The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-05-02
Good
form
The Dining Table.

A little talk. my friends. today Oh
placing things on the dining table for
the ordinary little dinner. There is a
right and easy way. and II it be Oh.
served every day it will become a hab
1t and will be right for any larger din
ner and always in the accepted form
for the chance visitor. 1t is well TO
emphasize the importance Of giving
your best, even to the family. Man
ners soon grow into second nature and
are worth far more II they are man.
ners Of the everyday, polished kind and
natural. The company eve
yet fooled any one with a worth while
grasp on the things that count. Sun
day and holiday manners that r put
on like special party frocks and laid
aside again r never worth the
trouble necessary for the deception.
Even the dining table comes under this
rule.
The immaculate napery is one of the
most important part Of setting things
on the table. Silver and brilliant cut
glass will never outshine a coffee stain
or a soiled centerpiece. Since napery
must be washed it pays to do it regu.
larry and well.
A fern dish or a fat dish Of flowers
always brightens the dining table and
should be a regular thing. The family
II just as good az company, you know.
On the table before the food in it's
dishes is placed should be put clean
napkins at each place. At the right.
for a dinner, should be the knife for
cutting meat, the soup spoon, the spoon
for dessert and the small coffee spoon.
Two forks at the left are used, the
larger n being the regular dinner
fork and the smaller M the salad
fork, If the salad is to be a separate
course. Two forks can be used other
wise, but they are not necessary.
In front Of each place to the right
should be a glass for water. and 1t must
be kept filled. No apology for a scald-
ed throat should ever be relied on and
IAN never excuse carelessness in re.
gard to water gIasces.
At the left and in front Of the plate
should be the small bread and butter
plate. on which the butter %spread-a
small wide blade knife-is placed.
This plate usually has the piece Of
butter on it before the diners are sea
ed. 1t should be replenished as soon
as empty.
Small butter dishes are used by some
at formal dinners. In England butter
and bread are rarely served with full
course dinners. There is a tendency
here to do as the English do.
Sometimes a dinner plate is placed
merely as a serving plate" On this
the cups Of bouillOn or the soup plates
can be placed and removed when fin
ished. 1t also holds the oyster plate
and is finally removed before the din
ner plate is served.
The salad plate with a small pOr-
ton of salad can be put at the left OF
each place or can be served separate
~ after the main part of the meal.
Coffee in small cups should be served
Will Tue OcSSCTI VI IdSI. IL SOLuCS Al
this part Of the meal for a good rea-
son-it aids digestion when taken
black.
Needless to say. the table should be
kept "crumbeu" or cleaned between
courses If the dinner be conducted in
that way. If a simple meal, with
salad on the table. be the plan. all
/ crumbs. celery tips. used dishes. etc..
! should be removed before the dessert
is served.
A small serving table helps greatly
in the home dinner. On this clean
! plates. the water pitcher. the extra
courses and the covered vegetab Bile
! dishes can be kept. and it can also
hold used dishes. thus doing away
i with the many trips Of the hostess II
there be no maid.
This is a plain story of the dining
table. It is easily carried out and
will help you to understand more In
tricate and formal arrangements.
which are based on these fundamental
ideas.