The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-31
The DeIicafessen Habit
How the American Housewife Has
Learned TO Copy Her French
Sisters.

Come right along up % dinne-.~
said the city man heartily 20 his out
of-town friend.
The latter looked dubious.
How about your wife? She won't
be expecting me"
The city man shrugged his shoulders
and laughed lightly.
"oh, I'll just telephone her and tbs
delicatessen shop viii do the rest"
The country visitor wondered. but
Tefrained from questions.
His hostess received him IN q de-
looking, shirt-wafst suit and
made no apology for the fact that she
and her 16-year-old daughter took
turns al waiting on the table. The
first course was clam cocktails en-
bedded in ice. the second was cold
sliced chicken, garnished with cress
and lemons, and the hot dishes con
sisted of macaroni with cheese. and
tomato sauce and crisp Saratoga %
tatbes- Crab salad. served in the
shells. surrounded by q wreath Of
parsley. and radishes cut in small
tulip shape. was served with thin
salt waters and tiny jar of creamy
cheese. For dessert there were ice
cream and sponge cake. with coffee 10
finish.
The man from out Of town waited
until he got alone with his host and
then bluntly asked what the latter had
meant by saying the delica1essen shop
would do the rest.
The city man explained that nothing
served for dinner had been cooked at
home, save the coffee. The mscaroni.
with its cheese and tomato sauce,
had been bought in q little ear1hen
dish at the delica1essen shop and heat
ed along with the Saratoga chips in
the gas oven. The crab salad had
come in bulk from the same shop,
with the shells in q separate package.
Cold roast chicken had formed the
meat course, and the various gaTnishes
the lady Of the house invariably kept
on hand.
The guest could hardly believe that
he had eaten what mis- good wife az
home would scornfu1ly term bake
shop stuff"
The delica3essen shop Of to-day is
an institution Of evolution. 1t is the
natural result Of the vexed servant
girl question. The woman who at
tenpts 10 keep but one servant finds
that often ons is worse than nine
She dismisses the maid and does her
own work, with the aid Of the caterer
and the delicstessen shop. The latter
has increased its sphere Of usefulness
only as the housewife has demanded
it, and is now as essential 10 the fam
lily Of moderate means as the caterer
is 10 tbs family Of wealth
IN the big department stores. which
maintain delicstessen shops. regular
chefs are employed. generally Of
French extraction, as they have
ks-~4r rrr1-@ h. -~-v ~ -~7r civ -
trade down 10 a science. In Paris the
masses have all their baking and cook
ing Of importance done at shops, be-
cause fuel is so high. America was
slow TO adopt the delicatessen shop. but
once having accepted il as q part 81
the household scheme the American
wife goes in for il with enthusiasm.
All kinds Of bake stuffs are 10 be had
st these shops-cold meats in every
possible form. from plain roast 10 the
most elaborate loafs and made dishes;
vegetables which require only warm
ing up; salad already mixed, or the in
gradients may be bought prepared sep
arately TO be mixed st home: and, q
course, all the imported can goods Ike
&c foie gras. caviar. etc, are in stock
The delicstessen shop makes q spe-
cialty Of packing picnic luneheons'
travelling baskets and automohle
luncheon cases. 1t has become, in fact
an important industry.
The small shop is to be seen in 81
its glory Sunday evening. for which
trade special preparations are MADE.
The city fat dweller who has not pam
try room enough 10 lay in the sunday
supply, the hostess who is caught IN
aware, the young couple who are Nv
ing in two furnished rooms and take
their meals out. and the hachelor-ulslo
all swear by the delicatessen shop:
The country housekeeper would pe
visibly embarrassed II compelled 10
send her small boy to the grocery store
on the arrival Of company. She Woula
lose her reput alton for being Tore
handed then and there. But the clg
housewife calmly sends her husband 10
the delicatessen shop, or II she j.
bachelor maid she courteously invites
The unexpected guest 10 accompany ne4
and help carry home the bundles.
The man or woman who would maht
money in this business must first leaIA
70 measure the public taste. for shop
which carries over its ready-to-selNs
stock from day 10 day cannot eontI''
the desired trade.