The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-14
BRIDES SILVER CHEST

AS the young bride enters her
new home one of her first duties is
upon her as debutante and pros
pective bride. She at once becomes
hostess anxious to please and
achieve reputation for smartness
and originality in the little dinners,
intimate luncheons or elaborate en-
tertainment furnished her guests.
What to eat, how it should be served,
and particularly that important
something called correct table
service" must be mastered to per-
lection.
The brides silver chest must be
or purchased as a part of the new
homes furnishings. The silver may
be solid If the purse affords, but to-
day most beautiful patterns are
manufactured in plated ware which
wears even better and is equally
good looking. The pattern depends
on taste, but that with simple lines
and little, If any. cutting or scroll
work is richer and in better taste
and much easier to keep clean. If
bought, an excellent number to
choose is eight of the most impor-
tant pieces, as this gives extra sup
ply for an additional course without
washing.
The chief pieces are dinner knife
anu 1oI ldplcSpOoIb tSasPoOib sup
spoons and butter spreaders with
what are called serving pieces
gravy ladle. large or berry spoon,
cold meat fork or pie server. butter
knife and pickle fork.
To this one may add additional
pieces, according to the elaborate
ness of the table service which the
bride is to maintain. For example.
oyster forks. grange spoon, salad
fork, dessert spoons or forks. are at
tractive and desirable although not
entirely necessary in the more mod
est household.
If large serving spoons are in
cluded in the chest one may omit the
usual tablespoon and substitute soup
or bcuillon spoons and more tea
spoons. Indeed one can never have
too many teaspoons!
What is called a pie-server is
most useful article. IT looks
like a trowel, is triangular
bladed; and cuts cold meat. pie. brick
ice cream, or even cake with grace
full ease. The large cold meat fork
lifts any sliced meat or food like
croquettes, ETC., also may be one OF
the two table tools with which to
serve asparagus, corn, and similar
foods. If individual butted spreaders
are used a special butter knife VIII
not be needed. The salad FORK mas
shorter tines and they may be used
not only fer salads but for ice cream
and many pudding, desserts in place
| of spoon. The ice teaspoon mas
long, slender handle, suitable for the
demi tasse with which any formal
dinner properly closes.
! A silver knife of medium size Is
always used for fish, but for cutting
hot meats nothing Is so good as a
steel knife. and fortunately today we
have stainless steel blades fitted into
bone or ivored handles of attractive
| hof
to include at least one-half a dozen
of these in tho table service.
1t is always the best plan to select
an open stock" pattern in silver as
in china, as then one may add add
tional pieces as the need arises or the
| family increases. Entertaining al
ways demands a large number OF
pieces and it is very embarrassing fer
the pieces used with one course, as
meat forks, to be washed be1ore
serving. let us say, dessert OF pie
where forks are again required.
Naturally the kind of silver doesn't
assure the proper setting of the table
and every bride should wish later to
| learn exactly the placement and tech
nique of meal set for formal serv-
ice, fer informal luncheon, etc. But
with a we'll chosen silver chest in
simple but dignified pattern she will
have taken the first step in offering
hospitality from her new home.
6 Dinner knives (either silver or
steeD.
8 Medium knives for dinner or
more informal meals.
Dinner forks.
s Medium forks.
either set may be chosen alone
but a set of both dinner knives and
forks and also a smaller set is very
usefuD.
10 Tea spoons.
6 Bouillon spoons or large table
spoons.
Dessert spoons.
6 Butter spreaders.
oyster forks (optionaD.
6 Salad forks (optionaD.
6, orange or fruit spoons Cop
tionaD.
3 Berry spoons or large serving
spoons.
Gravy ladle.
/ Cold meat fork.
Pie server.
l Small pickle fork.
Fruit knives.
Piece carving set.
3-piece carving set.
PRESERVING FRIIlTS