The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-03-01
Serving Your Own
Dinner

possible to serve nicely a dinner
prepared by oneself. 1t can be
done well and leisurely, but II is
not practical to carry out certain
formalities expected of a trained
maid. To perforrn household duties
with a minimum amount of effort.
and ! so smoothly that members Of
the household are not conscious of
seeing the wheels go round" is
an art.
Suppose wet set the table for a
family Of six. The simplest serv-
ing directions are given for the
following menu, which might be
served at dinner in. the average
household: Clam soup. crisped
crackers. roast lamb, roasted pc
tatoes, brown gravy, buttered peas
and string.beans. mint jelly. bread,
grapefruit salad. apple pie. cheese
and coffee.
The cover for the given menu
calls for q service plate with a
meat knife at the right. At the
left of the plate lay a dessert fork,
then a salad fork, and the meat
fork farthest from the plate, all
the tines up. With maid service,
the dessert silver Is placed or
brought in just before the dessert
course. Placing it now is one Of
the concessions to fornality nee
essary for ease and simplicity Of
service. The silver is more easily
and quickly placed If assembled on
q tray. At the point OF the knife
place the water glass, and near the
point of the. fork the bread.and.
butter plate with butter spreader
across the upper rigllt-h hand corner.
At the left Of the forks place the
napkin neatly folded. Between each
two covers set a salt and pepper
shaker. Place on the table plate
OF crisped crackers, and the table Ii
ready for the soup. which should
be brought in as late as possible,
just before the family are seated.
The soup plate Is placed upon the
service plate.
After the family are seated, the
plate OF crackers Is passed from
one 10 another until all are served,
when 1t Is again placed on the
table. The soup course finished,
remove the plate or crackers; then,
beginning with the hostess, go TO
her left and remove with left hand
the soup plate, change 1t to tho
right hand, and remove the next
plate to the right OF the hostess in
the same manner, thus carrying
them to the kitchen one in each
hand. This is another variation
from fundamental rules TO SIM
pllfy service. The service or dim
ner plate upon which the soup was
placed should be in perfect condt-
ton to use for the meat course.
The roast is brought in and placed
before the host, who begins to
carve. Then the vegetables and
gravy are brought to the table and
placed near the serving silver
which was previously laid in rela,
ton to the space for the dish.
The host places a serving OF
meat upon the plate, serves potato
and the vegetables IL they are with
in his reach, and passes the plate
to the person for whom 1t was in
tended. The latter exchanges for
the filled plate the empty one,
which he hands to the nearest per-
son, who passes 1t on to the host:
or the host may simply place meat
upon the plate, and the vegetables
may be passed from one to an
other, first placing the serving
silver in the dish. ReIishes are
passed in the same way. Avoid the
confusion. however. OF having too
many things passed at the same
time.
This course finished, remove the
platter with the carving knife and
fork placed firmly and securely on
It, then the vegetables, gravy,
relishes, and last the plates. IL
preferred, the salad may be ar
ranged in a large serving dish and
placed in front of the hostess. with
the required serving silver, having