for this has to he
timed perfectly to have it appear and taste
as it should.
During the last six months every maker
Of ice cream and cake in town has been
called upon to furnish articles in the ma
tional colors. Vegetable matter is used for
coloring, but there is no blue vegetable, and
the caterer hesitated, but as one hostess
to-be said, 81 must have blue, even if every
one at the party dies after eating it." Blue
has been furnished, and it has been indigo.
This is not wholesome but red, white and
blue cakes and candies have been demand
ed, and red, white and blue has been served.
SPUN SUGAR BASKETS.
For years spun sugar baskets have been
used at fashionable parties in eastern cities
and spun sugar baskets were in great favor
in Washington last winter. These are COM
paratively expensive For individual serv-
ice each basket costs a quarter of a dollar
and, when of ice cream on a spun sugar
nest, is worth S.. There are spun sugar
baskets filed with ice cream in fruit forms
that cost even more, and they make a
beautiful dish. Souvenir baskets filled
with ice cream have always been favorites.
These baskets may be bought at any shop
and taken to the caterer, who will set in
them a receptacle for the cream. Small
baskets wreathed in fresh violets or any
other small flower, and filled with an ice
cream to correspond, makes an attractive
course and the baskets are retained re-
m1nderS of happy events. Plates set in
wreaths of flowers, with the cream in flow
er forms to correspond, is another idea. The
flowers may be or different Kinds or all OF
one kind. In the latter case, the floral dec
grafton Of the center of the table should be
the same If the decorati tons are different,
the centerpiece should have as many kinds
possible to harmonic with the ices
served, and after the dinner they may be
distributed to the guests. A round table
with wreath of flowers in the center and
the ice cream served in the forms of the
same flowers is handsome, and when the
wreath is found to be made up of individual
bouquets and presented to the guests, the
hostess accomplisheS several desirable eff
fects and at the same time has no wreath
of flowers to dispose of in her own house
the next morning.
Caterers in this city are often called on
to supply unusual orders from people out of
town. A dinner was once served hot from
this city, in Danville, ILL.,, and the caterer
not only received a complimentary letter
inclosed with the check, but has had sew
eral orders from that city since. Not a
month ago two large dinner parties were
suddenly given in this city. The order for
the first came at half past ten in the morn
ing to be served at o'clock in the even
ing, and the dinner was to be of eight
courses. 1t was served to perfection and
the next evening the exact duplicate of 1T
was served at the same house for second
party. 1t took rapid and vigorous work to
do this but no one at the dinner would
have surmised that the order had not been
in for several days. The indianapolis cater
can rank with those of other cities If he
or she is given the opportunity, and it is
quite possible that the coming season will
see the introduction of any number OF nov
elites at dinner parties.