Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-06
Guests for Dinner
How to Make Them Easy.

TN many communities there is still
i far less luncheon giving than there
was before the war. a luncheon.
though it may involve less elaborate
| preparation than a dinner. always
causes greater Inconvenience in the
household than does dinner. II
| there are children the luncheon comes
at time when children usually de-
mand most attention. While the up
to-date child is tucked away in bed bs
the times that dinner is served. More
over. for dinner one has the entire
day TO make ready, while the morning
is usually all too short for preparation
for luncheon in addition TO the duties
that must be attended to every morn
ing any way.
Then there is this TO remember ANY
form of entertainment that brings to-
gether the men OF your set or neigh
horhood always is of more deep
rooted social advantage than is the en-
tertainment that merely brings to-
gether the men OF your set or neigh
borhood always is OF a more deep
rooted social advantage than is the
entertainment that merely brings to-
gether the women. II you are really
intent in fostering friendly relations i'm
your community you will be eager to
have your husband meet the husband
OF your women friends. And men
most men--do not balk at the prospect
OF having a few friends in to an in
formal dinner party so much as they
would in taking part in an evening re-
ception or card party.
Who The Real Work Falls Cn.
OF course the woman who has
corps of weil-trained servants has
little real work 10 do in planning din
ner parties. II is the woman with on~
or no servants who must use some in
genuity. One thing that she should
remember is that the simpie dinner
carefully prepared is more satisfactory
than the dinner that requires long
hours of preparation.
Sometimes il is an inordinate love
of praise that actuates woman to go
10 extreme pains 10 make elaborat te
and unusual dishes for her dinner par
ties. She wants 70 show her skill as a
cook Sometimes even she rings in
numerous courses to display the
variety OF her dishes and silver. b.
this really does not add one whit 10
the actual enjoyment OF the guests
II you must make. most of the prep
arations yourself plan courses that can
be prepared some time in advance /;
is difficult 10 serve dinner composed
OF dishes all of which need close at
tention at the last minute
A first course consisting of a fruit
cocktail Of some sort appeals especially
to your guests at this time Of the wear
and fruit cocktail is better for hav-
ing been prepared hours in advance
and set away in the refrigerator. Usu-
ally the salad course can be prepared
beforehand.
How TO Plan the Menu.
In planning your menu just stop TO
consider the. amount OF time needed 20
prepare the various dishes Plain
boiled new potatoes served with
little butter and chopped parsley take
very little time as compared with seal
loped potatoes or potato souffie A
plain roast meat or beef steak or even
lamb chops are always liked by the
men and take infinitely less time than
tinbales or other made dishes
1t was characteristic of old-tine
hospitality that the housewife wished
TO load her table with good things.
She wished 70 show the bounty of her
lord by putting before her guests all
sorts Of rich viands. And the man OF
the house liked TO display the skill OF
his wife's cooking or that OF his serv-
ants by having the most elaborate con
coctions included on the bill of fare
Decidedly our sentiments have under
gone a change since then. Somehow
you would rather partake OF a simple,
well-cooked, wholesome repast Of four
or five courses a. the table with
hostess who can take an intelligent in
terest in what you have to say. than
with the old-tine housewife who
seemed to feel that her duties had
eased when the preparation OF the din
ner had been completed without mis-
hap.