The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-11-30
WAYS TO GIVE
DINNERS WELL
CONTINUED from page s.


You will have it, I said, and. as a
means to that end, when 1 made my
party call I boldly asked my hostess
10 tell me the secret of the charm of
that particular saddle Of mutton.
To begin WITH she answered, 1T
was the best brand of mutton which
can be bought, and 1 was particular to
| order a saddle that had hung Just
three weeks-no longer and no short
er. You see I didn't live in England
for nothing
I remember perfectly all the menu
that night, and here it is: First came
oysters, served with Oscar sauce. In
/ the middle of every oyster plate was
, a SMALL round glass dish half filed
with the sauce. These dishes. like the
sauce, 1 found, are quite new; So new
that they can only be had at one place
IN New York, and then only by giving
, a special order. They cost SIS a dozen.
After the oysters came clear green
turtle soup, then a mousse of lobster.
an entree of fresh mushrooms, the sad
die of mutton with fresh peas, terra
pin, fresh asparagus and canvasback
! duck, with the regular sweets for des-
sert
white wine was served at the be-
ginning, champagne right through the
dinner, and port came on with the can
vasback. Nowadays most American
men are quite willing to forego the
port, but l never yet met an English
man but wanted a glass of port with
the game course.
The acme of elegance in table drap-
cries was reached some time ago. I
think, with the result that a reaction
has set in against elaborate lace COW
ers and centre pieces. Nevertheless, I
went to dinner recently where the
table was covered with fine lace
cloth which cost $1,000. This was laid
over pink satin, and L know women
who delight in loading their tables
with all sorts of costly fabrics
but that Isl not the newest style.
One of the richest and smartest worn
en- in New York has gone back to Bel
fast linen damask tablecloths and
napkins for her most important din
ners. She still uses all sorts of wond-
erful laces on her luncheon table. but
not at dinner. The dinner napkins
are about one yard square, and their
only decoration is a heavily embroid-
cred monogram. These. like the table,
cloth. are Numbered so wonderfully
that they look almost like satin
In the center of her table, resting
on a small square of pink silk plush,
is a superb silver vase, not very TALL
and at the corners are magnificent
candelabra topped with pink satin
shades. She refuses to use any color
but pink for the reason that no other
is SO becoming to the women present.
Nor will she permit a flower on the
table at dinner. no matter how lavish
" decorated with them the dining
room may be, unless it is a young peo-
pies dinner.
II know many other women who fol-
low the same rule. They may have a
canopy of different sorts of blooms a.
boye the table and the dining room
may be almost lined with flowers, but
not a flower is on the table. 1 think
this is we'll Some epicures always in
sist that a bunch of roses close to ones
nose will destroy the flavor of the most
delicious viands ever cooked
1T is not considered at all bad form
now in giving small dinner to send
an invitation by telephone; and it has
the advantage over the old way. that
if one is at all doubtful of the friend
illness of any two of the prospective
guests one can innocently ask: Won't
you and Mr.. Smith dine with me on
such date? The Joneses are to be
here and the Browns, and so on That
gives Mrs. Smith chance to refuse
if she is not on cordial terms with Mrs.
Brown or Mrs. Jones. and without
making any explanation.