The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-13
Julia Hoyt Clues Points
About the Formal Dime,
BY JULIA HOYT
lMra. LYdfg-HOYtl

! Since entertaining at meals is the
most popular as well as common form
| of entertainment in America, L shall
| begin by telling how the formal din
ner, perhaps the most important and
ceremonial of all mealsocan be given
| successfully.
But successfully is the catch.
The secret of giving a successful
dinner lies in experience in knowing
| how things ought to be done, for
without this knowledge how can a
| her household? Therefore, 1 strongly
advise the novice hostess not to at
tempt this form of entertainment un-
til she knows how it ought to be
given and until she learns what to
expect of her house and equipment
as we'll as her servants.
From personal experience and OBJ
servation 1 have found what 1 con-
slider the six essential ingredients
for a successful dinner. They are:
/. Tastefully furnished drawing
and dining room, both large enough
to accommodate comfortably the in
vited number of guests.
2. A suitable menu faultlessly pre-
pared.
8. Expert dining room servants to
serve it.
4. Spotless linen and all the other
table accessories perfectly polished
and sparkling.
5. charming and hospitable host
and hostess.
6. Above all, guests who are con-
genial to one another.
Having all of these six, nothing re-
mains but to give the dinner, and see
what happens! 4
If l wanted to Know whether a
woman was really "up'ein social OBJ
servances, 1 think / should judge her,
first Of all, by the way she conducts
conducted it herself, or leaves 1t to
her servants. or to some one hired
for the occasion. And the same rule
applies to other functions and to the
general management of her house,
hold.
regard housekeeping as serious
and interesting duty. And no matter
how busy 1 am, 1 never let the
threads slip through my fingers.
When 1 give big dinner. l super
intend the menu, the placing of
guests, the decorations and the SER
vice. 1 exercise meticulous care over
all the entertainments / give. My
intimate friends do the same. no mat
ter how large their establishments
may be.
And now 1 will tell what l have
learned about doing it.
Sending Out Invitations
Having decided on the date and the
guests for a formal dinner, the invi-
tations are sent out. Usually invita-
tations to formal entertainments are
engraved so that only persons
name is written. The form reads:
Mrs. Lydig Hoyt
| requests the pleasure of
(written name of guest)
company at (dinner)
on (date)
at o'clock
| 600 Fifth avenue.
| The Proper Seating ut Dinner
| A dinner of 36 or less is seated at
IA single table and usually a butler
| and eight assistants are necessary to
serve it properly.
A dinner of so or more is always
!, served at, separate tables, the center
! table of the size desired by the
hostess and fouT corner tables for
| the other guests The setting of each
| table and the service is the same.
Each table is identified by number
| or different colored flower decora-
tions. When this separate table ar
| rangen,ent is used, the number or the
] ladies' name cards which go in the
| envelopes handed to arriving gentle
| men at the door.
| The Correct Menu
| Hors d'oeuvre, meaning any appe-
| tizer such as caviar, anchovy, heart
OF artichoke with piquant sauce, etc.;