New-York tribune., 1906-08-19
By KATE MASTERSON

boats have little signs announcing French bread"
as a relief from the English muffin, which Is the
most desirable form of bread produced on British
soil. This fact explains the prevalence OF toast
\ little dinner such New Yorker is content
wlth-oysters, a soup with one meat dish and
perhaps two vegetables, salad, and frequently no
dessert-would seem ridiculous to the Engllshman
a dinner although, perhaps, sufficient
luncheon 1t would be too decided departure
from custom, and dinner that does not end in a
tart, if not a pudding, is almost improper.
Meals Tiresome and Frequent
THIS makes the meals in London tiresone as well
as too frequent, the preponderanCe of sweets sug
geSting a ChIldrenS birthday party rather than
spread for grown-ups. The quick-uncheon-no-
breakfast American wonders what manner Of man
take the time for afternoon tea; but he quickly
falls into the habit and guIltilv drops into
for Watercress sandwiches and bohea when the
mystic hour comes that causes the city TO pause,
even to the smallest office boy.
Fruit is the habit of the British breakfast
except in the form of marmalade, and this Is IN
variably either orange or currant. These Jams are
almost a religion, and no doubt the manufacturer
OF the htty-seven American varieties would ind it
thankless task to try TO introduce his wares
Porridge, too IS insisted upon the year through
and IS served in bowl with cream. Even when
one Is yachting at COWeS or shooting III the country
there is porrIdge for breakfast and dares try
to escape from 1t.
Luncheon is an impressive function and besides
the usual dishes there the English cold Joints
game pies, with salads, and hot cakes, honey. and
jams. But luncheon is great occasion in London
Tor seeing ones friends 1t a gala hour the big
hotels; and there IS great deal of dressing. and
really good music.
Almost appalling to an American is the sudden
ness with which the tea hour comes although II IS
growing later every year, and is such national
function that 1t seems dISCOurteOuS slight il. 1t
is not fashionable merely, for the workman stops
for his tea, we'll the clubman.
But the dinner itself the succession of dishes that
fill the menus and that cannot with anv grace
be sighted If dining in company, seem planned
Tor a race OF starving persons. And vet, If II
is remarked YOU will hear that the English dinner
has been practically cut in two within recent years.
Dinners Never-Ending Length
RCT even when punctuated with the dinner con-
singing we'll instrumental music being feature
a fixed and all of good and usually I'M
ported foods, anchovies French shrimps, cucumbers
in mayonnaIse, Lyons sausage-all these are passed
in great silver sarcophaguS with little cottins
in about the edge for the different things
The English soup Is usually heavy, or else II is
consomme which a sort of sop the intlowing tide
OF AmcrlcaniSn at the hotels. But there IS no
sweet calm IN the way of soups The fish, generally
WhItebat, plentiful and good then come fowl and
beet, then mutton, then outlet, and as YOU pause
tor breath on comes duck or grouse with salad
Then the sweets begin to appear with generosity
that would be the JOY OF small boys heart. There
Is always hot pudding and tiakv, heavy pastry.
then Jellled pineapple peach then an iCe-Crear
and atterWard little cakes and coffee Ii IS not
the fashion to take only one of these but all. \
towering dish OF fruit last and ii is not neg