The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-01-18
SETTING A TABLE
The Main Thing II q Sumciency 81
Food Presented In an Ap.
petlxinH Manner. a

The setting of the table for the vari.
Gus meals of the household is among the
most important duties of the maid, or
whatever person to whom it is given.
Considerable variation is observed from
time to time in laying out the variou:
articles for the different meals. The
method of setting the dinner table to-
day is in marked contrast to that of our
grandmothers, half a century ago
and in still greater contrast to the
tables of old colonial times. The old.
time dinner in the eighteenth century
still suggested the barbaric profusion
of the tables of the ieasts of the Middle
Ages. The supreme object then was tc
ward off, for the time at leas,, the
specter of famine, which was then an
ever present terror in at least some
parts of the civilized world We need
no magnificent mounts of boars' heads
and peacocks in full plumage on our
dinner tables of to-day te chase away
such terrors.
The chief idea in arranging the table
is to provide an elegant snfficiency OF
food and present it in the most appetiz.
ing and convenient manner.
/. At elaborate dinners the table is now
decorated with centerpie ce Of flowers
or ferns, dishes of dessert fruits and OF
bonbons. The food is brought in in
courses. The meats are carved ready tc
be served before they are brought in.
AT simple home dinner the same idea
in modified form is carried out The
once elaborate soup tureen Is seldom
used at the dinner table to. day. The
soup is brought in platefuls, and j
there is no expert waiter it is general
ly put on the table the moment dinner
is announced. TIE remainder of the
dinner is then served in two or three or
more courses, after the soup plates are
removed. The fashion of introducing
this meal with soup is now generally
followed at even the simplest dinners:
because it is wholesome and econom.
ical one. Our cooks are fast becoming
expert soupmakers. tits the custom in
the most refined families to use only
pure white napery at the dinner table
whatever departure from this rule is
made at the other.two meals. 1t is sci.
dom in the best taste to introduce color
on the table. Pure white table damask.
spotless and shining, is always in good
taste.
The family luncheon and the break.
fast table are informal meals, and the
entire array of food may be put on the
table at the beginning. In families
walters are quite often dispensed with
at these meals as soon as the coffee ant
tea are served. Sometimes at breakfast
oatmeal or some grain or fruit forms
the first course, and the eggs, meat and
more substantial part of the meal ar
brought in after this course is served
The old-fashioned rule that made il
proper that all the family should sit
down to breakfast at once, as at dinner
is not generally enforced. The meal i.
becoming what it is in England very
informal one. Nothing is then served
which will spoil in keeping. Coffee ani
grains are brought in as each one ar
rives, and eggs or some simple hot meil'
or fish are served afterward. There i.
fruit on the side table, and cold meat.
and probably marmalade, to which each
person may help himself if he wishes
When such an informal meal as this j!
served it does not break into the routin.
Of house 50 much as set breakfast
| at which a substantial course Of ho
breads and meats is served, and it i
generally found more satisfactory. A
a certain hour the dining-room j,
cleared, and breakfast is then over. X
an old-fashioned housekeeper it ma.
seem as II such breakfast suggested
anarchy in the homework. On the con
trary, the English homes, from whicl
this fashion of an informal breakfast il
introduced, are the most methodical il
their system of disposing OF thei
housework of all in the world.-N.
Tribune.