The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-12-25
TIMES DAILY MAGAZINE PAGE.FO EVE
For the Graceful
Hostess
By MRS. CHRISTINE FREDERICK
Author of Tho New Housekeeping

Thy divine right all hostesses are
x graceful" and yet there are
- = number OF table imple-
merits. or table devices, which
can assist even the most graceful
hostess % preside over the table in
moro charming way. An oversup-
ply of siive, is not good taste. and
IL is not necessary 10 have spe-
cial kind of server for each different
kind of food. But even some of the
simplest pieces do not find a place in
many homes. such, for instance, as
the familiar ''pie-serVeF,y the mar
row, towel-like knife so frequently
a bridal gift. This combines the cut
ting edge OF a knife on both edges,
at the same time Offering a nat,
'shovel-like" surface to lift up
portions of cake, pie firm desserts
like gelatine. and slices of cold meat
Ii permits far more graceful serv-
ing OF these foods than doth the
ordinary knife or fork, and may we'll
ne included in even the most modest
list OF table equipment.
Again. there is the large serving
spoon and fork which is seen some
times in wood. sometimes in silver.
The bowl Of the spoon is particularly
deep and ladle-shaped. the tines of
the ordinary fork are large and
wide apart Such a set permits the
most graceful serving of salad, small
fruits. berries. and such vegetables
as have both a firm portion and a
gravy which must be dished. The
bowl OF the ordinary spoon is too
nat: the tines of the ordinary fork
TOO close together These defects
are remedies I'm the serving set de-
scribed which has a use at almost
every meal
Not long ago I talked with a manu-
facturer who cOnfided to me a bril-
liant new idea on which he wss
working. The idea was simply
large serving sDoon with a knife
like cutting edge. or a spoon and
knife combined. In cutting o whole
head of caulifower. for instance,
the edge Of the spoon is not sharp
enough to cut II without spelling its
appearance. But if the edge were
sharp. like knife. with one stroke
We could cut the food and at the
same time lift up portion for
serving.
The reason women feel that cook
ing is sometimes dTudgery and that
they do not want to be seen doing
II is due not to the task itself, but
on the way and place in which they
do il. Standing over a hot fire
food does not let a woman present
as attractive an appearance as IL
she were seated at the table cooking
the food in chafins-dish or other
device operated directly at the table
itself. Perhaps unconsciously this Is
the reason why American home
makers are taking so cordially to
preparing so many articles of food
at the table direct. We have even a
table waffie-iron; many kinds of
srids, the persistent percolstor. the
Ominpresent toaster and other YaTis-
tons OF the "cook-as-yOu-eat'' de-
vices. Especially where a woman
Goes her own work, every device
that assists her in serving meals
smoothly without rising commends
itself to her. There can be no pleas
ure IN a meal where one or more
members of the table are constantly
rising. The able cooking device
solves the servant problem in part.
BY permitting the hostess 10 cook
The meal herself at the same time
lena her personality uninterrupt-dly
10 Nor family OF guests.