Milford chronicle., 1910-09-30
Serving tho Meal.

In many homes where there is only
one maid to act as cook and waitress
| the serving must be as simple as pos
sible. Very often, in fact, the house
keeper must herself act as both cook
and waitress, and then the serving
must be even more simple. But in any
case try to avoid the too common hab-
it Of putting everything on the table
at once and allowing each person to
help himself.
When there are boys and girls in
the family they should be taught to
take turns in serving. In that case or
when the housekeeper is alone the first
course may be placed on the table be-
fore the meal is announced. II it is
soup served from tureen the hostess
serves it from her end Of the table,
or the soup may be served in the
kitchen and put at each place before
the family is seated. The soup plates
and tureen are removed before bring
ing in the next course. The meat plat
ter is placed at the head of the table
before the host, who should carve it
and, putting a portion on each plate,
pass it to the person sitting at his
right This person keeps it if spe-
cially requested to do So or passes it
ON down the table. The potatoes and
other vegetables may be served by
the host if the family is small or by
some person sitting near him. The
dinner dishes-that is. the plates on
which the meat course was served
should be removed before bringing in
the salad or dessert If both are in
cluded in the menu the salad is gen
orally served by the hostess 1t is
quite permissible, however, to have
the salad arranged on individual plates
in the kitchen and placed on the table
at the beginning Of dinner Dessert |
should be served by the host while the
hostess pours the tea or coffee Pud- |
ding sauce and cream and sugar are
passed. Bread and butter are usually |
on the table throughout the meal and |
are passed as needed. Celery and |
olives are passed with the soup and |
pickles with the meat course. Jelly is |
often passed with chicken, and apple
sauce should accompany roast pork.
In some households the business Of
serving at table without a maid has
been brought to a perfection which is
worthy of emulation. In order that
It may be absolutely devoid of awk-
wardness it is necessary for each mem
Der of the family to be well schoOled
N his or her part. 1t is nowadays the
fashion in some households to dispense
with the services of a maid, at least
Turing the simpler meals Of the day.
When there is a waitress she is ex-
)ected to take the plate from the host
IT hostess and place it before the per
ION for whom it was served. She
must place all dishes at the right side
md pass those from which the person
lelps himself at the left. All plates
nd dishes are removed from the right
ide. In clearing the table after each
curse all dishes used in serving 1t
must be removed as well as the indi-
-idual plate and silver. After the
alad and before serving the dessert
II dishes bread, butter and relishes
hould be removed and the crumbs
rushed up on crumb tray. Water
lasses should be kept filed as required
-ithout removing them from the table.
With a little practice any meal can
e served simply and correctly, and in
short time it will be found that its :
njoyment has been greatly increased. J.
In buying china or silver remember
hat quality is Of much more conse-
uence than ornamentation, and in
ther the simpler designs and color
lgs are preferable. Plain white china
I good quality is much more satisfy
lg in the end than elaborate designs
pronounced colors. In nothing are
-tistic sense and feeling more strong {
shown than in the appointments Of /
le dining table.