Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-03-03
How to Set a Table and Serve q
Dinner,

COLUMN, OXforu democrat, Soutn Fefiss me
How to Set a Table and Serve q
Dinner.
A daintily set table, however simple,
always gladdens the eye and 10 An I'M
mistakable evidence of its owners re-
finement of taste. A little care In it's
setting, the proper placing of its various
appointments, will do much to obtain
| this result. A centerpiece of flowers,
ferns, or even little growing plant, will
give the first dainty touch. If one hasn't
the flowers or plant, a prettily shaded
lamp or drop-light may answer.
In placing the different covers, the
fork or forks are usually put at the left
of tho plate, the knives and spoons at
the right, generally in the order in which
they will be used. Thus-for a simple
dinner, consisting of soup, roast, vegetar
bles, salad, pudding and coffee, the two
forks, the larger one first, for the meat
course, the smaller one, for the salad,
outside of it, are placed at the left. At
| he right, first comes the large spoon for
the soup, then the large dinner knife,
next the smaller knife, used for butter,
etc, then the teaspoon for the pndding.
The glass is placed always at the right
near the spoons, and, when butter is
| used, the butter plate, containing Its
| little butter ball, at the left above the
forks, while the napkin is placed be-
tween the silver, if there be no plate,
otherwise at the left of the forks. Pep
pers and salts are usually scattered
,bout between the covers doing duty for
two persons.
Your candlesticks, placed one at each
corner of the table or two set near the
center, will lend good effect as decora-
lions with their pretty shades. Celery,
olives, radishes, sailed nuts, ETC., in lit
tie disher of silver, glass or china, may
be set on the table, as is also the plate
If bread with its linen dolly.
Soup may be served by the hostess
rom tureen at the table, or brought in
in plates beforehand and set at each
place. The roast is usually placed upon
he table and carved by the host, the
maid, with her serving tray, standing at
MS left to take the plates to each guest,
being particularly instructed always to
pass things at the left side, thus enabling
one to use freely ones right hand. After
The meat has been served to each person
The potatoes and other vegetables must
oe passed in the same way, then covered
md put on the sideboard or near oy
serving table for the time being, the
maid meanwhile passing bread, celery
1T radishes, refilling the glasses, etc.
Later, when this course is finished, the
coast and the plates are all removed, one
oy one, and the salad served. Toasted
crackers and cheese may be served with
he salad. The salad may be all pre-
pared beforehand and passed in its bowl
20 each guest before whom plate has
been placed, or else dressed and served
oy the hostess at table and passed by the
maid.
When the salad course is over, every
thing is removed from the table except
the two remaining spoons and the glass
1t each place. The crumbs are brushed
.way by the maid and the pudding or
,ther dessert served, followed by the
'after-dinner Coffee" which may be
taken at the table, or, after leaving it, in
the living room. If there is no maid, 1t
will, of course, be necessary, to simplify
things still more in order to avoid con-
fusion, to place vegetables, ETC., upon
the table, the guests passing things
themselves. To the busy housewife, OF
me who must consider economically the
laundry question, convenient as we'll as
dainty custom commends itself-the
use of plate doilies and centerpieces'
These are easily laundered and may be
used for breakfast, luncheon and supper
n place of tablecloth; for dinner, OF
course, the latter must always be used
It is possible to buy these plate doilies
with centerpiece to match, for ordinary
use, very reasonably, especially those OF
plain linen with scalloped edges, or some
simple decoration. Crocheted sets are
,lso very pretty for everyday" meals,
md may be quickly made by apt fingers
For more special occasions the table
loilies may be elaborated to almost any
extent, from the simple home made
,ffairs of damask and lace to the wonder
fully beautiful ones of real lace to be
lad in the large shops, the sets with
plate doilies, glass doilies and center
piece all to match, marked with the
,wner's monogram delicately embroid
bred in the center of each piece. TC
protect the table from hot dishes, 1t IL
necessary to place underneath the doilies
| little mat, of the same size, preferably
of asbestos.-Ex.