The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-07-11

Watermelon should be brought TO the
table on a large oval tray of china. out
glass or silver The melon is cut before
1t is placed on the tray. First II is
halved. and then a slice is cut from
each end that the sections may stand
upright Only the red part OF the fruit
is served. and this is cut out with
berry or table spoon. Watermelon Is
eaten with fruit forks.
When apples pears or peaches are set
out. small knives are laid beside the
plates. With these the fruit is deprived
of its skin and cut into portions for the
mouth. Orange spoons are easily identi-
fed on account OF their slender pointed
bowls. Sliced oranges. peaches. ba-
nanas or pneapples are distributed
with a silver server having a fiat, open
plate at the end of a slender, graceful
handle.
The preparation Of the fruit for the
table should never be left to the serv-
ants. They are not likely TO be as par
ticular as the delicacy OF the food re-
quires. For instance. berries taste bet
ter IL gone over carefully one by one.
When the hulls are drawn off, bits OF
sand should be removed with a brush
specially reserved for the purpose. Ber-
ries. according TO the rulings OF gour-
NETS, should not be washed. Water is
said 10 destroy n certain delicate flavor.
If the servant is depended upon 10
cleanse the berries in this way, all
sorts OF gritty matter may get into the
dish with the fruit.
Small melons are cut into halves the
seeds in the center removed. and the
cavity is filled with chopped ice. Only
ripe fruit should be sent to the table.
and unless the mistress of the house
can thoroughly depend upon her kitch-
en- staff she does well TO inspect the
fruit course before IL is brought TO the
dining room, for in the summer unripe
or overripe fruit is a certain cause of
illness. The juicy watermelon is not so
great source OF danger as its humble
relative, the cantaloupe.
only the ripest apples should appear
I'm the fruit bowl. These ought to be
washed thoroughly and then polished
with a clean, dry cloth. The golden
skinned bananas are sure to be soiled,
and for Appearances sake. IL for moth
ing more. they should be washed and
wiped Currants are dipped into water
and then drained on a sieve. II they
are TO be served with sugar and cream,
they are deprived OF their stems; other
wise they are placed on the fruit dishes
in clusters.
When unpeeled peaches are used. they
should be carefully rubbed with a dry
cloth. This will remove the wool and
dust. Pears are washed and polished
just like apples.
A nice way to prepare small fruits is
10 ice them. Dip each piece into the
slightly beaten white of egg and then
In granulated sugar. Dry and place in
the refrigerator. All fruits but berries
are placed on the ice a little while be-
fore being eaten. Whether the fruit Is
served at the beginning or end of the
meal is a matter of taste. Some per-
sons find that ii does not agree with
them IL taken before other food is in the
stomach. Breakfast is said TO be the
golden time for the eating of fruit In
the summer il is far wiser to buy more
fruit than meat: the latter heats the
body, while the former is cooling and
at the same time nutritious.
novel idea is to combine fruit and
flowers for a table centerpiece. A pyra-
mid OF apples. peaches. oranges. ba-
nanas and pears is often intwined with
graceful vines, on which are seen deli
cate flowers. If no small Towering vine