Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-12-20
PORTALS new YORK LETTER.


ring, shopping The women at this
time of year really seem indefatigable.
The shops can't be guilty OF the faux
pas OF using the word store for that Ia
quite passe, you know, are packed,
but everybody is good natured aud the
little woman doesn't mind having her
hat knocked askew by the tall. girl,
and the fat woman doesn't mind being
punched in the ribs by the angular
lady's elbow. After all, our Christmas
shopping is done and each package ia
wrapped uI and tied with good wishes,
the next thought is the Christmas
dinner, which is most important event
and serious thing in the household.
There is an unfortunate tendency now
TO be needlessly extravagant, but the
hostess Of today should learn that
lavish expenditure is not necessary to
make diuner palatable. We all
make 30 much fuss and feathers about
a dinner party now that 1t will be a de-
light when the modern hostess learns
that the best form is simplicity and In
fact we'll ordered household would
never put itself out to any great extent
for guests. loye the dignity of the
story that they tell of the great Roman
who, coming home to dinner one day,
lpubd cntl ulhu6 very llULl6
preparation and when chided for it
answered; That he thought his master
expected no company that day."
"WhatF'' answered the naughty
Roman, lis it not enough that Lucullus
is to dine with Lucuilus?"
And, after all, it is not so much the
dinner, but the atmosphere that will
give the Christmas dinner its char o.
| wot me Of dinner eaten not many
moons since, plain, simple dinner,
one which | most thoroughly enjoyed.
Twas Mt country seat, where hos.
pitality filled the air. l was dining
with the Cynic, who knows better than
most men what to order for dinner,
and that ne, too, enjoyed this single
repast only goes to help prove that it
is the bon comaradie that gives a sauce
to the meat. This dinner was after
bracing drive; the cocktail was a glass
of clear pump water, the caviare was
keen appetite; the meat, we'll, surely,
this time we did have turkey, the barn
yard king, accompanied by his faithful
lIeutenants, Messiurs Onion and Gran
berry, The salad was crisp celery, the
champagne, witty stories and good
fellowship; and | am sure, my dear,
the feast was quite as sstisfac-
tory as many dinner that has Gust
milady sleepless nights and my lord
ship big check. And was eaten by
two pepole who truly appreciate Bril-
lait Sayaraon.
Most people think when they have
plenty TO eat and an array of silver,
fine damask and myriads of dollhouse
flowers that the success of their dinner
IS assured. This illusion has been the
foundation ~ -,
few well-cooked dishes, good fellow
ship is the essential for the successful
dinner. A tact for getting the right
people together ia a fine art. This IS
not always possible at the Christmas
dinner Outlines a family affair, ard
where one must invite Ned's wife,
though she IS very stupid, and Toms
children must be at the table, though
| they always spill their soup. Uncle
Hiram must not be sighted, though
| he takes his food with a musical
accompaniment, but he is equity and has
ten thousand year to leave to some
one. And poor Sally; it is not her
| fault that she squints and her jaws
cracks when sne eats.
Let the atmosphere he filled with
loving feelings and deal has been
done for the success of your dinner No
| Christmas dinner il complete in this
country without King Turkey, and let
him be bought early and hung out, for
a gourmet will never eat fowl cooked
while its blood is warm. Christmas
dinners, to be successful, need not be
expensive affairs. Let US begin with
blue points and then have clear soup
one never wants heavy soup for a
dinner, as the object of this second
course is but to warm ones stomach
for the good to come after. If it be a
simple family dinner, dispense with
the fish course and Immediately bring
on yeur turkey. He must be well
Drowned and beautifully stuffed; bread
crumbs, oysters, raisins, ohestnuts
thyme, parsley and marjorim. aud, we
will say, with Henry the Fourth, she
made me mad to see him shine so brisk
and smell SO sweet"
Don't forget the onions and the cram
berries, and the brown potatoes and
the scalloped oysters. Next, have chicken
patties, with rich cream sauce; for
yon know, sit provoketh fine APP
petite II sauce your meat be by Next
there is nothing more appetizing, more
welcome to the now tired appetite than
the crisp escarole salad; serve this
with French dressing and some warm
cammebert. Then you are ready for the
great Christmas dish, the plum pud
ding, and if it is well made and slowly
eaten, interspersed with witticism and
Jolly talk, it will Sit we'll upon dIges-
tion and the cynics will not be able to
remind you of Henry the Eighth's
speech, beginning "a man can die but
once" Then serve coffee, las black as
Egypt's night" and nuts and raisins
On the table should be, OF course,
celery, olives, sailed peanuts and bon
bons. This is a plain, simple dinner,
but il well-cooked and well-seryed, is
enough fer any gourmet.
Turkey seems to be called for at
every CHRISTMAS dinner, but the good
sucking pig is adhered to in many
cises, and as an item of food its praise
cannot be too great aitridges are a
Chr stmas dish, also, and in English
houses no Christmas dinner is com plete
without these stuffed birds. 1t seems
nowadays the proper thing to invite to
, your dinner the Muse of Music. This
is rot always easily accomplished for a
family dinner, yet there are many
motley street musicians who play
sweetly uton the harp and the violin,
who would be glad to add this accom-.
paniment to your Christmas dinner.
Strange, how this custom of eating &c
music has grown. In every cafe one
finds music, from the Waldorf As
toria's Hungarian Baud to the Second
/ avenue diningroom's hurdy -gurdy. You
I eat youl soup to slow waltz time; 8
} rag time polka comes in with the fish